Finished the Silmarillion, things still bother me though.

[Findegil]

I don't see such a problem with the fast evolution of Hobbits from man. If we look back a few thousand years we will find that the average height of men today is about 1 feet higher than let say in the Roman empire. As stated before a separation of the smaller kind would even speed that up.

Lets assume a situation where a girl is looking around for a husband:
Girl: "Look! Mum' I will take this tall man. He makes an impressive picture."
Mother: "O no, Girl! He is much to high. His head is far above the other man, so if the Orks are coming around, as they do to often these days, it will be shopped of much to easy!"
Girl: "But he is strong and will fight the Orks of!"
Mother: "O, girl you are so young and has to learn so much! He is to big and to slow to disappear quietly when it is needed!"
Girl: "But I love him!"
Mother: "That will not help you feed your children when once he is dead, and they might be as tall as he is and so hard to feed. Provision is small in these days. And remember what is the duty of a woman: When your husband and your children are hungry you might go without a meal in the evening."
Girl: "What! Me going without a meal, only because he is so tale and need more food! No! that's asked too much! I will take a smaller man." [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Respectfully
Findegil