Categories > Books > Lord of the Rings > Talking with Orcs
(A crowded chamber in Moria. One Orc runs up to another excitedly.)
Gack: Hey, we have us a bunch of intruders!
Kal: Oh, no.
Gack: Yup, one of the short ones threw a stone down the well in the Lighter Chamber. Stupid furry wossname. There's four of them.
Kal: What, four intruders?
Gack: Nah, four furry things. There're nine intruders. Two tall guys with swords -
Kal: Two? Isn't one enough for anyone?
Gack: Won't do them any good. When was the last time you saw swords working against a Troll or a Balrog?
Kal: It's not even as if they're immortal or anything.
Gack: (worried) Although they do have an Elf.
Kal: Yeah, but can't you kill Elves?
Gack: I guess so, but they're tough to beat. And they taste terrible.
Kal: Oh, I don't know... they make a lovely stew...
Gack: (laughing) And... you won't believe this... they brought a Dwarf!
Kal: A Dwarf? Hope he's more lively than the last lot.
Gack: Unless he's a she.
Kal: Hard to tell with Dwarves.
Gack: How come all the good guys get separate genders? I mean, when was the last time you met a female Orc?
Kal: Gets terrible lonely sometimes.
Gack: I mean, aren't there male and female Elves? I swear that Elf-witch in the wood out back is a woman.
Kal: Maybe the Boss only corrupted the guys.
Gack: You think? Flipping inconsiderate of him. What're we meant to do on Saturday nights, eh? Where's the point in it all?
Kal: Wizards don't have females, either.
Gack: Is that right?
Kal: I only bring it up because they've got a Wizard with them, look. That Grey one, you know, the one that came through a while back?
Gack: Him! He fried Snaga! Filthy card-trick magician.
Kal: I thought only Dwarves could read the old Dwarven language.
Gack: Who cares what language he can read? Come on, we have orders to attack.
Kal: Do we have to? Looks like they're just passing through...
(They start to march with the other Orcs.)
Gack: If we let them pass unchallenged, news'll spread. D'you really want every Tom, Dick and Harry thinking he can just have a little saunter through Moria, no trouble, the Orcs won't mind, probably have a good long rest halfway through? We'd be ruined! We have a reputation to keep up!
Kal: Okay, okay. But can you tell Cranner to give the drum a rest? I'm sure they get the message.
Gack: Relax, it's just for atmosphere.
Kal: Oh, great. They're shooting arrows through the door. Don't they know they could hurt someone shooting at us like that?
Gack: I think that's the idea.
Kal: Is there really any point in us being here? I mean, the troll is wiping the floor with him.
Gack: One furry person down...
Kal: Two to go.
Gack: Have I ever told you that you can't count worth a bean?
Kal: No, I just got one in the head.
Gack: It was a glancing blow! Here, I'll show you how to -
(He falls silent.)
Kal: Show me how to what?
(No answer.)
Kal: Gack? Ol' buddy ol' pal?
(He turns around. Gack is stuck on the end of a sword, which is being swung in Kal's direction.)
Kal: Oh, bu -
Gack: Hey, we have us a bunch of intruders!
Kal: Oh, no.
Gack: Yup, one of the short ones threw a stone down the well in the Lighter Chamber. Stupid furry wossname. There's four of them.
Kal: What, four intruders?
Gack: Nah, four furry things. There're nine intruders. Two tall guys with swords -
Kal: Two? Isn't one enough for anyone?
Gack: Won't do them any good. When was the last time you saw swords working against a Troll or a Balrog?
Kal: It's not even as if they're immortal or anything.
Gack: (worried) Although they do have an Elf.
Kal: Yeah, but can't you kill Elves?
Gack: I guess so, but they're tough to beat. And they taste terrible.
Kal: Oh, I don't know... they make a lovely stew...
Gack: (laughing) And... you won't believe this... they brought a Dwarf!
Kal: A Dwarf? Hope he's more lively than the last lot.
Gack: Unless he's a she.
Kal: Hard to tell with Dwarves.
Gack: How come all the good guys get separate genders? I mean, when was the last time you met a female Orc?
Kal: Gets terrible lonely sometimes.
Gack: I mean, aren't there male and female Elves? I swear that Elf-witch in the wood out back is a woman.
Kal: Maybe the Boss only corrupted the guys.
Gack: You think? Flipping inconsiderate of him. What're we meant to do on Saturday nights, eh? Where's the point in it all?
Kal: Wizards don't have females, either.
Gack: Is that right?
Kal: I only bring it up because they've got a Wizard with them, look. That Grey one, you know, the one that came through a while back?
Gack: Him! He fried Snaga! Filthy card-trick magician.
Kal: I thought only Dwarves could read the old Dwarven language.
Gack: Who cares what language he can read? Come on, we have orders to attack.
Kal: Do we have to? Looks like they're just passing through...
(They start to march with the other Orcs.)
Gack: If we let them pass unchallenged, news'll spread. D'you really want every Tom, Dick and Harry thinking he can just have a little saunter through Moria, no trouble, the Orcs won't mind, probably have a good long rest halfway through? We'd be ruined! We have a reputation to keep up!
Kal: Okay, okay. But can you tell Cranner to give the drum a rest? I'm sure they get the message.
Gack: Relax, it's just for atmosphere.
Kal: Oh, great. They're shooting arrows through the door. Don't they know they could hurt someone shooting at us like that?
Gack: I think that's the idea.
Kal: Is there really any point in us being here? I mean, the troll is wiping the floor with him.
Gack: One furry person down...
Kal: Two to go.
Gack: Have I ever told you that you can't count worth a bean?
Kal: No, I just got one in the head.
Gack: It was a glancing blow! Here, I'll show you how to -
(He falls silent.)
Kal: Show me how to what?
(No answer.)
Kal: Gack? Ol' buddy ol' pal?
(He turns around. Gack is stuck on the end of a sword, which is being swung in Kal's direction.)
Kal: Oh, bu -
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