The Silmarillion in the Vernacular

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I did something similar on a simpler level - I started telling my granddaughters the Hobbit episodes when they were about four years old, too young to comprehend the lengthy written book. They loved it, and now they have heard the book (German translation - they haven't learned English in school yet) from me and the radio play (again, German version) on CD.

I've told them some of the events of LotR and bits of Sil, but we have entered the realm of fan fiction. When they stay with me, they demand Bilbo stories of the Hobbit's life as a child. One of the girls suggested I write those down and publish them, but of course copyright laws would prohibit that - and the fact that the Shire looks and feels an awful lot like their own modern life!