Gems from the 'Lesser Works' of JRRT

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I love the 'minor' works. I don't have words for how I've been moved by "Leaf by Niggle" or "Smith of Wootton Major" or how I've giggled like an idiot at the jokes in "Farmer Giles of Ham" and "Roverandom", so I'll just sigh.

Sigh [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

'It reminds me of Faery,' he heard himself say; 'but in Faery the people sing too.' Then he began to sing, high and clear, in strange words that he seemed to know by heart; and in that moment the star fell out of his mouth and he caught it in his open hand. It was bright silver now, glistening in the sunlight; but it quivered and rose a little, as if it was about to fly away. Without thinking, he clapped his hand to his head, and there the star stayed in the middle of his forehead, and he wore it for many years.

Farmer Giles had a dog. The dog's name was Garm. Dogs had to be content with short names in the vernacular

I also love the Pauline Baynes illustrations for Farmer Giles of Ham.

I'll leave you with a "gem" (?) from the blurb of my copy of "Tales from the Perilous Realm":

and Smith of Wootton Major journeys to the Land of Faery via the magical ingredients of a giant cake.