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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
Apr 23, 9:56am
Post #1 of 27
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It's time for some BS!
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This is a Book Spoiler that glimpses at a familiar forest from another time... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.
From Lothlórien: The Fellowship of the Ring ... "'Behold! You are come to Cerin Amroth,' said Haldir. 'For this is the heart of the ancient realm as it was long ago, and here is the mound of Amroth... ...Would it please you to climb with me up Cerin Amroth?'
... [Frodo and Sam] followed him as he stepped lightly up the grass-clad slopes... ...They entered the circle of white trees...
... ...Haldir had gone on and was now climbing to the high flet. As Frodo... ...stepped out at last upon the lofty platform, Haldir took his hand and turned him toward the South. 'Look this way first!' he said.
... Frodo looked and saw, still at some distance, a hill of many mighty trees, or a city of green towers: which it was he could not tell. Out of it, it seemed to him that the power and light came that held all the land in sway... ...Then he looked eastward and saw all the land of Lórien running down to the pale gleam of Anduin, the Great River. He lifted his eyes across the river and all the light went out, and he was back again in the world he knew. Beyond the river the land appeared flat and empty, formless and vague, until far away it rose again... ...dark and drear. The sun that lay on Lothlórien had no power to enlighten the shadow of that distant height.
... 'There lies the fastness of Southern Mirkwood,' said Haldir. 'It is clad in a forest of dark fir, where the trees strive one against another and their branches rot and wither. In the midst upon a stony height stands Dol Guldur, where long the hidden Enemy had his dwelling. We fear that now it is inhabited again, and with power sevenfold. A black cloud lies often over it of late. In this high place you may see the two powers that are opposed one to another; and ever they strive now in thought, but whereas the light perceives the very heart of the darkness, its own secret has not been discovered. Not yet.' He turned and climbed swiftly down, and they followed him."
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
Apr 24, 12:43pm
Post #2 of 27
(1009 views)
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Here's a Book Spoiler that leads us into the start of a very Unexpected Journey... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.
From An Unexpected Party: The Hobbit ... "It was often said (in other families) that long ago one of the Took ancestors must have taken a fairy wife. That was... ...absurd, but certainly there was still something not entirely hobbit-like about them, and once in a while members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures. They discreetly disappeared, and the family hushed it up; but the fact remained that the Tooks were not as respectable as the Bagginses, though they were undoubtedly richer.
... Not that Belladonna Took ever had any adventures after she became Mrs. Bungo Baggins. Bungo... ...built the most luxurious hobbit-hole for her (and partly with her money) that was to be found either under The Hill or over The Hill or across The Water, and there they remained to the end of their days. Still... ...Bilbo, her only son, although he looked and behaved exactly like a second edition of his solid and comfortable father, got something a bit queer in his makeup from the Took side, something that only waited for a chance to come out... ...until Bilbo Baggins was grown up, being about fifty years old or so, and living in the beautiful hobbit-hole built by his father... ...until he had in fact apparently settled down immovably.
... By some curious chance one morning long ago in the quiet of the world... ...Bilbo Baggins was standing at his door after breakfast smoking an enormous long wooden pipe that reached nearly down to his woolly toes (neatly brushed)—Gandalf came by."
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
Apr 25, 11:34am
Post #3 of 27
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Today in Middle-earth
Who's that coming up the road?
April 25, 2941 (S.R. 1341)
1. Gandalf visits Bilbo at Bag End.
(determined from text – referencing Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth)
..."All that the unsuspecting Bilbo saw that morning was an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which a white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots.
..."Good morning!' said Bilbo, and he meant it.... ...But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further than the brim of his shady hat.
..."What do you mean?" he said. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"
..."All of them at once... ...And a very fine morning for a pipe of tobacco out of doors, into the bargain. If you have a pipe about you, sit down and have a fill of mine! There's no hurry, we have all the day before us!" Then Bilbo sat down on a seat... ...crossed his legs, and blew out a beautiful grey ring of smoke that sailed up into the air without breaking and floated away over The Hill.
..."Very pretty!" said Gandalf. "But I have no time to blow smoke-rings this morning. I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it's very difficult to find anyone."
..."I should think so... ...We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can't think what anybody sees in them,' said our Mr. Baggins... ...Then he took out his morning letters... ...pretending to take no more notice of the old man. He had decided that he was not quite his sort, and wanted him to go away. But the old man did not move. He stood leaning on his stick and gazing at the hobbit without saying anything, till Bilbo got quite uncomfortable and even a little cross.
..."Good morning... ...We don't want any adventures here, thank you! You might try over The Hill or across The Water." By this he meant that the conversation was at an end.
..."What a lot of things you do use Good morning for!" said Gandalf. "Now you mean that you want to get rid of me, and that it won't be good till I move off.""
..."Not at all, not at all, my dear sir! Let me see, I don't think I know your name..?"
... "...I do know your name, Mr. Bilbo Baggins. And you do know my name, though you don't remember that I belong to it. I am Gandalf, and Gandalf means me! To think that I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Took's son, as if I was selling buttons at the door!"
... "Gandalf, Gandalf... ...Not the man that used to make such particularly excellent fireworks! I remember those! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve... ...I beg your pardon, but I had no idea you were still in business."
