Labadal and Túrin by Dreamflower
Fanwork Notes
This drabble series is my first attempt at First Age fic. I've wanted a story about these two since I first read The Children of Húrin, and finally decided I would have to write it myself.
Fanwork Information
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Summary: A series of drabbles about the child Túrin, and his friend the lame woodwright, Sador Labadal. I have long been fascinated by their friendship. Why would a noble child's best friend be a crippled servant? Major Characters: Sador Labadal, Túrin Major Relationships: Genre: Fixed-Length Ficlet Challenges: Rating: General Warnings: |
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| Chapters: 5 | Word Count: 523 |
| Posted on 9 February 2011 | Updated on 15 February 2011 |
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This fanwork is complete. | |
Labadal and Túrin: Names
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Labadal and Túrin: Names
It seems to one person, at least, I am Sador no longer. Túrin, the small son of my master, watches me in fascination, his grey eyes wide, as I mend and carve, and whittle. He sees me as I limp about in my workshed, and has dubbed me 'labadal', 'hopafoot'. From an adult I would take it amiss, as an insult. But he is too young to understand the hurtfulness of words. In his piping voice I hear, not scorn, but admiration, and perhaps some pity for my pain.
Labadal is not so ill a name as some might think.
Labadal and Túrin: Grief
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Labadal and Túrin: Grief
Poor child, to come forth from his own illness to such sorry news, his sister dead. The only joy in his life is stilled, and he scarcely old enough to understand why. Bitterly he weeps in my arms. "I want Urwen," he weeps. "Why did she die? Why did I not die?" I have no answer.
In my own rough arms I hold him, as his bitter tears wet my shirt. His father's grief has turned to vengeance, his mother's has turned to ice. Why is it left to me, the lowliest person of the household to wipe his tears?
Labadal and Túrin: Pity
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Labadal and Túrin: Pity
I am a crippled thrall, unworthy of friendship with one of noble blood. Other servants say to me, ’Tis his tender years, he knows no better. One day he will forsake you.’ But I pity his tender years, so solemn a child and so stern and cold a mother. His sister would have made him merry, but she was taken too soon.
Yet his heart is large, and it breaks my own to see his sorrow. His father’s duty, his mother’s hardness, that is what noble blood has brought him. Were he a peasant’s child, his lot would be happier.
Labadal and Túrin: Gifts
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Labadal and Túrin: Gifts
The first time, it was a bronze file. He ran to me with a joyful smile and love in his heart. "For you, Labadal!" But I knew whose it was, and after thanking my small friend, I returned it. As the father of a small son he understood that no theft was meant. The next time, it was a block of finely-grained oak. I bade him return it himself. "Give with a free hand, but give only your own!" I told him.
But the knife, that is his to give. Though it troubles my heart I cannot deny his generosity.
Chapter End Notes
(Author's Note: For those not familiar with the fuller version of Turin's story as told in The Children of Húrin, when Túrin was very small, he used to "find" things that he would bring to his friend the woodwright Labadal as "gifts". A few years later when he was older, Túrin's father gave him a fine Elven-made knife as a birthday gift, which Túrin subsequently gave to Labadal.)
Labadal and Túrin: Farewell
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Labadal and Túrin: Farewell
A bitter farewell we have come to. So young he is, still. How painful the world that one so young must become so hard. Yet to me he clings; he will not take back the knife he gave me. His heart is true. I am not noble, not one of the high men, though I fought in the Elf-king's army once. A foreboding comes over me: his child's heart will break, and of the shards will grow a heart of stone and pride. He is his mother's son.
"Let the unseen days be," I say, "Today is more than enough."
(1) Comment by Himring for Labadal and Túrin [Ch 1]
Thank you very much for writing and sharing this! I think this is an interesting and moving part of Turin's story, too, and it is very good to see somebody give Sador Labadal a voice!
Re: (1) Comment by Himring for Labadal and Túrin [Ch 1]
Oh thank you! I still have one or two more drabbles left! You are my very first SWG reviewer!
When I read the Silm, I didn't think much of Turin; he seemed like such a jerk. But then when I read UT and CoH, and saw what a sweet person he was as a child, it changed my whole way of looking at his tragedy-- that the truly sad part of the story wasn't all the death and destruction, but that he lost that generous innocence of his so very young!
