Leaf by Niggle, a Consolation for Artists

"Life is short, but art is long"--so the saying goes. And anyone who has undertaken any significant task would probably say, "Amen". But when it comes to works of art there can be a sense of loneliness and futility that is singular. That was the case for J R R Tolkien. He had labored for decades on his great work--his legendarium of Middle-earth. It included histories, and languages, and mythical heroes. It was the world that The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings were situated in. It's all been published now, most of it posthumously. But when Tolkien wrote Leaf by Niggle the only thing he had to show for all of his work was The Hobbit. So Tolkien wrote a little allegorical short story of great profundity--Leaf by Niggle. And in it he proffers a consoling thought--our works will follow us. Join the Pugcast guys as they attempt to plumb the depths of Leaf by Niggle.