... "Where else should I be?" said the wizard. "All the same I am pleased to find you remember something about me. You seem to remember my fireworks kindly, at any rate, and that is not without hope..."
... "...I will go so far as to send you on this adventure. Very amusing for me, very good for you—and profitable too, very likely, if you ever get over it."
... "Sorry! I don't want any adventures, thank you. Not today. Good morning! But please come to tea—any time you like! Why not tomorrow? Come tomorrow! Good-bye!" With that the hobbit turned and scuttled inside his round green door, and shut it as quickly as he dared, not to seem rude. Wizards after all are wizards....
... "...Gandalf... ...was still standing outside the door, and laughing long but quietly. After a while he stepped up, and with the spike of his staff scratched a queer sign on the hobbit's beautiful green front-door. Then he strode away, just about the time when Bilbo was finishing his second cake and beginning to think that he had escaped adventures very well."
[TIME entries in this calendar are maintained and updated by fans of The Lord of the Rings, and are in no way affiliated with Tolkien Enterprises or the Tolkien Estate. Copyrights and trademarks for the books from which dates and short quotes are taken are held by their respective owners and their use is allowed under the fair use clause of the Copyright Law.
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
Apr 26, 11:17am
Post #4 of 27
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Today in Middle-earth
April 26, 2941 (S.R. 1341)
1. Wednesday. An Unexpected Party.
(determined from text – referencing Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth)
..."Bilbo rushed along the passage, very angry, and altogether bewildered and bewuthered—this was the most awkward Wednesday he ever remembered. He pulled open the door with a jerk, and they all fell in, one on top of the other. More dwarves, four more! And there was Gandalf behind, leaning on his staff and laughing. He had made quite a dent on the beautiful door... ...[and] knocked out the secret mark that he had put there the morning before.
..."Carefully! Carefully!" he said. "It is not like you, Bilbo, to keep friends waiting on the mat, and then open the door like a pop-gun! Let me introduce Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and especially Thorin!'
...'At your service!" said Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur standing in a row. Then they hung up two yellow hoods and a pale green one; and also a sky-blue one with a long silver tassel. This last belonged to Thorin, an enormously important dwarf, in fact no other than the great Thorin Oakenshield himself, who was not at all pleased at falling flat on Bilbo's mat with Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur on top of him....
...'...Now we are all here!" said Gandalf, looking at the row of thirteen hoods—the best detachable party hoods—and his own hat hanging on the pegs. "Quite a merry gathering! I hope there is something left for the late-goers to eat and drink! What's that? Tea! No thank you! A little red wine, I think, for me...."
......Mr. Baggins... ...was feeling positively flummoxed, and was beginning to wonder whether a most wretched adventure had not come right into his house. By the time he had got all the bottles and dishes and knives and forks and glasses and plates and spoons and things piled up on big trays, he was getting very hot, and red in the face, and annoyed...."
..."...Poor Bilbo couldn't bear it any longer. At may never return he began to feel a shriek coming up inside, and very soon it burst out like the whistle of an engine coming out of a tunnel. All the dwarves sprang up knocking over the table... ...the poor little hobbit could be seen kneeling on the hearth-rug, shaking like a jelly that was melting. Then he fell flat on the floor, and kept on calling out "struck by lightning, struck by lightning...!"
..."...Excitable little fellow," said Gandalf, as they sat down again. "Gets funny queer fits, but he is one of the best, one of the best—as fierce as a dragon in a pinch."
...If you have ever seen a dragon in a pinch, you will realize that this was only poetical exaggeration applied to any hobbit... ...however, Bullroar's gentler descendant was reviving in the drawing-room. After a while and a drink he crept nervously to the door of the parlour...."
... "...Pardon me," [Bilbo] said, 'if I have overheard words that you were saying. I don't pretend to understand what you are talking about, or your reference to burglars, but I think I am right in believing... ...that you think I am no good. I will show you. I have no signs on my door..."
..."...I assure you there is a mark on this door [said Gloin] —the usual one in the trade, or used to be. Burglar wants a good job, plenty of Excitement and reasonable Reward, that's how it is usually read. You can say Expert Treasure-hunter instead of Burglar if you like.... ...Gandalf told us that there was a man of the sort in these parts looking for a Job at once...."
..."...Of course there is a mark," said Gandalf. "I put it there myself. For very good reasons. You asked me to find the fourteenth man for your expedition, and I chose Mr. Baggins. Just let any one say I chose the wrong man or the wrong house, and you can stop at thirteen and have all the bad luck you like, or go back to digging coal.""
April 26, 1999
1. TheOneRing.net officially draws its first breath.
...On this day, TORn is officially registered and begins exclusive reporting on Peter Jackson's films and related topics. It also spawns multiple Discussion Boards where all things Tolkien and Jackson are discussed.
April 26, 2009
1. TheOneRing.net celebrates its 10-year Anniversary.
...On this auspicious Anniversary, TORn Discussion Board Members begin an annual Founders Day celebration honouring its Founders, Admins, and fellow-posters.
TORn 10th Anniversary Bash! by Altaira
April 26, 2014
1. TheOneRing.net celebrates its 15-year Anniversary.
...TORn celebrates two very special and exclusive holidays: TORn Founders Day begins it's 5th Party to honour our Founders with this announcement by Kelvarhin.
