Speaking of Inconsistencies - When did Shrewd meet the Fool

[BrilliantFarseer]

In the first book, Fitz speaking as a Narrator comments on seeing the Fool and how he had recently arrived to Buckkeep, but in the Fool's Errand (I believe) the Fool mentions that he had been looking for Fitz (his Catalyst) when he came to Buckkeep. In fact, the Fool says during that conversation that he had overheard Shrewd and Chade talking about Fitz and thus first learned of Fitz's existence.

So my question is . . . are these two statements inconsistent and if so when do you think the Fool met Shrewd?

[joost]

Not really.

- Fitz comes to Buckkeep
- The Fool comes to Buckkeep after that. He knows his Catalyst is there somewhere, but he has no idea who it is exactly. At that time, Fitz is fairly invisible, working mostly in the stables, a place the Fool wouldn't normally visit
- The Fool overhears Shrewd and Chade talk, and suddenly realises who his Catalyst is

[BrilliantFarseer]

Not really.

- Fitz comes to Buckkeep
- The Fool comes to Buckkeep after that. He knows his Catalyst is there somewhere, but he has no idea who it is exactly. At that time, Fitz is fairly invisible, working mostly in the stables, a place the Fool wouldn't normally visit
- The Fool overhears Shrewd and Chade talk, and suddenly realises who his Catalyst is

But how would the Fool learn of Fitz's existence from Shrewd and Chade then, if Fitz is already at Buckkeep it stands to reason that the Fool would have learned of him before overhearing Shrewd and Chade. Fitz spent his whole childhood being known as "The Bastard" (or at least that is his impression). If the Fool comes to Buckkeep, he would know right away that Fitz was the bastard son of Chivalry. There would be no need to overhear of his existence from a late night conversation with Chade and Shrewd.

I'm going to go with it being a small inconsistency. Not greatly important in any fashion, but an inconsistency none the less.

[Valarya]

I just reread the first trilogy recently and I believe the Fool was already at Buckkeep when Fitz arrived at 6 years old. He had been there, knowing there was a reason to be there but not exactly what, yet.

[BrilliantFarseer]

I just reread the first trilogy recently and I believe the Fool was already at Buckkeep when Fitz arrived at 6 years old. He had been there, knowing there was a reason to be there but not exactly what, yet.

That's what it says in the third book. In Assassin's Apprentice, the narrator says that Fitz encounters the Fool (on the instance when the Fool says to save the dog) a couple of months after the Fool joins the Court.

[webof63]

In the first book, Fitz speaking as a Narrator comments on seeing the Fool and how he had recently arrived to Buckkeep, but in the Fool's Errand (I believe) the Fool mentions that he had been looking for Fitz (his Catalyst) when he came to Buckkeep. In fact, the Fool says during that conversation that he had overheard Shrewd and Chade talking about Fitz and thus first learned of Fitz's existence.

So my question is . . . are these two statements inconsistent and if so when do you think the Fool met Shrewd?

Actually the fool said he came to Buckkeep to look for a Farseer, instead he found Fitz instead, a bastard but nevertheless a Farseer.
So the Fool had been at Buckkeep before Fitz arrived, and through the conversation Shrewd and Chade he learned his Catalyst had arrived.

[BrilliantFarseer]

In the first book, Fitz speaking as a Narrator comments on seeing the Fool and how he had recently arrived to Buckkeep, but in the Fool's Errand (I believe) the Fool mentions that he had been looking for Fitz (his Catalyst) when he came to Buckkeep. In fact, the Fool says during that conversation that he had overheard Shrewd and Chade talking about Fitz and thus first learned of Fitz's existence.

So my question is . . . are these two statements inconsistent and if so when do you think the Fool met Shrewd?

Actually the fool said he came to Buckkeep to look for a Farseer, instead he found Fitz instead, a bastard but nevertheless a Farseer.
So the Fool had been at Buckkeep before Fitz arrived, and through the conversation Shrewd and Chade he learned his Catalyst had arrived.

Yes that is what the Fool said, but Fitz says in his narrator voice when he bumps into the Fool prior to going on his first mission (where the Fool tells him "Fitz fixes ____ fits. Fat suffices.") that the Fool was a recent immigrant to the castle.

By this time, Fitz had lived at Buckkeep for something like 5 years.

So again what's with the inconsistency? Or am I off-base?

[webof63]

In the first book, Fitz speaking as a Narrator comments on seeing the Fool and how he had recently arrived to Buckkeep, but in the Fool's Errand (I believe) the Fool mentions that he had been looking for Fitz (his Catalyst) when he came to Buckkeep. In fact, the Fool says during that conversation that he had overheard Shrewd and Chade talking about Fitz and thus first learned of Fitz's existence.

So my question is . . . are these two statements inconsistent and if so when do you think the Fool met Shrewd?

Actually the fool said he came to Buckkeep to look for a Farseer, instead he found Fitz instead, a bastard but nevertheless a Farseer.
So the Fool had been at Buckkeep before Fitz arrived, and through the conversation Shrewd and Chade he learned his Catalyst had arrived.

Yes that is what the Fool said, but Fitz says in his narrator voice when he bumps into the Fool prior to going on his first mission (where the Fool tells him "Fitz fixes ____ fits. Fat suffices.") that the Fool was a recent immigrant to the castle.

By this time, Fitz had lived at Buckkeep for something like 5 years.

So again what's with the inconsistency? Or am I off-base?

Hmm so I did not recall that but I dug up the book and noted the first encounter Fitz and the Fool was when he was 10 eating under the Grand Hall table. When Fitz saw Shrewd and Regal, Fitz did say "The king's new fool, but recently acquired, pattered after them, pale eyes goggle in an eggshell face."

So it is correct Fool arrived to Buckkeep after Fitz, the fact that Fitz did not drew attention to himself under the care of Burrich, along with Fool expecting a legit Farseer, Fool didn't know the existence of Fitz until the conversation between Shrewd and Chade.

[Small Ferret]

I think the Fool might have arrived in Buckkeep shortly before Fitz did, but that for some time he kept to Shrewd's/his own chambers and was not really visible at court. He mentions in the TM that he pretended not to speak the Six Duchies language for some time after his arrival in Buckkeep, so it may be that Shrewd wished to educate him a little before making him his "official" jester. Fitz kept mostly to the stables during his first years in Buckkeep, so it could be that he simply did not encounter the Fool during that time.
Another explanation might be that the Fool arrived a few years after Fitz, that is after the hysteria and gossip about Chivalry's bastard had settled but before Fitz moved from the stables into the actual castle. Assuming, again, that the Fool was very isolated during his early days in Buckkeep, it is not at all unlikely that the first time he heard of Fitz was when he heard Shrewd and Chade discussing him.