"Minor works" trivia
 

This thread is inspired by the "minor works" quote thread on the Quotes forum. The list of works used there is:
For the beginning, it might be wise to stick to the first four of them; after we warm up, we can spread out and get more complicated!

Here's the first question: Whose daughters danced the Springle-ring?

What a thoroughly excellent idea for a thread (as one might expect, given its originator).

It was old Farmer Maggot's daughers who were dancing the hobbit favourite, during the scene at his house in Bombadil Goes Boating:

Why thank you, good sir! I hope that we will be joined by others who enjoy these works! Your answer is correct, of course, given the quoter [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] - please pose the next question!

Well, anyone can strike gold if they dig in the right place. The following question is dedicated to those feeling the seasonal pinch.

Who extended his life with an unplanned diet?

That'd be Old Nokes from Smith of Wooton Major, who attributed his encounter with the King of Faerie to a dream brought on by his pork dinner and hardly dared eat anything thereafter. The pounds dropped off him and "he lived many years longer that he would otherwise have done".

Now, how do I get on this "Faerie King" diet? [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 7:23 PM January 11, 2004: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]

It certainly was 'Old Rag-and-Bones'. Your turn, Saucepan.

Scare Yourself Thin - The King of Faerie Diet is available from all disreputable bookshops, but requires some specialist equipment (Fays and King of Faerie costumes are available from Thomas Rymer of Saville Row). Due to the extremely rapid weight loss and attendant permanent health impairments that this diet induces, it is not recommended for those who might be in a position to take legal action.

Thank you, Sir Squatter. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

And for the next question:

Who was provided with pikelets, and by whom?

And if you can tell me what pikelets are, you can have a much-coveted Barrow-Downs Quiz Room bonus point. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

I should think that pikelets are little pikes - am I right? However, I haven't found the reference yet - it sounds like it should be in Farmer Giles of Ham, with the king providing them for his knights, but I can't locate it so far.

Indeed they should be, Esty, but alas they are not. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

It is, I think, a peculiarly English word. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

The Lonely Troll provides Perry the Winkle with as many pikelets as he can eat. A pikelet is a small, thin crumpet.

The reference is, of course, to Perry the Winkle in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil

Spot on, untitled occupier. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] And you get the bonus point too.

Now please honour us with the next question.

Why, thank you, Sir; although the honour of any of my questions is a dubious one to say the least.

Which three distinguished characters are involved in an ongoing dispute about Greek pronunciation?

That would be Psamathos Psamathides, the Psamathist, who is mocked by a fellow sorceror, Artaxerxes, for insisting that the silent "P"s be pronounced, and the title hero of the story, Roverandom, who never got to know Psamathos well enough to leave out the P.

(aside: The Greek root of those words is Psammos, 'sand'. It occurred to me that, if the P was silent, it could be the real name of Master Gamgee - Psamwise! Now that would give a whole new meaning to the etymology of his name! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] )

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 12:28 PM January 17, 2004: Message edited by: Estelyn Telcontar ]

Close, but no cigar. You've got two of them, but Rover isn't the sort to dispute something so esoteric.

Then the third one would be the Man-in-the-Moon. He says:

You have correctly identified the Third Man. MI5 will be pleased.

A part of an animal is prized as a great delicacy in two of Tolkien's minor works. What is it and in which stories is it mentioned?

In Farmer Giles of Ham and Roverandom, Dragon's Tail is a royal delicacy. <font size=1 color=339966>[ 9:07 AM January 18, 2004: Message edited by: The Squatter of Amon Rûdh ]

Bingo*, Squatter! Please go on with a new one.

*an obscure reference to a possible but discarded (whew!) name for Frodo

What happened by the Sea of Windless Storm?

Smith of Wootton Major saw an Elven ship and mariners - but that passage is so wonderful, I'll just quote it:

That's well worth quoting: a fine piece of prose. You are, of course, correct.

Two "Men in Black" show up in one story - who are they?

The Inspector of Houses and the Driver in Leaf by Niggle

That's them, Squatter - your turn!

Who live in the Merlock Mountains?

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 8:51 AM January 23, 2004: Message edited by: The Squatter of Amon Rûdh ]

The Mewlips?

The very fellows.

Who?

The Fastitocalon?

Yep!

Thank you, Mariska. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Ok, an easy one. What was the name of Farmer Giles' dog?

How nice - a question I can answer from memory without having to search my books! The dog is Garm - does anyone know if there's some etymological background to that name? Most of the names in Farmer Giles have some significance.

Quite so, fair Princess Fiona. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Sorry, insects not my speciality. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

You're up.

Next question: Who was called "the greatest of all the dragon-slayers"?

(I did look up "garm" - at least Merriam-Webster's online dictionary does not recognize it as a word. Oh well, as they say, sometimes a name is just a name!)

Bellomarius.

That's the one, Mariska - go ahead with a new one!

Mariska? Your turn!

Thanks for reminding me...


Who came by night , according to the Hobbits, and loosed her, dragged her over weir, and up stream and pushed her?

Hobbits in a minor work? That has to be The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, I thought, and I found it there. The "she" referred to is Tom Bombadil's boat.