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Formendacil · 07-29-2009, 10:14 PM

You're assuming an equity in value, at least on the whole cash/value of ponies bit, between the Shire and Breeland--which given the contact between the two societies is not necessarily the case. It's possible ponies are a lot more common in the Shire, which is wealthier in any case, so it might not have been so much of a financial burden.

On the other hand, even if ponies are more expensive in the Shire, I don't think cash need be much of an object--Merry is the only child of the Master of Buckland himself. If anyone in the Shire can afford to buy a few ponies, I would think he and Pippin would able to "pony up the cash."

(On a nitpickety note, it was only five ponies--the sixth pony, Fatty Lumpkin, was Bombadil's own: four hobbits and one pack-pony... but that's rather immaterial, I suppose...)

Your other question, how Merry managed to do this without contracting suspicion is a bit more of a chestnut. Speculatively, perhaps he was dealing in a whole stable of ponies for Brandy Hall, and just "happened" to up the Master's order from 20 ponies to 25. Perhaps he already owned two, and Pippin owned two, and Fredegar had one--they're all the uppermost of Hobbits in Shire-society--and they were brought to Buckland in stages--ostensibly for riding home to Tuckborough or Bolger country. And one or two, certainly, might have been bought in Frodo's name--a good mount is the sort of thing you might need once you move from the "big city" to the country.

All ridiculously speculative on my part, of course.

07-29-2009, 10:14 PM	#2
Formendacil Dead Serious Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Perched on Thangorodrim's towers. Posts: 3,328	You're assuming an equity in value, at least on the whole cash/value of ponies bit, between the Shire and Breeland--which given the contact between the two societies is not necessarily the case. It's possible ponies are a lot more common in the Shire, which is wealthier in any case, so it might not have been so much of a financial burden. On the other hand, even if ponies are more expensive in the Shire, I don't think cash need be much of an object--Merry is the only child of the Master of Buckland himself. If anyone in the Shire can afford to buy a few ponies, I would think he and Pippin would able to "pony up the cash." (On a nitpickety note, it was only five ponies--the sixth pony, Fatty Lumpkin, was Bombadil's own: four hobbits and one pack-pony... but that's rather immaterial, I suppose...) Your other question, how Merry managed to do this without contracting suspicion is a bit more of a chestnut. Speculatively, perhaps he was dealing in a whole stable of ponies for Brandy Hall, and just "happened" to up the Master's order from 20 ponies to 25. Perhaps he already owned two, and Pippin owned two, and Fredegar had one--they're all the uppermost of Hobbits in Shire-society--and they were brought to Buckland in stages--ostensibly for riding home to Tuckborough or Bolger country. And one or two, certainly, might have been bought in Frodo's name--a good mount is the sort of thing you might need once you move from the "big city" to the country. All ridiculously speculative on my part, of course. __________________ I prefer history, true or feigned.