...We also we kicked off our Founders Day and TORn's 15th Anniversary Party during Fiesta Friday hosted by dernwyn.
April 26, 2019
1. TheOneRing.net celebrates its 20-year Anniversary and 10-year Founders Day Anniversary.
...On this day, TORn celebrates 20 years since it officially registered... **20th Anniversary and Founders Day Collection, 2019
**21FD - TheOneRing.net Timeline 1999-2020
April 26, 2024
1. TheOneRing.net celebrates its 25-year Anniversary and 15-year Founders Day Anniversary.
...On this day… 25 years ago…TORn is officially registered and begins exclusive reporting on Peter Jackson's films and related topics. On 4/26/1999, TheOneRing.net officially registers: Guess what happened today in 1999? This immediately developed into creating multiple Discussion Boards where all things Tolkien and Jackson are discussed. These Boards are kept very busy by the 130,308 Registered Users who have made this such an exceptional community! We are also celebrating the 15th Anniversary of Founders Day and our four TORn Founders Corvar, Xoanon, Tehanu, Calisuri!
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
Apr 27, 2:04pm
Post #5 of 27
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Today in Middle-earth
April 27, 2941 (S.R. 1341)
1. Thorin and Company ride out of Hobbiton at 11:00 a.m.
(determined from text – referencing Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth)
..."...Bilbo began to whistle loudly and to forget about the night before. In fact he was just sitting down to a nice little second breakfast in the dining-room by the open window, when in walked Gandalf.
..."My dear fellow... ...whenever are you going to come? What about an early start?---and here you are having breakfast, or whatever you call it, at half past ten. They left you the message...."
..."...What message?" said poor Mr. Baggins all in a fluster.
..."Great Elephants!" said Gandalf, "you are not at all yourself this morning---you have never dusted the mantelpiece!"
..."What's that got to do with it? I have had enough to do with washing up for fourteen!"
..."If you had dusted the mantelpiece, you would have found this just under the clock," said Gandalf, handing Bilbo a note...."
..."...That leaves you just ten minutes. You will have to run," said Gandalf.
..."But---" said Bilbo.
..."No time for it," said the wizard.
..."But---" said Bilbo again.
..."No time for that either! Off you go!"
...To the end of his days Bilbo could never remember how he found himself outside, without a hat, walking-stick or any money, or anything that he usually took when he went out; leaving his second breakfast half-finished..."
..."...That's how they all came to start, jogging off from the inn one fine morning just before May, on laden ponies and Bilbo was wearing a dark-green hood (a little weather-stained) and a dark-green cloak borrowed from Dwalin....
......They had not been riding very long when up came Gandalf very splendid on a white horse. He had brought a lot of pocket-handkerchiefs, and Bilbo's pipe and tobacco."
We have been there and back again.
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Apr 28, 12:04am
Post #6 of 27
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Heads up, everyone: there's a special Link in gramma's April 26 post...
[In reply to]
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...that takes you to the majestic TORn Valaquenta!
Click on the 2014 TORn Founders Day link. If you have never before seen this, prepare to be astonished.
It was written with incredible skill by 'sib Alassea Eruvende, and set to calligraphy by none other than Daniel Reeve!
Thank you so much for these "blasts from the past", gramma! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
(This post was edited by dernwyn on Apr 28, 12:06am)
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
Apr 28, 11:57am
Post #8 of 27
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Today in Middle-earth
April 28, 3018 (S.R. 1418)
1. Frodo begins plans for his adventure
(not from the appendices)
..."'You ought to go quietly, and you ought to go soon,' said Gandalf. Two or three weeks had passed, and still Frodo made no sign of getting ready to go.
...'I know. But it is difficult to do both,' he objected. 'If I must vanish like Bilbo, the tale will be all over the Shire in no time.'
...'Of course you mustn't vanish... ...That wouldn't do at all! I said soon, not instantly! If you can think of any way of slipping out of the Shire without its being generally knows, it will be worth a little delay. But you must not delay too long.'
...'What about the autumn, on or after Our Birthday?' asked Frodo. 'I think I could probably make some arrangements by then....'
......he was very reluctant to start, now that it had come to the point. Bag End seemed a more desirable residence than it had for years, and he wanted to savour as much as he could of his last summer in the Shire. When autumn came, he knew that part at least of his heart would think more kindly of journeying, as it always did at that season. He had indeed privately made up his mind to leave on his fiftieth birthday: Bilbo's one hundred and twenty-eighth.... ...Following Bilbo was uppermost in his mind, and the one thing that made the thought of leaving bearable. He thought as little as possible about the Ring, and where it might lead him in the end. But he did not tell all his thoughts to Gandalf. What the wizard guessed was always difficult to tell. He looked at Frodo and smiled. 'Very well... ...I think that will do—but it must not be any later. I am getting very anxious. In the meanwhile, do take care, and don't let out any hint of where you are going! And see that Sam Gamgee does not talk. If he does, I really shall turn him into a toad.'
...'As for where I am going... ...it would be difficult to give that away, for I have no clear idea myself, yet.'
...'Don't be absurd!' said Gandalf. 'I am not warning you against leaving an address at the post-office! But you are leaving the Shire—and that should not be known, until you are far away... ...and the direction should certainly not be known.'
