Cabbage Patch Hobbits
| Tropes and genres | |
|---|---|
| Synonym(s) | Cabbage Patch Dwobbits, Potato Babies |
| Related tropes/genres | Born from Stone |
| See also | Hobbits, Hobbit Culture, Faunts, Dwobbits |
| Related articles on Fanlore. | |
Cabbage Patch Hobbits is a trope from The Hobbit movie fandom. It involves Hobbits growing their children in their gardens, rather than (or sometimes as an alternative to) giving birth. It is most strongly associated with Bilbo Baggins, and can serve as a substitute for pregnancy, including mpreg.
The trope is heavily associated with its Dwarfish counterpart, Born from Stone. In both versions, it's common for children to be beyond the newborn age when born, typically at the equivalent of human toddlerhood.
Origins
The trope began in early 2013 with the story "Gardening", by The Feels Whale.
In answer to some recurring questions; yes, Hobbits grow their babies in the garden although they're not quite cabbage patch kids. I envision it as more of a potato vine since the kids grow under the soil."[1]
It was quickly latched onto by many who read the story:
Beyl: *cough* sooo...a rock garden? Any chance of there being any more cabbage-patch dwobbits being grown? Or am I just being too hopeful? I'd love to see more of this!The Feels Whale: One of these days, someone in the original company is going to realize that it's possible for Bilbo to start more babies. Like, a lot more. GIRLS even. Then someone is going to point that out to Thorin.
On that day Bilbo is going to suddenly feel hunted and know not why.
Beyl: Is it possible that Dwarves can grow there own little dwarrows? With other dwarves I mean, not just with hobbits. That would be a solution to their own reproduction issues, wouldn't it?
The Feels Whale: Re: Planting dwarrows - If they could, I think they would have figured it out by now.
Re: Planting dwobbits - I have no doubt that there are going to be some intrepid young dwarves who are going to give it the good old Erebor try, but I don't know how successful they'll be. Bilbo is a very unique Hobbit, after all. Still, they might have some luck with a few daring Took lads and lasses.
Mimi_Sardinia: I can't help think that maybe having Dwobbits in the royal lineage may mean the line of Durin will, from now on, be able to grow their heirs in a garden.
Now there's a bonus extra behind Thorin having a Hobbit husband![2]
After "Gardening" appeared, several other works were directly inspired by it, including "Flowers of Yavanna" by SOABA.[3]
Various fanworks may use different mechanisms for growing faunts: SOABA's series has children being born from the flowers of the plant, while Triskellion's "Of the Stone of Erebor and the Gardens of the Shire" uses the vine approach introduced by The Feels Whale, but instead of planting a seed, the parent carves a child from wood (or stone, in this case) and plants the carving.
Example Fanworks
Archives
Fanfiction
- The Good Earth by The Feels Whale
- Growing Dwarves (And Kingdoms) by Lumelle
- Flowers of Yavanna by SOABA
- Grow and Grow Love by SOABA
- Of the Stone of Erebor and the Gardens of the Shire by Triskellion
- Mahdêl by starr_falling
- the trouble with hobbits by twin_fics
- The Cabbage Patch Dwobbit Story by DuCali
- to seek a newer world series by starr_falling
Fanart
- A New Leaf by PassiveResistance
- Yavanna's flowers by elanorasweet
- Untitled art for Gardening by the-lazy-took
References
- ^ Gardening by The Feels Whale, end notes to chapter 2. Accessed June 8, 2015.
- ^ Beyl on Chapter 7 of Gardening, posted February 25, 2013, accessed August 10, 2015.
- ^ "I reread the Gardening Verse by The Feels Whale (Miscellea) a few days ago and I simply had to write this." - Introductory notes to Flowers of Yavanna by SOABA. Posted August 11, 2014. Accessed August 10, 2015.