SPM is right, morm -- Alf was the King all along and the persona of Alf the Prentice was just an alias. A disguise. If you'll remember, Master Cook Rider went on travels and came back with Alf, he was not from the village and no one knew his history or parentage.
And Firefoot, "prentice" does indeed mean "apprentice" as Alf's role was the apprentice to Master Cook Rider. This was all a ruse more or less so that he could plant a magic star in a cake.
But you bring up something interesting about the whole anti minor works crusade. It's really kind of shameful the way that people are touting their ignorance as if it's something to be proud of. I mean, really, and you call yourselves Tolkien fans? Really! You won't even bother to read his minor works? I encourage everyone here to think twice before jumping to say "I haven't read them so I don't care." It's like saying, "I only listen to what's on Top 40 radio" or "I believe everything I see on TV."
!
I personally wouldn't mind seeing Alf go, but right about now I'm feeling that it's my duty as the MWS moderator to stand up for the Tolkien that isn't LotR/Silm/Hobbit. The stuff only
real fans have bothered to read.
So, let's get rid of a megalomaniac who would be the first to jump on an anti minor works bandwagon:
+ + Sauron
Maybe games like these should be incentive to become more knowledgable about the world of Tolkien, eh? Vote not in ingnorance, my friends.