...'I have been so taken up with the thought of leaving Bag End, and of saying farewell, that I have never even considered the direction,' said Frodo. 'For where am I to go? And by what shall I steer? What is to be my quest? Bilbo went to find a treasure, there and back again; but I go to lose one, and not return, as far as I can see.'
...'But you cannot see very far... ...Neither can I. It may be your task to find the Cracks of Doom; but that quest may be for others: I do not know. At any rate you are not ready for that long road yet...'
...'...make for Rivendell,' answered the wizard. 'That journey should not prove too perilous though the Road is less easy than it was, and it will grow worse as the year fails.'
...'Rivendell!' said Frodo. 'Very good: I will go east, and I will make for Rivendell. I will take Sam to visit the Elves; he will be delighted.' He spoke lightly; but his heart was moved suddenly with a desire to see the house of Elrond Halfelven, and breathe the air of that deep valley where many of the Fair Folk still dwell in peace."
April 28, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. The Host departs from Ithilien.
(not from the appendices)
..."...when the month of May was drawing near the Captains of the West set out again; and they went aboard ship with all their men, and they sailed from Cair Andros down Anduin to Osgiliath; and there they remained for one day."
[TIME entries in this calendar are maintained and updated by fans of The Lord of the Rings, and are in no way affiliated with Tolkien Enterprises or the Tolkien Estate. Copyrights and trademarks for the books from which dates and short quotes are taken are held by their respective owners and their use is allowed under the fair use clause of the Copyright Law.
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
Apr 29, 3:58pm
Post #9 of 27
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Today in Middle-earth
April 29, 3018 (S.R. 1418)
1. Frodo begins plans for his departure.
(not from the appendices-no text)
... Now that the beginnings of a plan had been made, Frodo went to the chest and pulled out some old maps that Bilbo had left behind. He often pondered over these faded reminders of the old hobbit and wondered which direction he had gone. Did he find adventure during his travels? Was he was contented in a safe place or was he never to be seen again? Frodo didn't dwell on the fear of Bilbo being lost. He always felt he would see him again, but how or when seemed far off. Now he began to hope the maps would lead him to Bilbo and they would once again share stories over pipes and pints in front of a warm hearth.
I'm including this original response to this TIME post from dernwyn in 2006... just because it's (typically) brilliant and so thought-provoking!
________________________________________ Quote ________________________________________
Reply To: TIME - April 29, 2006 [7:31] (1/1)
...This reminds me of the scene in the movie, Gandalf seeing the mess in Bilbo's study, and he picks up a map, and - geeky delight! It's Christopher T's map of Middle-earth!
...Meanwhile, while Frodo's thinking of Bilbo, certain ones of his friends are quietly thinking about him, and making their own plans to ensure his safe, secret, and accompanied getaway... Plans of their own
...They had been scouring the edges of Buckland for weeks now, considering all possibilities, and this one seemed perfect. Down a less-used lane, surrounded by both hedge and trees, a house but hole-like enough; close to stabling, but more important, to the Hedge - perfect.
...Now, to convince his cousin that he should move there: nothing outright, of course, just little hints dropped here and there, enough to plant the seed in his mind and make him think it was his own idea to “find” this house...
..."Yes, that ought to work out quite well," thought Merry.
________________________________________
April 29, 2004
1. "Where to from here?"
Check it out right here in Tehanu's Twenty-second Note.
We have been there and back again.
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(This post was edited by grammaboodawg on Apr 29, 4:00pm)
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
Apr 30, 1:44pm
Post #10 of 27
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Today in Middle-earth
April 30, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. The Captains of the West return.
(not from the appendices)
..."...they came to the green fields of the Pelennor and saw again the white towers under tall Mindolluin, the City of the Men of Gondor, last memory of Westernesse, that had passed through the darkness and fire to a new day...
......there in the midst of the fields they set up their pavilions and awaited the morning; for it was the Eve of May, and the King would enter his gates with the rising of the Sun."
2. Minas Tirith prepares for the return of the victors
(not from the appendices)
..."All things were now made ready in the City; and there was great concourse of people, for the tidings had gone out into all parts of Gondor... ...and the far coasts of the sea; and all that could come to the City made haste to come. And the City was filled again with women and fair children that returned to their homes laden with flowers; and from Dol Amroth came the harpers that harped most skillfully in all the land... ...there were players upon viols and upon flutes and upon horns of silver, and clear-voiced singers from the vales of Lebennin.
...At last an evening came when from the walls the pavilions could be seen upon the field, and all night lights were burning as men watched for the dawn."
We have been there and back again.
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Apr 30, 2:40pm
Post #11 of 27
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geeky little moments in that movie! Son and I are trying to find a full day when nothing else is going on for both of us so we can do a marathon again - including proper snacks/meals, of course!
Oh, my Crickhollow drabble. Frodo's friends were the best!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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CuriousG
Gondolin
Apr 30, 5:35pm
Post #12 of 27
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The strategic finding/purchase of Crickhollow by the Conspiracy always seems like an untold story in itself which, like so many others, gets hints and then passes by like a leaf in a downstream. Glad we have a voice to this story.
