Smith of Wootton Major

[Niere-Teleliniel]

Has anyone else read Tolkien's short story, Smith of Wootton Major? I've read it twice, and I'm not quite sure what to make of it. It almost seemed uncomplete, like there should have been a follow-up of some sort that explained the whole Faery world. But maybe that's because Tolkien had already 'explored' it all and didn't really feel it was necessary to give us more than a peek. I don't know. Does anyone else understand it?

[ April 24, 2002: Message edited by: Niere-Teleliniel ]

[ElanorGamgee]

I read it, and, yes, it does seem like there very well could have been a follow up story to it. I'm not sure if I understood it right, but it seems to me that Smith had been given the gift of imagination (represented by Faery) when he received the star, but when he got older he had to give it up so that another young boy could, in a sense, inherit it. I'm not really sure if that makes sense, though, because I don't know why Smith would have to give up his gift of imagination. I really enjoyed the story, though.