One
for Sorrow Two for Joy
By Clive Woodall
Reviewed by
Kenny Brechner
One of the differences between someone else’s piece of writing and someone else’s piece of furniture is that, while there are a number to ways to gain possession of someone else’s furniture, one could purchase it, borrow it, rent it, or steal it, for example, when it comes to someone else’s writing there is only one option, it has to be stolen. However, just as when coveting a neighbor’s sofa one finds that the best policy is to take the high road and just enjoy sitting in it while visiting, by far the best policy to follow when coveting someone else’s writing is simply to enjoy reading it.
Why some fine books excite admiration while others excite the impulse of possession must surely involve human psychology at its knottiest. Yet perhaps there is some quality in a particular book, a degree of self assurance and solidity in the author, that makes readers feel that it is somehow okay to plunder at will. Perhaps there are passages in such books which cause confusion in the reader.
One remembers that when J.R.R. Tolkien’s (whose Lord of the Rings trilogy is almost certainly the most plundered literary work of all time) creation, Tom Bombadil, "looked through the treasures. Most of these he made into a pile that glistened and sparkled on the grass. He bade them lie there ‘free to all finders, birds, beasts, Elves or Men and all kindly creatures.’" One can speculate that some persons have confused Bombadil’s invitation to take the Barrow Wite’s treasure, with an invitation to take any of the words, scenes, and ideas which they find laying out in the open on the pages of Tolkien’s books.
While reading the highly touted new fantasy, One For Sorrow, Two for Joy, by Clive Woodall, it appears that scene after scene from The Lord of the Rings has been and loosely adapted into an epic fantasy about birds. The Gandalf character in One For Sorrow, Two For Joy is Tomar, a wise old owl, a member in fact of the Council of Owls, Woodall’s analog for Tolkien’s Council of Elrond. Like Gandalf ,Tomar realizes that it is the destiny of a member of a tiny folk, in this case robins rather than hobbits, to go on an important quest to save the larger world. Kirrick the Robin is the Frodo character. Gandalf declares to Frodo that "that is a chapter of ancient history which it might be good to recall...since most of all you need to know how this thing came to you,". Tomar, on the other hand, declares to Kirrick that "there is much that you need to know. Time presses upon us, and our need is urgent. But you must understand fully the history of our present troubles."
One For Sorrow, Two For Joy provides many such adaptations. The Field of Cormallen is adapted to appreciate Kirrick after his death. Mickey the bullfinch becomes the Sam character, faithfully following Portia, Kirrick’s mate, who becomes the Frodo character after Kirrick’s death. Faramir’s interrogation of Frodo, interrupted by an angry Sam, is recast in Woodall by having Mickey Bristle at Swoop’s questioning of Portia. The Battle of The Pelinor Fields, with a touch of the Eagle’s showing up at the Final battle, is redone in Woodall with the appearance of the Seabirds at the defeat of Slyekin, with Aragorn’s black fleet being replaced by Tomar’s poisoning scheme.
One of the closest adaptations is found in Gandalf’s lifting of Theoden’s ensorcelment of Saruman, replaced in Woodall by Tomar lifting the cloud of doom off Cerival.
Woodall: Cerival’s "Head was bowed.."The weight of failure..was crushing him visibly." Cerival’s head came up when he heard this and there was a certain straightening of his posture." Tolkien: "he drew himself up, slowly, as a man that is stiff from bending over some dull toil. Now tall and straight he stood, and his eyes were blue as looked into the open sky."
Woodall: "But he made no reply. Tomar then spoke to the Great Owl."
Tolkien: "Quickly now Gandalf Spoke. His voice was low and secret, and none save the King heard what he said."
Woodall: "such a message of hope"
Tolkien: "a hope at which he has not guessed"
Woodall: " that years seemed to fall from him,"
Tolkien: "many lines of care were smoothed away and did not return"
Woodall: "and the light, that has been missing so long, returned to his eyes."
Tolkien: "But ever as he spoke the light shone brighter in Theoden’s eye"
There is plenty of weak writing in One For Sorrow, Two For Joy, as when it is discussed that "They needed others, who were more streetwise in the ways of fighting." An odd metaphor in a fantasy set in a world of Birds with no cities and no streets. Yet what really strikes one about One For Sorrow, Two For Joy is its lack of any real drive and story of its own. For example we learn of Kirrick’s second quest that "Kirrick faced many hazards and dangers (the tales of which would, in times to come, add to the near legendary status of this brave bird) suffice for now to say that the Robin triumphed in the face of adversity on several, life-threatening occasions."
When has it ever been sufficient, in an epic fantasy, to report that the hero or heroine "triumphed in the face of adversity on several, life-threatening occasions." Did Tolkien ever report that it was sufficient to say that Frodo, after getting through many life threatening situations, managed to make it to the Cracks of Doom and chuck the ring in the fire?
The difference here is that Tolkien had a story to tell and Woodall is essentially telling someone else’s. One is allowed to tell someone else’s story as long as it is adapted and altered. It just is neither compelling nor decent to do so. Poor qualities for an epic fantasy in which physical and moral integrity are the central pillars.