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 1, 12:48pm
Post #13 of 27
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Today in Middle-earth
May 1, 2942 (S.R. 1342)
1. Gandalf and Bilbo reach Rivendell.
(determined from text – referencing Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth)
..."It was on May the First that the two came back at last to the brink of the valley of Rivendell, where stood the Last (or the First) Homely House... ...their ponies were tired, especially the one that carried the baggage; and they all felt in need of rest. As they rode down the steep path, Bilbo heard the elves still singing in the trees, as if they had not stopped since he left..."
May 1, 3018 (S.R. 1418)
1. Sarn Ford where Gandalf and Aragorn met
(not from the appendices)
..."Strider looked grave. '...I came west with [Gandalf] in the spring. I have often kept watch on the borders of the Shire in the last few years, when he was busy elsewhere. He seldom left it unguarded. We last met on the first of May: at Sarn Ford down the Brandywine... ...his business with you had gone well, and that you will be starting for Rivendell in the last week of September. As I knew he was at your side, I went away on a journey of my own. And that has proved ill; for plainly some news reached him, and I was not at hand to help."
May 1, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. Crowning of King Elessar.
(from the appendices)
..."And when the sun rose in the clear morning above the mountains in the East... ...upon the White Tower of the citadel the standard of the Stewards, bright argent like snow in the sun, bearing no charge nor device, was raised over Gondor for the last time.
...Now the Captains of the West led their host towards the City, and folk saw them advance in line upon line... ...And so they came before the Gateway and halted a furlong from the walls. As yet no gates had been set up again, but a barrier was laid across the entrance to the City, and there stood men at arms in silver and black with long swords drawn. Before the barrier stood Faramir the Steward, and Húrin Warden of the Keys, and other captains of Gondor, and the Lady Éowyn of Rohan with Elfhelm the Marshal and many knights of the Mark; and upon either side of the Gate was a great press of fair people in raiment of many colours and garlands of flowers....
......A hush fell upon all as out from the host stepped the Dúnedain in silver and grey; and before them came walking slow the Lord Aragorn. He was clad in black mail girt with silver, and he wore a long mantle of pure white clasped at the throat with a great jewel of green that shone from afar; but his head was bare save for a star upon his forehead bound by a slender fillet of silver. With him were Éomer of Rohan, and the Prince Imrahil, and Gandalf robed all in white, and four small figures that many men marvelled to see.
...'Nay, cousin! they are not boys,' said Ioreth to her kinswoman... ...who stood beside her. 'They are Periannath, out of the far country of the Halflings, where they are princes of great fame, it is said... ...I had one to tend in the Houses. They are small, but they are valiant. Why, cousin, one of them went with only his esquire into the Black Country and fought with the Dark Lord all by himself, and set fire to his Tower... ...At least that is the tale in the City. That will be the one that walks with our Elfstone. They are dear friends, I hear. Now he is a marvel, the Lord Elfstone: not too soft in his speech... ...but he has a golden heart, as the saying is; and he has the healing hands. "The hands of the king are the hands of a healer", I said; and that was how it was all discovered. And Mithrandir, he said to me: "Ioreth, men will long remember your words", and ----'
...But Ioreth was not permitted to continue the instruction of her kinswoman... ...for a single trumpet rang, and a dead silence followed. Then forth from the Gate went Faramir with Húrin of the Keys, and no others, save that behind them walked four men in the high helms and armour of the Citadel, and they bore a great casket....
......Faramir met Aragorn in the midst of those there assembled, and he knelt, and said: "The last Steward of Gondor begs leave to surrender his office.' And he held out a white rod; but Aragorn took the rod and gave it back, saying: 'That office is not ended, and it shall be thine and thy heirs' as long as my line shall last. Do now thy office!'
...Then Faramir stood up and spoke in a clear voice: 'Men of Gondor... ...Behold! one has come to claim the kingship again at last. Here is Aragorn son of Arathorn, chieftain of the Dúnedain of Arnor, Captain of the Host of the West, bearer of the Star of the North, wielder of the Sword Reforged, victorious in battle, whose hands bring healing, the Elfstone, Elessar of the line of Valandil, Isildur's son, Elendil's son of Númenor. Shall he be king and enter into the City and dwell there?'
...And all the host and all the people cried yea with one voice...
...'...Men of Gondor, the loremasters tell that it was the custom of old that the king should receive the crown from his father ere he died; or... ...that he should go alone and take it from the hands of his father in the tomb where he was laid. But since things must now be done otherwise, using the authority of the Steward, I have today brought hither from Rath Dinen the crown of Eärnur the last king, whose days passed in the time of our longfathers of old.'
......Faramir opened the casket, and he held up an ancient crown... ...wings at either side were wrought of pearl and silver in the likeness of the wings of a sea-bird, for it was the emblem of kings who came over the Sea; and seven gems of adamant were set in the circlet, and upon its summit was set a single jewel the light of which went up like a flame.
...Then Aragorn took the crown and held it up and said; 'Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!'
...'...those were the words that Elendil spoke when he came up out of the sea on the wings of the wind: 'Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world.'
......Aragorn did not put the crown upon his head, but gave it back to Faramir, and said: 'By the labour and valour of many I have come into my inheritance. In token of this I would have the Ring-bearer bring the crown to me, and let Mithrandir set it upon my head... ...for he has been the mover of all that has been accomplished, and this is his victory.'
