The Battle of Primrose Lane

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Mirimaran
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The Battle of Primrose Lane

Post by Mirimaran »

Hi all,

So sorry that it has taken a year (!) to translate this from Daffodil's Leavings but I hope it was worth the wait. For those of you unfamiliar with Daffodil Underhill, you might want to read 'A Rainy Night at the Pony', especially the last few paragraphs, which help set up the tale of Daffodil's battle with the Bolger boys. There is more to this tale, which will come sooner than the poem, I promise!

Ken
-----------------------------------------

The Battle of Primrose Lane

There was trouble a-brewing on Primrose Lane
Those Bolger boys, Staddle's bane
were being mean, and stole from the girls and boys
every manner and each of their toys
and when this Ranger learned of the theft
(my own little brother left bereft!)
that I donned my cloak and took up my staff
and passed Josie the cook with a laugh
for there would be no stealing on Primrose Lane
and if words alone could not explain
then a good punch in the nose would drive my point home
no evil would be tolerated while this Ranger roamed!

I left our hole with little Andy in tow
but behind me I did not know
that word had spread, and soon there was a crowd
of the children of Staddle, and in my cloak I was so proud
for as a Ranger I stood at the broken gate
the fence unmended, the lawn in a sorry state
at the crook of the Lane the sorry hole of the Bolger's
I pushed past the gate and sauntered over
for standing like a troll in front of the shed
was Harry Bolger, arms crossed, his face so red
and in his shadow stood little Rorry
his clothes a mess, his face so dirty.

But before I could free their ill-gotten gain
like a rush of shadow came their great dog Thane!
He bounded and jumped in the air
jaws a-snapping, his eyes all glare!
as he knocked me to the ground
over me he stood, I felt my heart pound
yet growl as he did, I heard his stomach grumble
and out of my pocket he grabbed my blueberry crumble!
He chomped and chewed and then begged for more
and despite Harry's threats of the punishment he had in store
he sat at my feet and wagged his thin tail
my second breakfast had prevailed!

I rose to my feet and said to the pair
"I know what you have in there!"
for the shed door was held with a great lock
to which Harry replied, and then he mocked,
"Daffy Underhill, you've come for a beating
you'll regret the day of our meeting!"
Behind me Andy squealed and ran
but I drew up my hood and made my stand
for although I stood in mortal danger
fear would not take the heart of this Ranger
for as the Brothers Bolger came for me, I swung my cane
and so began the Battle of Primrose Lane!

Harry struck at me, but I was too fast
I jumped from him and he flew past
Then Rorry came and I knocked him down
he landed wheezing on the ground
I swung my staff and it shattered on Harry's head
he fell backwards as if dead
Rorry cried and hit me so hard
that I grew dizzy and could see stars
I staggered as he landed blow after blow
my eye swelling shut from the assault of my foe
then I threw a blind punch and smiled as he froze
I bloodied me a Bolger's nose!

Then I was upon him
my fury cold, dark and grim
I knocked him to the ground
my punches landed hard and sound
and to me he was like the goblins of old tales
in my fury I did not hear him wail
as his cries turned to sobs
but driven I was by the cheering mob
that I did not stop, and I hit him more than I wish I had
for his last tearful cry was for his lost...
"Dad!"
I stopped, fist raised in the air
beneath me no goblin, just a little boy there.

Harry staggered to me, and pushed me away
and he held Rorry, together they swayed
he held him so close and tight
that I knew that he must do this every night
for Rorry cried and sobbed and shook with every breath
for the father that they were both bereft.
Harry then said to me,
"We meant no harm for you see
with Dad gone, Mum had no money
for toys and such, we were going hungry
so to the Tinker in Bree they all went
even Rorry's toy wagon that Dad had sent."

"It made Rorry so sad
he misses him so much, our Dad
that I wanted to make him smile again
since no one would be our friend
so I took them all, the toys for him alone
here, my crime I'll atone"
and he held up for me
on a chain a great key
I took it, my eyes blinking
as I broke the lock, the door creaking
inside all the toys, even Andy's top
I took it, and forced my tears to stop.

Andy was happy as I led him away
but I did not feel the same way
as each toy was claimed and soon nothing left inside
just an empty shed, and two boys with nothing but their pride
who helped each other to their empty home
and then the round door was shut, and left us alone
I had won the battle, but my heart felt no joy
as I thought of that little boy
I felt the guilt building inside of me
and then the tears finally burst free
for the storm clouds had gathered and then came the rain
that washed away the tears that ended the battle of Primrose Lane...
"Well, what are you waiting for? I am an old man, and have no time for your falter! Come at me, if you will, for I do not sing songs of dastards!"
kaelln

Re: The Battle of Primrose Lane

Post by kaelln »

What a joy to hear more of the adventures of Daffodil the Ranger! Thanks Ken!
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Greg
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Re: The Battle of Primrose Lane

Post by Greg »

I've been dying wondering what adventures the newfound confidence the brooch the Ranger gave her would bring! Excellent work!

