![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
B2MeM 2012: "The Earth, Singing" by Himring
Format: Vignette
Genre: Character Study
Rating: General
Warnings: none
Characters: Aule, Durin, Feanor
Pairings: none
Summary: Aule designs Durin's brain.
In his longing for students to teach the unbounded wealth of the minerals of Arda, Aule takes great pains to calibrate the brains of his dwarves exactly to their task. The dwarven bodies he designs are sturdy and solid, thoroughly functional like a well-balanced hammer or a mattock; later ages will—mistakenly—call them crude. But Durin’s brain is an intricately damascened blade. It is a fine instrument attuned to the tectonic rhythms of Arda. It is a set of chimes that resonates with the song of granite and gneiss, quartz and malachite, jasper and basalt. Aule is proud of Durin’s brain. Even after suffering Eru’s reproof, he still considers it his best piece of work.
Until the day Feanor walks into his forge—and Aule discovers that the triumph of the teacher cannot be complete until he is taught a lesson by his student. Feanor does not resonate, not for long. Feanor rewrites the song.
Note: The author bows to Elleth and Lyra in gratitude for yesterday's B2MeM fics about Aule and Durin.
no subject
- Erulisse (one L)
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
It's the first time I've seen him, felt his essence or understood about creating the dwarves - need to think about that a while, but it feels right. They are the ultimate creation of the master of master craftsmen. The end, about a teacher needing to have been taught something by a student, was excellent. I was talking about her work with a friend who lectures in economics, and she said how important it was to be open to learning from your students - never forgotten that, and it ties nicely with this.
And yeah, Feanor did his best to rewrite the music to his own score :P
no subject
I'm happy that you think this point of view is worth considering. When I read about Gimli and his reaction to the Caves of Aglarond--well, at least for me the conclusion is inescapable that there is nothing botched or second-rate about Gimli, never mind the comic bits in LOTR.
no subject
This is true, very true.
Loved this.
no subject
I suppose only good teachers fully realize this, but it's true nevertheless.
no subject
Anyone who teaches and likes to do it, knows that one learns a lot while giving classes.
no subject
Your language here is incredibly rich and vivid, and, as you say, perfectly suited to the task. The dwarven bodies he designs are sturdy and solid, thoroughly functional... later ages will—mistakenly—call them crude. stopped me in my tracks first, but then, it got even better!
Durin’s brain is an intricately damascened blade. It is a fine instrument attuned to the tectonic rhythms of Arda. It is a set of chimes that resonates with the song of granite and gneiss, quartz and malachite, jasper and basalt.
Just "Wow".
And then, your masterstroke:Aule discovers that the triumph of the teacher cannot be complete until he is taught a lesson by his student. Feanor does not resonate, not for long. Feanor rewrites the song.
My brain is totally disconnected. The only word that works is "Wow".
no subject
If you generally like dwarves and Aule (great icon, by the way!), I can thoroughly recomment the two fics that inspired me: Elleth's is here and Lyra's is here.
no subject
And on a second reading,
Feanor does not resonate, not for long. Feanor rewrites the song.
the definition of genius!
no subject
It is the definition of genius, I think--not that it is necessarily comfortable to be around or safe to be involved with! But I think Aule would appreciate it very much.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
I'm very glad you like this piece! I had an excellent story to inspire me!
no subject
Seriously, I love this. Stunning use of language, stunning look into the creation of the Dwarves (crude? Bah, they just don't understand the original purpose!), and most of all, stunning conclusion. I'm thrilled that you felt inspired to write this, in part, by my little ficlet!
no subject
I realized afterwards that I was sort of wrong in calling it "my first dwarf fic" in my comment on SWG, though. Only, my "other dwarf fic" is from Maedhros's POV and he's puzzled and trying to figure out Azaghal--it doesn't feel like the same category at all, to my mind.
no subject