Tolkien Blog Party Tag
Hello there, dear Reader! Today I am participating in the Tolkien Blog Party hosted by The Edge of the Precipice blog! It's a whole week of Tolkien-related fun and games, as well as a huge giveaway! If the Silmaril Awards haven't been quite enough Tolkien-related fun for you, make sure you head over there and see what's happening!I might be posting a few more Tolkien-inspired things here throughout the week as we wrap up the Silmaril Awards, so stay tuned for that! And if you would like to write your own post and join the party, there's a link-up for that on the post I linked to above!Let's get started with a fun tag! Tolkien... "would you rather" edition!
Would You Rather...
1. ...join Thorin's Company or the Fellowship?Starting out with a super hard one (I have a feeling all of these are going to be difficult, actually). I love the members of the Fellowship and would happily travel through danger at their sides. But... I honestly think I have far less chance of dying if I stick with Thorin's Company. Besides, the Fellowship already has a plucky member who uses humor or clumsiness to diffuse difficult/tense situations... but Thorin's Company could definitely use that. Also, we're currently reading The Hobbit out loud as a family, and I'm remembering how much I love it. So... Thorin's Company it is!
2. ...ride Shadowfax or an eagle?Oof. Flying on the back of an eagle sounds rather fun... but then, the eagles aren't exactly known for allowing repeat-rides, and I'm somewhat afraid of heights. Actually, this one is pretty easy. Shadowfax all the way. I love horses and horse-back riding and Shadowfax has always been one of my favorite things about the Lord of the Rings.3. ...travel through Moria or Mirkwood?Mirkwood. This one isn't even difficult. Moria has never been one of the places I wanted to visit. But Mirkwood... all through my growing up years and even now... whenever I hike through a forest (or even drive through a reasonably thick lane of trees) I pretend it's Mirkwood. As ominous and forbidding as it sounds... there's also something about the idea of it that sends a thrill of excitement through me.4. ...learn to make elvish rope or mithril chainmail?... Neither? Is neither an option? I mean, I'd love to HAVE both of them, but learn how to make them? I'm not at all a "crafty" person, and making rope or chain mail sounds exceedingly tedious. I have a feeling I'd grow bored long before I ever finished anything of substance.But... one of my students once did a demonstration speech on how to make regular chain mail... and that was pretty neat to watch.I still wouldn't want to do it myself, though. Not for longer than about twenty minutes, anyway. And rope-twisting doesn't look like a whole lot more fun.Yeah... I really can't decide which one I'd dislike more.5. ...try to outwit Smaug or Saruman?Smaug. Hand's down, Smaug. I mean, besides the fact that he's a DRAGON, which just makes him infinitely cooler than Saruman, as a character he's also more interesting and devious and clever and dangerous than Saruman ever was. Also, Smaug at least has a sense of humor.I don't do well with people who don't have a sense of humor.Thus, Saruman is more likely to succeed in killing me, as I won't be able to distract him with clever repartees or riddles.
6. ...spend an hour with Grima Wormtongue or Denethor?Yeesh... neither! But actually, if I had to choose, I'd much prefer to hang out with Denethor than Wormtongue. Denethor would annoy me, but Wormtongue gives me the creeps.7. ...attend Faramir's wedding or Samwise's wedding?BOTH!!! Both, please! If they are happening on the same day, though... well... as much as Faramir and Eowyn are my all-time favorite fictional love story... I still think I'd rather attend a Hobbit wedding in the Shire. Besides, Sam and Rosie are just adorable.
8. ...have to care for the One Ring or the Arkenstone for a day?The Arkenstone. The One Ring has far too great a chance of corrupting me and turning me into something I really don't want to be. The Arkenstone also has the propensity to corrupt people - but its power is more that of just normal greed. It doesn't come with the whole "bringing Sauron's attention to you" factor, or have a mind of its own sort of bent on turning its bearer into a servant of evil. So I think... on the whole... the Arkenstone would be the safer of the two charges.9. ...have tea with Bilbo or Frodo?I'm... gonna have to go with Bilbo on this one. I love them both dearly, but as much as I love Frodo and admire him for his part in the Lord of the Rings... I always just kind of preferred Bilbo. It's possible it's because I fell in love with The Hobbit years before I ever read LOTR. Or maybe it's just that I liked how Bilbo's story ended on a far happier note. Or maybe it's the kinship I feel towards another author and poet... but I just think having tea with Bilbo would be more comfortable and less filled with awkward pauses in which we had nothing to say to each other.10. ...fight alongside Boromir or Eomer?I saw this question right away and I've been dreading reaching it throughout the entire tag. Boromir and Eomer are two of my favoritest characters ever, and choosing between them is like tearing my heart out and offering it to Smaug on a platter.A couple of years ago, I wrote a post on all the reasons I love Boromir and will defend him forever and ever because the movies did him a great injustice.And yet.Eomer.Faithful, faithful, staunch, trustworthy Eomer.In the end, I really can't decide. This is the one question I simply can't answer.I'd be safe in the company of either of these strong, brave-hearted, good men. I'd happily fight alongside either of them, though my fighting skills are about as lacking as any hobbit's.
And now it's your turn! I'd love to hear your answers to some or all of these questions! Also, if you haven't yet, make sure you swing through and read the various Silmaril Award Ceremonies posts! We're over halfway done, but there are still a few Silmarils to hand out before the week is done, and so far, every event has been incredibly fun!Wisest CounselorMost Epic HeroineMost Magnificent DragonMost Mischievous ImpStrangest CharacterLeast Competent HenchmanMost Nefarious VillainAnd make sure to check the following blogs on Wed-Fri to find out who wins in the following categories:Most Silver TongueMost Faithful FriendMost Epic Hero