Later in this
same chapter all the dwarves are being introduced to Beorn. It is their turn to
say the polite thing and discover that it is not well received in the other
culture.
“Hullo!” said Beorn. “You came pretty
quick- where were you hiding? Come on my jack-in-the-boxes!”
“Nori at your service, Ori at…” they
began; but Beorn interrupted them.
“Thank
you! When I want your help I will ask for it. Sit down, and let’s
get on with this tale, or it will be supper-time before it is ended.”
--------------------
Just at that moment Balin and Dwalin
appeared and bowed so low that their beards swept the stone floor. The big man was
frowning at first, but they did their best to be frightfully polite, and kept
on nodding and bending and bowing and waving their hoods before their knees (in
proper dwarf-fashion), till he stopped frowning and burst into a chuckling
laugh: they looked so comical.
“Troop, was right,” he
said. “A fine comic one. Come in my merry men, and what are your names? I don’t
want your service just now, only your names; and then sit down and stop
wagging!”
“Balin and Dwalin,” they
said not daring to be offended, and sat flop on the floor looking rather
surprised.
In
cross-cultural communication there is going to be some offending. It is
important, however, to be like Balin and Dwalin and not be offended as two
cultures learn about each other and are willing to take a risk and become
friends.
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