Shakespeare himself even elaborated the liberating freedom given by wearing masks. We often do things far beyond our normal capacities when hidden beneath the confidence of costume or mask. Our dear Daffodil is clearly no exception; the courage of the Dunedain in the package of a Hobbit.
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
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Mirimaran
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Re: The Battle of Primrose Lane

Post by Mirimaran »

Thanks Kaelin and Greg! You are certainly right, Greg, Daffy felt as if she could do anything, and found that a simple case of retrieving stolen toys turned out to be much more than she bargained for. Of course, this leads into another tale as Daffy has to find a way to make things right for the Bolgers!

Ken
"Well, what are you waiting for? I am an old man, and have no time for your falter! Come at me, if you will, for I do not sing songs of dastards!"
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Ernildir
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Re: The Battle of Primrose Lane

Post by Ernildir »

Yay! More Daffodil! :mrgreen:
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
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Ringulf
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Re: The Battle of Primrose Lane

Post by Ringulf »

Ken I love what I see and have found so far on Daffodil after some searching, but for those of us who may be new to the Forum, and are not familiar with the character, could you give us a little bio or commentary and perhaps a guide to the name and order in which the posts concerning Daffy should be viewed?

Thanks! :D
I am Ringulf the Dwarven Woodsman, I craft leather, wood, metal, and clay,
I throw axes, seaxes, and pointy sticks, And I fire my bow through the day.
Come be my ally, lift up your mead! We'll search out our foes and the Eagles we'll feed! :mrgreen:
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Peter Remling
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Re: The Battle of Primrose Lane

Post by Peter Remling »

Ken: Well written, stirring tale that reminds us all that things are not always as they seem.

Enjoyed it throughly !

:)
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Mirimaran
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Re: The Battle of Primrose Lane

Post by Mirimaran »

Many thanks, Peter! I think what I wanted to show (from the tone that Daffodil had set in her poem) that there is a great responsibility to being a Ranger, whose authority should be used justly and fairly. We'll see how she deals with things, as only Daffy can!

Ringulf, Daffodil came out of a friendship we had with a person on the LOTR87 yahoogroup some years ago who created the name and vague backstory. This is the first fragment of a tale I wrote with her inspiration:

http://ranger.budgetauthenticity.org/fo ... f=19&t=878

We fell out of touch with that person, but a couple of years ago I started getting ideas about the adventures of Daffodil, so this rough story came out on our own forum:

http://ranger.budgetauthenticity.org/fo ... f=19&t=881

which in turn actually touches on this story fragment about the younger days of Mirimaran:

http://ranger.budgetauthenticity.org/fo ... f=19&t=773

which is the first mention of Deridore Took, the first hobbit companion of the Ranger, who may or may not be a relative of Daffodil.

Daffodil was born in the latter years of the Third Age, the first of seven children born to Otto and Marigold Underhill of Staddle. Her parents, poor in their youth, were now quite well off, mostly from Otto's keen business sense and Marigold's social climbing skills. Her father is a "collector of rents and land purveyor" who, despite his warnings to his daughter, is getting quite cozy with the men of the South who are coming in small groups to Bree-land. At the time of these stories, Daffodil is 17, still young to most hobbits, but she is reckoned the prettiest girl in Staddle, and of course, suitors are lining up, but Daffodil looks more to her books and stories than to the idea of marriage. She is a Took on her mother's side, and is said to resemble the great Belladonna Took, and Daffodil has a mirror of Belladonna's in her room. She has quite a series of adventures with the Rangers, and plays a large part in the Year of Troubles, which are accounted in her 'The Leavings of Daffodil Underhill", which I am still translating :)

Those South-men, btw, made their first excursion to the North here:

http://ranger.budgetauthenticity.org/fo ... =19&t=1155

and you can well guess who their benefactor is. After their defeat at the hands of one old Ranger, there is a change of tactics, but I wanted to give the dwindling Rangers a more cunning enemy to face than Orcs, who still are a great enemy to the Dunedain, but South-men, imo, are a greater threat.

Of course, questions are welcome, and I will make up answers as fast as I can :) Part of the fun of writing these stories is finding out for myself what happens!

Ken
"Well, what are you waiting for? I am an old man, and have no time for your falter! Come at me, if you will, for I do not sing songs of dastards!"
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