Drabble series - Wassail. The Shire. Dol Amroth. Minas Tirith
Title: Wassail to the Apple-trees! A drabble pair
Author: Kortirion
Characters: Tiny Bilbo. Gandalf, Legolas.
Rating: G
Source: Pre-Ring War
Disclaimer: Middle-earth is Tolkien’s domain… we are just visiting with intent.
Half-asleep in the moonlight, little Bilbo shivered in his dressing-gown. He’d borrowed Ma’s winter shawl, Da’s scarf and cap, but decided the gloves were too big and clumsy… and he needed to do this right!
Creeping outside, he tip-toed to the frosty orchard. What a sight!
The wizard was there… with a tall man… No… an elf! Gandalf and an Elf! Bilbo was so excited he gave a little ‘mmmeeep’ of joy.
Both heads turned, hair flaring in the moonlight as their heads spun.
“Bilbo Baggins, I believe,” rumbled Gandalf.
“P-pl-please, Sir… I’ve come to w-wassail. And plant some seeds.”
Bilbo held his hand up for Gandalf; five little black seeds nestled in the palm. The wizard looked grim, but his eyes twinkled.
“It’s after midnight, little hobbit.”
“Please, I heard tell… them’s planted by moonlight nearest wassailtide will fruit for a hundred years.”
“Have you heard this, Legolas?”
The elf smiled, shrugged, “Mithrandir you know I’ve never ventured beyond Greenwood, what can I say?”
Mithrandir nodded, “So, we must see. Bilbo shall plant three; we’ll plant the others later.”
Gandalf took two, pocketing them, then poked holes with his staff.
“Plant! Sing Wassail!”
…100 years later they still fruited.
Title: What Remains a drabble pair
Author: Kortirion
Characters: Gandalf, Legolas
Rating: G
Source: Pre-Ring War
Disclaimer: Tolkien’s Realms
The Elf was eager to be abroad in the world… there was so much that was new! Even though it had taken some persuading, and a few sulks and tantrums, for his father to agree that a small escort of six elves along with the wizard Mithrandir was enough to travel with.
Mithrandir suggested ‘the pretty route’ as he called it, via Lune, South by ship, then north again to Imladris… ‘time’, as the wizard said, ‘was an immaterial concept if you’re immortal…’ Legolas wasn’t sure his father would agree!
They’d soon be docking at their southernmost point… Dol Amroth.
It was approaching the longest night again. The last time they’d been in The Shire, that cheerful place of comfortable small things… here the night was not frosty, but the midwinter chill made Legolas’ hooded cloak both a disguise and a comfort. He lent on the quay with Mithrandir, gazing out to sea.
“Will I forget this?”
Mithrandir shook his head.
“And if I came back in 100 years?”
“It would seem much the same.”
“What about 1,000?”
Mithrandir puffed his pipe… “the buildings will alter, but the sea…
“And other places… The Shire?
“If there’s love… it’ll be there.”
Title: Apple-trees, a drabble pair
Author: Kortirion
Characters: Gandalf, Legolas
Rating: G
Source: Post Ring-War
Disclaimer: Tolkien’s realms and futures
The smell of smoke and the stench of sorrow were slowly dissipating from the streets of Minas Tirith. It had taken some while, and in places it would never go away, not within mortal memory.
It so happened that Gandalf the White made it his business to discover the elf-prince Legolas, outside staring hard at maps of the surrounding countryside.
‘The land was once fertile out there, and could be again… trees needed to be planted, lots of them…’
“And I thought I might help…” said Mithrandir, continuing the elf’s thoughts.
The wizard dropped two black seeds onto the map.
Legolas stared at them, then remembered: a frosty midwinter night, a tiny hobbit and his pip-squeak wassail to the apples… such a joy-filled memory, it made him laugh out loud.
“All this time Mithrandir?”
“One never knows of the need for apples.”
“And where shall I plant them?”
“I think, I should find a place that gives your heart joy… Bilbo’s were still fruiting you know, 100 years later. Imagine what these seeds could do with even richer soil…”
“Beyond the Seas…?”
Mithrandir shrugged.