...Then Frodo came forward and took the crown from Faramir and bore it to Gandalf; and Aragorn knelt, and Gandalf set the White Crown upon his head, and said:
...'Now come the days of the King, and may they be blessed while the thrones of the Valar endure!'
......when Aragorn arose all that beheld him gazed in silence, for it seemed to them that he was revealed to them now for the first time. Tall as the sea-kings of old, he stood above all that were near; ancient of days he seemed and yet in the flower of manhood; and wisdom sat upon his brow, and strength and healing were in his hands, and a light was about him. And then Faramir cried:
...'Behold the King!'
...And... ...all the trumpets were blown, and the King Elessar went forth and came to the barrier, and Húrin of the Keys thrust it back; and... ...the King passed through the flower-laden streets, and came to the Citadel, and entered in; and the banner of the Tree and the Stars was unfurled upon the topmost tower, and the reign of King Elessar began, of which many songs have told."
[furlong = .125 miles or 220 yards]
2. Elrond and Arwen set out from Rivendell.
(from the appendices-no text)
…On the day Aragorn entered the City to claim his kingship, a great Company departed from Rivendell on a journey to the south. Elrond and members of his house were among the escort of Arwen Undómiel as she moved to fulfill her fate and a promise.
May 1, 3020 (S.R. 1420)
1. Samwise marries Rose.
(from the appendices)
..."'When are you going to move in and join me, Sam?' [asked Frodo]
...Sam looked a bit awkward.
...'There is no need to come yet, if you don't want to… …But you know the Gaffer is close at hand, and he will be very well looked after by Widow Rumble,'
...'It's not that, Mr. Frodo,' said Sam, and he went very red.
...'Well, what is it?'
...'It's Rosie, Rose Cotton,' said Sam. 'It seems she didn't like my going abroad at all, poor lass; but as I hadn't spoken, she wouldn't say so. And I didn't speak because I had a job to do first. But now I have spoken and she said: "Well, you've wasted a year, so why wait longer?" "Wasted?... ...I wouldn't call it that." Still I see what she means. I feel TORn in two, as you might say.'
...'I see,' said Frodo: 'you want to get married, and yet you want to live with me in Bag End too? But my dear Sam, how easy! Get married as soon as you can, and then move in with Rosie. There's room enough in Bag End for as big a family as you could wish for.'
...And so it was settled. Sam Gamgee married Rose Cotton in the Spring of 1420... ...and they came and lived at Bag End."
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 1, 12:55pm
Post #14 of 27
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I'm including this original response to this TIME post from dernwyn in her 2006 drabble... just because it's (typically) brilliant and so thought-provoking!
________________________________________ Quote ________________________________________
Reply To: TIME - April 29, 2006 [7:31] (1/1)
...This reminds me of the scene in the movie, Gandalf seeing the mess in Bilbo's study, and he picks up a map, and - geeky delight! It's Christopher T's map of Middle-earth!
...Meanwhile, while Frodo's thinking of Bilbo, certain ones of his friends are quietly thinking about him, and making their own plans to ensure his safe, secret, and accompanied getaway... Plans of their own
...They had been scouring the edges of Buckland for weeks now, considering all possibilities, and this one seemed perfect. Down a less-used lane, surrounded by both hedge and trees, a house but hole-like enough; close to stabling, but more important, to the Hedge - perfect.
...Now, to convince his cousin that he should move there: nothing outright, of course, just little hints dropped here and there, enough to plant the seed in his mind and make him think it was his own idea to “find” this house...
..."Yes, that ought to work out quite well," thought Merry.
________________________________________
We have been there and back again.
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Otaku-sempai
Elvenhome
May 2, 1:28pm
Post #15 of 27
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A belated happy 44th birthday to Jamie Dornan, our new Strider. for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (and beyond?).
“Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved.” - Jenny Blake Isabella
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 2, 1:31pm
Post #16 of 27
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Today in Middle-earth
May 2, 2942 (S.R. 1342)
1. Bilbo finds rest in Rivendell.
(determined from text)
..."When the tale of their journeying was told, there were other tales, and yet more tales, tales of long ago, and tales of new things, and tales of no time at all, till Bilbo's head fell forward on his chest, and he snored comfortably in a corner.
...He woke to find himself in a white bed, and the moon shining through an open window. Below it many elves were singing loud and clear....
..."...Well, Merry People!" said Bilbo looking out. "What time by the moon is this? Your lullaby would waken a drunken goblin! Yet I thank you."
..."And your snores would waken a stone dragon—yet we thank you," they answered with laughter. "It is drawing towards dawn, and you have slept now since the night's beginning. Tomorrow... ...you will be cured of weariness."
...A little sleep does a great cure in the house of Elrond," said he; "but I will take all the cure I can get. A second good night, fair friends!" And with that he went back to bed and slept till late morning."
May 2, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. The glad days of Gondor.
(not from the appendices)
..."In the days that followed the King sat on his throne in the Hall of the Kings and pronounced his judgements. And embassies came from many lands and peoples... ...and from the borders of Mirkwood, and from Dunland in the west. And the King pardoned the Easterlings that had given themselves up, and sent them away free, and he made peace with the peoples of Harad; and the slaves of Mordor he released and gave to them all the lands about Lake Núrnen to be their own."
