Tolkien was “dead stuck.” Then, on 29 March 1944, he had lunch with C. S. Lewis. Lewis provided encouragement in two different ways. First, he shared his own work in progress. Tolkien records, “The indefatigable man read me part of a new story!” In the act of sharing his own work, Lewis challenged Tolkien, providing more than a hint of friendly rivalry. But Lewis also goaded him directly, urging him to get back to work
