[Kalimac]

Findorfin, Eru in his graciousness probably just gave the Mirkwood Elves fantastic metabolisms [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]. Though to be honest I'm not sure if they were "gluttons" per se - it's true that the pivotal events involving them in the Hobbit tend to revolve around feasts, but in the first instance (when the Dwarves get caught) the "feasts" seem more like Elven picnics than anything else; the reason they loomed so huge for the Dwarves was because they hadn't had anything to eat for a long time. In the Dwarves' condition, a rack of burgers and a bowl of salad would probably have looked like some sort of ten-course Lucullan repast; there's no indication that the Elves were eating THAT much. As for the second event, the "Great Autumn Feast" - it's true, they're doing a good bit of eating and winebibbing there, but it's presented as a special occasion, sort of like Thanksgiving. And of course it's precisely because it's such a big deal that everyone is in the main hall and not out in the corridors, noticing that the Dwarves seem to have gotten out of their cells somehow.

As for Legolas, who knows. I'd always pictured him as one of those restless third sons who turn up so often in fairy tales, but really have no idea. Though even if he was the eldest, it's understandable that he wouldn't be called "Heir to the Throne of Mirkwood", since Elves are immortal and there's no fixed age at which they leave for the Havens, there was no reason to suppose that Legolas would naturally inherit Thranduil's throne. There's no reason to suppose he wasn't at the Battle of the Five Armies, though. It would make sense.

That's a really interesting question about why Legolas and Gimli weren't introduced by rank - "Legolas Prince of Mirkwood and Gimli son of Gloin who was of the Quest of Erebor" or something like that. My only guess would be that Gandalf was considering his audience. He was talking to the Rohirrim who had their hands full with dealings with Isengard, Minas Tirith and (indirectly) Mordor, and it's not implied that they're natural travellers to other, more far away countries - or even very interested in them. Aragorn's status had immediate bearing and influence on the situation at hand (Hmmm...heir to the throne of the country which is right next to us and is part of our fast-dwindling hope of victory) and Wizards are, after all, Wizards [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]. But if Gandalf had gone on by describing Legolas' and Gimli's status, the reaction would probably have been "Prince of where? Quest of what? Never heard of them. We're in the middle of a war, what does this have to do with us?" Just a guess.