We have been there and back again.
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
May 2, 1:51pm
Post #17 of 27
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But I do enjoy the jesting between Bilbo and the Elves. A wonderful relationship is developing between those folk and this simple Hobbit. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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CuriousG
Gondolin
May 3, 12:23am
Post #18 of 27
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I like how the jesting is immediate
[In reply to]
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and how no one takes offense, like this is how friends talk, even with barely knowing each other. Rivendell appears so briefly in The Hobbit but always feels like a fun, wonderful place.
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 3, 1:42pm
Post #19 of 27
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Today in Middle-earth
May 3, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. The glad days of Gondor.
(not from the appendices)
..."And there were brought before him many to receive his praise and reward for their valour; and last the captain of the Guard brought to him Beregond to be judged.
...And the King said... '...Beregond, by your sword blood was spilled in the Hallows, where that is forbidden. Also you left your post without leave... ...For these things, of old, death was the penalty. Now therefore I must pronounce your doom.
...'All penalty is remitted for your valour in battle, and still more because all that you did was for the love of the Lord Faramir. Nonetheless you must leave the Guard of the Citadel, and you must go forth from the City....'
......Then the blood left Beregond's face, and he was stricken to the heart and bowed his head. But the King said:
...'So it must be, for you are appointed to the White Company, the Guard of Faramir, Prince of Ithilien, and you shall be its captain and dwell in Emyn Arnen in honour and peace, and in the service of him for whom you risked all, to save him from death.'
...And then Beregond, perceiving the mercy and justice of the King, was glad, and kneeling kissed his hand, and departed in joy and content. And Aragorn gave to Faramir Ithilien to be his princedom... ...in the hills of Emyn Arnen within sight of the City.
...'For,' said he, 'Minas Ithil in Morgul-vale shall be utterly destroyed, and though it may in time to come be made clean, no man may dwell there for many long years.'"
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 4, 1:19pm
Post #20 of 27
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It's time for some BS! May the 4th be with you!
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May the Fourth Be With You!
Have you ever had a bad feeling about this? Well, here are some LotR and TH Book Spoilers honouring the Fourth wherever and whenever it occurs... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.
From the Prologue: Note on the Shire Records: The Fellowship of the Ring … "At the end of the Third Age the part played by the Hobbits in the great events that led to the inclusion of the Shire in the Reunited Kingdom awakened among them a more widespread interest in their own history; and many of their traditions, up to that time still mainly oral, were collected and written down.... ...By the end of the first century of the Fourth Age there were already to be found in the Shire several libraries that contained many historical books and records….
… ...the Red Book of Westmarch.... ...most important source for the history of the War of the Ring was so called because it was long preserved at Undertowers, the home of the Fairbairns, Wardens of the Westmarch."
From A Knife in the Dark: The Fellowship of the Ring …"Their camping-place was damp, cold, and uncomfortable; and the biting insects would not let them sleep... ...abominable creatures haunting the reeds and tussocks that from the sound of them were evil relatives of the cricket. There were thousands of them, and they squeaked all round, neek-breek, breek-neek, unceasingly all the night, until the hobbits were nearly frantic.
… The next day, the fourth, was little better, and the night almost as comfortless. Though the Neekerbreekers (as Sam called them) had been left behind, the midges still pursued them."
From The Great River: The Fellowship of the Ring … "Sam had long ago made up his mind that, though boats were maybe not as dangerous as he had been brought up to believe, they were far more uncomfortable than even he had imagined. He was cramped and miserable, having nothing to do but stare at the winter-lands crawling by...
… ...As dusk drew down on the fourth day, he was looking back over the bowed heads of Frodo and Aragorn... ...Suddenly something caught his sight: at first he stared at it listlessly, then he sat up and rubbed his eyes; but when he looked again he could not see it any more."
From The Riders Of Rohan: The Two Towers … "'Your news is all of woe!' cried Éomer in dismay. 'Great harm is [Boromir's] death to Minas Tirith, and to us all. That was a worthy man... ...and likely to prove a great captain of his people when his time came. But we have had no word of this grief out of Gondor. When did he fall?'
… 'It is now the fourth day since he was slain,' answered Aragorn; 'and since the evening of that day we have journeyed from the shadow of Tol Brandir.'
… 'On foot?' cried Éomer.
… 'Yes, even as you see us.'
… Wide wonder came into Éomer's eyes. 'Strider is to poor a name, son of Arathorn,' he said. 'Wingfoot I name you. This deed of the three friends should be sung in many a hall. Forty leagues and five you have measured ere the fourth day is ended! Hardy is the race of Elendil!""
From The Black Gate is Closed: The Two Towers … "[Frodo] sat upon the ground for a long while, silent... ...striving to recall all that Gandalf had said to him. But for this choice he could recall no counsel. Indeed Gandalf's guidance had been taken from them too soon...
