I'm wonderin' if'n I might not have done bit off more'n I can chew with tryin' to learn how to be a healer for horses. There's a fair lot for to learn, and I'm slow at learnin'. I worry not just as I might not be able, but even more, as the only way as I could is if I put too much burden on Lumina's shoulders for to help me. She already offered to read this book I got to me, but it's two hundreds and eight and eighty pages! Though at least some them got pictures. Still, readin' that much to me seems like too much for to ask. This ain't goin' for to be a pleasuresome reading.
I keep comin' back to askin' the question why I'm so slow at reading and I struggle so much at it. Folk always say as it'll come better with practice, but I been spendin' at least a little time every couple days since winter on that book 'bout Harad and I don't get no quicker or easier at't. Folk tell me they get to where they see whole words at once, but I never do; I got to look at every rune, one by one, and put the word together piece by piece, and then do it again the next word, and even if'n I read the same word as I read a minute earlier I got for to do it all over again. I mean for to talk more with Lumina and Cesistya about whether there's anything can be done for that other'n just hopin' as practice make it better. Cesistya said there ain't no Elf-spell can fix it, but might be different ways of learning what will, includin' reading books what are meant for children. I mean for to try that next.
The book is called, Lumina told me it since I couldn't read all of it, On the Diagnosis and Treatment of Equine Injuries and Ailments in Horses, writ by a Bree-feller called Jax Wortley, many years ago. The folks over the library say as it's the most complete writin' ever done in the north on the subject, and maybe anywhere. Buyin' my own copy of't cost me a whole gold coin.
Might be as I don't need the book so much, though. Master Éogar told me of a woman called Barlienna Nettle what used for to work for him doin' the tending of horses, and he says as she were right good at it, but she set it aside on account she had a son and daughter, and she wanted for to put her time into raisin' them. I guess the lass had some difficulties like littles sometimes do, and took a lot of her energy. Éogar still calls on her when there's somethin' real bad as needs her skill, and she's every time reluctant and tells him, all right, just this one time but no more! Éogar reckons she might not be happy to take the time to teach, but she might be willing if'n it means someone else could take up the work so's she wouldn't keep gettin' bothered no more. So I'm goin' for to write a letter what I got to write real careful in wordin' -- I got to ask Lumina for to help me with that! -- to try to persuade her that teachin' me won't be so big a burden, but will in the long run take one away, since Éogar won't come to her no more. Plus of course I'll be payin' her for't. So I think maybe the book will turn out helpful after all; I can use it to convince her that she won't got for to teach ever'thing, so much as to help me with things where I can't learn from just the book.
Puts me in mind, me and Lumina was talkin' 'bout takin' a journey to the Shire, and since she's with child we got for to do it soon. Now the idea as I might get Missus Nettle for to take me on as a student, even more reason as it ought to be afore that starts. More'n like that'll be the only journey we ever get to take together; from here out, we'll have littles we can't go takin' out on travel. We already couldn't go farther, like to see that lake Nenuial we was talkin' 'bout seein', or Imladris, or the Mark. So we best get the one travel as we still can do, afore I'm so deep in study I can't do even that one.