And I was intrigued by Sador Labadal, who was so very good and kind to a young child, giving of his time and his wisdom.
(2) Comment by pandemonium_213 for Labadal and T... [Ch 1]
In his piping voice I hear, not scorn, but admiration, and perhaps some pity for my pain.
Labadal is not so ill a name as some might think.
In an economy of carefully chosen words, you've given Sador his voice, and the above nicely addresses why he holds his nickname as compliment rather than scorn.
On to the next...
Re: (2) Comment by pandemonium_213 for Labadal and T... [Ch 1]
Oh thank you! Of course with drabbles an economy of words is essential. And I think he understands that this little child truly does love him, and so no offense can be taken.
(3) Comment by pandemonium_213 for Labadal and T... [Ch 2]
His father's grief has turned to vengeance, his mother's has turned to ice. Why is it left to me, the lowliest person of the household to wipe his tears?
Excellent wordcraft here, Dreamflower. This conveys so much, explains so much.
Re: (3) Comment by pandemonium_213 for Labadal and T... [Ch 2]
Thank you! I found Turin's parents difficult to understand in some ways, though I could understand his father more easily than his mother.
(4) Comment by pandemonium_213 for Labadal and T... [Ch 3]
His father’s duty, his mother’s hardness, that is what noble blood has brought him. Were he a peasant’s child, his lot would be happier.
Again, you've conveyed perfectly the bitterness that will become become Túrin's great tragedy.
Re: (4) Comment by pandemonium_213 for Labadal and T... [Ch 3]
It was indeed a dreadful tragedy, to see such a sweet and generous child quashed.
(5) Comment by pandemonium_213 for Labadal and T... [Ch 4]
Labadal's character -- his love and patience with the boy -- comes through well, as well as the seeds of kindness that were in Túrin's young heart.
Re: (5) Comment by pandemonium_213 for Labadal and T... [Ch 4]
Yes, we see in the young child so much love and kindness and generosity! We see a child with so much potential, and it seems that Labadal is the only one who seems to want to nurture that potential. And he is such a patient and loving man. He would have been a good father to children of his own.
(6) Comment by pandemonium_213 for Labadal and T... [Ch 5]
his child's heart will break, and of the shards will grow a heart of stone and pride. He is his mother's son.
And thus you give the reader the foundation of what will become Túrin's great tragedy. His story is perhaps the bleakest in The Silmarillion, so this series of drabbles set the foundation for what is to come. Labadal's voice -- world-weary yet full of patience and affection -- is very effective. It's fascinating for this reader to see young Túrin in his days of childhood innocence through the old, loyal servant's eyes. You've given Labadal a nobility and fortitude I have long wanted to see, for surely, the old loyal servant possessed these traits.
This series is an excellent foray into the First Age, Dreamflower! Here's hoping you'll dip your toes into the waters again, perhaps by expanding on one or all of these gems.
Re: (6) Comment by pandemonium_213 for Labadal and T... [Ch 5]
When I read of Turin's story in the Silm, I didn't like him much. He seemed so full of hubris and lacking in sense. The tragedy of his story did not move me that much. But then in UT and in CoH, I read the accounts of his childhood and his relationship with Labadal, and that changed my whole view of him. It gave me a chance to realize that he'd had potential, that he had been a child with a lot of love to give, and that all of that had been just crushed out of him. It truly made me empathize with him more. He was an innocent child, with a generous heart, and then he became this bleak and bitter man.
And I was also very drawn to Labadal. As you said, a man of nobility and fortitude, and a wise one as well. I really appreciated the devotion he showed to this lonely grieving child.
I am glad you liked these. I do not know if I have any more First Age fic in me-- I am very devoted to hobbits. But I never thought I'd write this much, so who knows in the future.
Thank you so much for the lovely reviews. ((hugs))
(7) Comment by mistrali for Labadal and Túrin [Ch 2]
"Why is it left to me, the lowliest person of the household to wipe his tears?"
That's a good observation. This and the first one ('Names') are my favourites.
Re: (7) Comment by mistrali for Labadal and Túrin [Ch 2]
Thank you! I've always been fascinated by that childhood realationship of Turin's ever since I read of it, and I always wondered why his parents did not seem ot care more about the child's feelings.