Who says this truth?

I very much doubt that he says it any longer. That was Andrew Lang, quoted by Tolkien in On Fairy-Stories.

Right once again, Squatter - and "says" is literary, meaning that he still speaks to us through his works today! [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] Your turn!

Here's a useful one for explaining my chat-room departures:

Is that from the song about the Inn? The one that goes:

There is an Inn, a merry old Inn,
Beneath an old gray hill
And there they brew a beer so brown
The Man in the Moon himself came down
One night to drink his fill

I think the verse that contains the line "It's after three." is near the end.

Yep, I found it in that poem,

While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon:
'It's after three!' he said.

That's the bit I was looking for. It was indeed the landlord to the Man in the Moon from The Man in the Moon stayed up too late in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. The convention we've been following here is to name the speaker, the person addressed and the work from which the quotation came. Completing the quote is optional.

Anyway, it's your turn Narduewen.

Sorry for the wait. Next quote,

That's Tídwald; however, he's quoting Torhthelm, who said: both in The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth, Beorhthelm's Son. Appropriately, it's midnight as I write this...

Well done! I was thinking of the first one, and I didn't even know there was a second one. You turn.

It looks like everyone is taking this quote seriously - anyone going to come? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

I'll have a go, may I?

It may be Firiel to elven mariners stating her inability to follow them, though they were apt to take her along:

You most certainly may - it's great to have the thread's founder looking in again, HI! Too often "I cannot come" has been your motto! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] You are right, of course, it is Fíriel. Go ahead with a new one.

Thank you for your kind words, Estelyn, you are very encouraging [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] and lovely

Next one, a bit tricky, I should warn you:

[ September 16, 2003: Message edited by: HerenIstarion ]

Now, that would be old Tídwald again: The weight of the duke begins to tell in The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth, Beorhthelm's Son. It's good to see you back here, old boy.

Thank you, Squatter. I'm equally glad to be here and to be welcomed [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]. My apologies for the delay, you've got it right, of course, and are welcome to proceed

Squatter, are you going to carry on here? Now that I'm back, I'd love to see this thread alive again.

Sorry about that. I forgot that I'd answered on this thread.

This one's on a theme close to my heart:

Ah, I thought right away that this one sounds like it's from The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, and I was right - it's the Willow-wren, speaking to Tom.

Indeed it is. Your turn.

Here's one that seems appropriate to some forum discussions:

That's the Sea Serpent, on waking from a nightmare unintentionally brought on by the hapless Artaxerxes in Roverandom. The same phrase is shouted at the PAM by the mer-folk to make him cast the unfortunate spell.

Wow, two answers for the price of one! I meant the second one, but you're right in both cases, of course. Your turn to pose a no-nonsense question...

Let's see for how long I can keep up an alcoholic theme:

Aotrou is speaking to his wife Itroun in The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun:

That's the one.

The source of this quote is rather obvious, yet it tickles my fancy to hear the last word used in that context: Who is speaking, and of whom?

That is Master Of All Rovers to little Rover. He claims mermaids to be a lot more talkative than oyesters [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

The "of whom" is correct, HI, but the speaker is not quite accurate - take a closer look...

My choice of wording must have been poor. Under Master of Rovers I meant mer-dog claiming such a title on the prosaic ground of being first of the name [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Ah, then you were right - it was indeed the mer-dog! Go ahead with a new one!

May you be blessed [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Next serve, than:

Did it prove nasty trick to play [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] ?

Well, I did look for it in Roverandom and in Farmer Giles, since it sounded like it could have been there, but couldn't find it. Will you give a clue please?

I'll try to give you a tricky hint then [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

The sentence occurred in a conversation of two, one of whom thought himself superior and was 'kindly' joking, patronizingly inviting another to share a joke, yet this another, though usually humbling himself, this time was explicitly showing that the joke was not shared

Ah, I found it now! Nokes, the Master Cook, is speaking of the disappearance of the Faery star to Alf Prentice in Smith of Wootton Major.

that's the bloke [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Your turn

Procrastinating?

Anyone want to try today? Or tomorrow... if you like! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]