AUTHOR'S NOTES -


CHAPTER 22: CHARM AND CHILDBIRTH
I have drawn here on my own experience of home birth as well as my experiences as a trainee ante-natal teacher with the National Childbirth Trust in the 1980s (sadly, I was unable to complete my training, but it was a great learning experience). A wonderful read is Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin.

Rosie loved hearing poems in Elvish, and many had elegant translations in Bilbo’s thin, wandering hand.
The Return of the King, Many Partings: “...and he gave him also three books of lore that he had made at various times, written in his spidery hand, and labelled on their red backs: Translations from the Elvish, by B.B.”
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “At the beginning there were many leaves covered in Bilbo’s thin wandering hand...”

The days of Rethe passed, and Frodo had a new concern as they neared the thirteenth of the month. He could expect to be ill again, but he desperately wanted to keep knowledge of this from both Sam and Rosie.
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “Frodo was ill again in March, but with a great effort he concealed it, for Sam had other things to think about.”

‘He couldn’t eat nothing, said everything seemed like he were eating sawdust.’ She grimaced at the memory. ‘So that’s why you don’t eat?’

He nodded. Sawdust was a good description.
Unless you’ve experienced this, it’s hard to believe how lack of taste affects appetite. I am the greediest of hobbits normally, but I lost my taste one Christmas and nothing was worth eating; everything tasted like cardboard. I was lucky, it only lasted 2-3 days, but I know someone who lost their sense of taste as a side effect of a drug, and they lost weight dramatically.

‘I am dying, but not yet, I hope.’ He watched as she chewed her lip and considered his regard with some discomfort.
In discussions about why Frodo leaves, someone invariably says “but he was dying.” There seems no direct evidence for this in The Lord of the Rings, but I have decided to explore this possibility. I have been asked why I make Frodo suffer so much post quest. All I can say in answer is that I cannot understand his need to leave unless he was suffering mentally and physically. Being briefly ill twice a year does not seem to explain why he felt he had to leave Middle-earth for ever.

‘She’ll be ready to start pushing the babe out soon, or I’m no judge,’ said Lily. ‘They gets very irritable, just afore. Her contractions have eased off, to give her a bit of a rest. Rest and be thankful, we say. She’s being very snappy with Esme, but it’s just a step in the birthing.
This is a stage in labour called “transition”. Not all labouring women experience it.

Sam fetched out some lavender oil from the bedside table, and picked up a comb. He sat crossed-legged on the floor in front of Rosie and gently combed out the curling hair of her feet, before starting to knead and press. He heard a hmph from the midwife.
Lavender oil is one of the essential oils recommended for childbirth. It is claimed that it is a general calmer, and stimulates healing.

‘Well,’ he admitted. ‘I’m in a bit of a fix. Rosie and me had settled on calling him Frodo, with your leave; but it’s not him, it’s her. Though as pretty a maid child as anyone could hope for, taking after Rosie more than me, luckily. So we don’t know what to do.’

‘Well, Sam,’ he said. ‘What’s wrong with the old customs? Chose a flower name like Rose. Half the maidchildren in the Shire are called by such names, and what could be better?’

‘I suppose you’re right,’ said Sam. ‘I’ve heard some beautiful names on my travels, but I suppose they’re a bit too grand for daily wear and tear, as you might say. The Gaffer, he says: “Make it short, and then you won’t have to cut it short before you can use it.” But if it’s to be a flower-name, then I don’t trouble about the length: it must be a beautiful flower, because, you see, I think she is very beautiful, and is going to be beautifuller still.’

‘Well, Sam, what about elanor, the sun-star, you remember the little golden flower in the grass of Lothlórien?’

‘You’re right again, Frodo!’ said Sam, delighted. ‘That’s what I wanted. Rosie said she had a feeling you would know her name.’
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: The above lines are all taken straight from the book.

‘I’m all right, Sam. I thought it was the end of all things, do you remember? And now, it seems it is just the beginning.’
The Return of the King, Mount Doom: “‘I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things, Sam.’”