J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Bicker Over Fantasy

Inkling vs Inkling!

J.R.R. TOLKIEN: Now that I've invented all these different languages, it's time to compose thousands of years of history so I can finally write my book.

C.S. LEWIS: There is a lamp-post in my fantasy world. Just one, no other technology. Well, there’s a sewing machine that a talking beaver uses! But don't worry about the lamp-post, I'll come up with why it exists in a prequel I’ll write someday.

TOLKIEN: But Jack, you can’t just do that! Haven’t you read my essay “On Fairy-Stories”?? The electric street-lamp may indeed be ignored, simply because it is so insignificant and transient. Fairy-stories, at any rate, have many more permanent and fundamental things to talk about.

LEWIS: It’s precisely because I’ve read what your opinion is that I’m doing this, Tollers! I’ll show you what fairy-stories should talk about! And there’s nothing you can do to stop me! Hahaha!

TOLKIEN: *muttering curses in Quenya*

LEWIS: But back to your book. Remind me: what was the title again?

TOLKIEN: I'm thinking of calling it The Lord of the Rings.

LEWIS: Well he's either the Lord of the Rings, the Liar of the Rings, or the Lunatic of the Rings, isn't he?

TOLKIEN: Oh shut up, Jack.

Appendices

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