Which is why, on the farthest shores… an ancient pair of earthly apple-trees grow and flourish.
Author: Kortirion
Characters: Tiny Bilbo. Gandalf, Legolas.
Rating: G
Source: Pre-Ring War
Disclaimer: Middle-earth is Tolkien’s domain… we are just visiting with intent.
Half-asleep in the moonlight, little Bilbo shivered in his dressing-gown. He’d borrowed Ma’s winter shawl, Da’s scarf and cap, but decided the gloves were too big and clumsy… and he needed to do this right!
Creeping outside, he tip-toed to the frosty orchard. What a sight!
The wizard was there… with a tall man… No… an elf! Gandalf and an Elf! Bilbo was so excited he gave a little ‘mmmeeep’ of joy.
Both heads turned, hair flaring in the moonlight as their heads spun.
“Bilbo Baggins, I believe,” rumbled Gandalf.
“P-pl-please, Sir… I’ve come to w-wassail. And plant some seeds.”
Bilbo held his hand up for Gandalf; five little black seeds nestled in the palm. The wizard looked grim, but his eyes twinkled.
“It’s after midnight, little hobbit.”
“Please, I heard tell… them’s planted by moonlight nearest wassailtide will fruit for a hundred years.”
“Have you heard this, Legolas?”
The elf smiled, shrugged, “Mithrandir you know I’ve never ventured beyond Greenwood, what can I say?”
Mithrandir nodded, “So, we must see. Bilbo shall plant three; we’ll plant the others later.”
Gandalf took two, pocketing them, then poked holes with his staff.
“Plant! Sing Wassail!”
…100 years later they still fruited.
Title: What Remains a drabble pair
Author: Kortirion
Characters: Gandalf, Legolas
Rating: G
Source: Pre-Ring War
Disclaimer: Tolkien’s Realms
The Elf was eager to be abroad in the world… there was so much that was new! Even though it had taken some persuading, and a few sulks and tantrums, for his father to agree that a small escort of six elves along with the wizard Mithrandir was enough to travel with.
Mithrandir suggested ‘the pretty route’ as he called it, via Lune, South by ship, then north again to Imladris… ‘time’, as the wizard said, ‘was an immaterial concept if you’re immortal…’ Legolas wasn’t sure his father would agree!
They’d soon be docking at their southernmost point… Dol Amroth.
It was approaching the longest night again. The last time they’d been in The Shire, that cheerful place of comfortable small things… here the night was not frosty, but the midwinter chill made Legolas’ hooded cloak both a disguise and a comfort. He lent on the quay with Mithrandir, gazing out to sea.
“Will I forget this?”
Mithrandir shook his head.
“And if I came back in 100 years?”
“It would seem much the same.”
“What about 1,000?”
Mithrandir puffed his pipe… “the buildings will alter, but the sea…
“And other places… The Shire?
“If there’s love… it’ll be there.”
Title: Apple-trees, a drabble pair
Author: Kortirion
Characters: Gandalf, Legolas
Rating: G
Source: Post Ring-War
Disclaimer: Tolkien’s realms and futures
The smell of smoke and the stench of sorrow were slowly dissipating from the streets of Minas Tirith. It had taken some while, and in places it would never go away, not within mortal memory.
It so happened that Gandalf the White made it his business to discover the elf-prince Legolas, outside staring hard at maps of the surrounding countryside.
‘The land was once fertile out there, and could be again… trees needed to be planted, lots of them…’
“And I thought I might help…” said Mithrandir, continuing the elf’s thoughts.
The wizard dropped two black seeds onto the map.
Legolas stared at them, then remembered: a frosty midwinter night, a tiny hobbit and his pip-squeak wassail to the apples… such a joy-filled memory, it made him laugh out loud.
“All this time Mithrandir?”
“One never knows of the need for apples.”
“And where shall I plant them?”
“I think, I should find a place that gives your heart joy… Bilbo’s were still fruiting you know, 100 years later. Imagine what these seeds could do with even richer soil…”
“Beyond the Seas…?”
Mithrandir shrugged.
Which is why, on the farthest shores… an ancient pair of earthly apple-trees grow and flourish.