…...Frodo's head was bowed over his knees, but Sam leaned back, with hands behind his head, staring out of his hood at the empty sky... ...Then presently Sam thought he saw a dark bird-like figure wheel into the circle of his sight, and hover, and then wheel away again. Two more followed, and then a fourth... ...He covered his eyes and bent forward, cowering. The same warning fear was on him as he had felt in the presence of the Black Riders, the helpless horror that had come with the cry in the wind and the shadow on the moon... ...Frodo felt it too. His thought was broken. He stirred and shivered, but he did not look up. Gollum huddled himself together like a cornered spider. The winged shapes wheeled, and stooped swiftly down, speeding back to Mordor."
From Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit: The Two Towers … "The two hobbits trussed their small packs, and put them on ready for flight, and then crawled deeper into the fern. There they crouched listening.
…There was no doubt of the voices. They were speaking low and furtively, but they were near, and coming nearer. Then quite suddenly one spoke clearly close at hand.
…'Here! Here is where the smoke came from!' it said. ''Twill be right at hand... ...we shall learn what kind of thing it is.'
…'Aye, and what it knows!' said a second voice.
…At once four men came striding through the fern from different directions. Since flight and hiding were no longer possible, Frodo and Sam sprang to their feet, putting back to back and whipping out their small swords.
…If they were astonished at what they saw, their captors were even more astonished... ...All had swords at their sides, and were clad in green and brown of varied hues... ...their faces were hooded and masked with green, except for their eyes, which were very keen and bright...
…'...We have not found what we sought,' said one. 'But what have we found?'
…'Not Orcs,' said another, releasing the hilts of his sword, which he had seized when he saw the glitter of Sting in Frodo's hand.
…'Elves?' said a third, doubtfully.
…'Nay! Not Elves,' said the fourth, the tallest, and as it appeared the chief among them. 'Elves do not walk in Ithilien in these days. And Elves are wondrous fair to look upon, or so 'tis said.'
…'Meaning we're not, I take you,' said Sam. 'Thank you kindly. And when you've finished discussing us, perhaps you'll say who you are, and why you can't let two tired travellers rest.'"
From Journey to the Cross-Roads: The Two Towers …"...[Frodo and Sam] reached the trees, and found that they stood in a great roofless ring, open in the middle to the sombre sky... ...In the very centre four ways met. Behind them lay the road to the Morannon; before them it ran out again upon its long journey south; to their right the road from old Osgiliath came climbing up, and crossing, passed out eastward into darkness: the fourth way, the road they were to take.
…Standing there for a moment filled with dread Frodo became aware that a light was shining; he saw it glowing on Sam's face beside him… …The brief glow fell upon a huge sitting figure, still and solemn as the great stone kings of the Argonath."
From The Houses of Healing: The Two Towers …"Pippin's face was anxious. 'Well, you had better come with me as quick as you can... ...I wish I could carry you. You aren't fit to walk any further... ...but you must forgive them. So many dreadful things have happened in the City, Merry, that one poor hobbit coming in from the battle is easily overlooked.'
…'It's not always a misfortune being overlooked,' said Merry. 'I was overlooked just now by—no, no, I can't speak of it. Help me, Pippin! It's all going dark again, and my arm is so cold.'
…'Lean on me, Merry lad!' said Pippin. 'Come now... ...It's not far.'
…'Are you going to bury me?' said Merry.
…'No, indeed!' said Pippin, trying to sound cheerful, though his heart was wrung with fear and pity. 'No, we are going to the Houses of Healing.'
…They turned out of the lane that ran between tall houses and the outer wall of the fourth circle, and they regained the main street climbing up to the Citadel. Step by step they went, while Merry swayed and murmured as one in sleep.
…'I'll never get him there,' thought Pippin."
From The Black Gate Opens: The Return of the King …"...Upon the fourth day from the Cross Roads and the sixth from Minas Tirith they came at last to the end of the living lands, and began to pass into the desolation that lay before the gates of the Pass of Cirith Gorgor... ...so deep the horror that lay on them that some of the host were unmanned, and they could neither walk nor ride further north.
… Aragorn looked at them, and there was pity in his eyes rather than wrath... ...they walked like men in a hideous dream made true, and they understood not this war nor why fate should lead them to such a pass.
… 'Go!' said Aragorn. 'But keep what honour you may, and do not run..!"
From The Tower of Cirith Ungol: The Two Towers … "Sam was looking at Orodruin, the Mountain of Fire. Ever and anon the furnaces far below its ashen cone would grow hot and with a great surging and throbbing pour fourth rivers of molten rock from chasms in its sides. Some would flow blazing towards Barad-dûr down great channels; some would wind their way into the stone plain, until they cooled and lay like twisted dragon-shapes vomited from the tormented earth. In such an hour of labour Sam beheld Mount Doom, and the light of it... ...now glared against the stark rock faces, so that they seemed to be drenched with blood."
From Queer Lodgings: The Hobbit …"It was difficult to think of pursuing goblins behind, and when they had put many miles between them and Beorn's house they began to talk and to sing again and to forget the dark forest-path that lay in front. But in the evening... ... most of them slept uneasily with dreams in which there came the howl of hunting wolves and the cries of goblins.
…Still the next morning dawned bright and fair again... ... they rode now for two more days... ...That third evening they were so eager to press on, for Beorn had said that they should reach the forest-gate early on the fourth day, that they rode still forward after dusk... ... As the light faded Bilbo thought he saw away to the right, or to the left, the shadowy form of a great bear prowling along in the same direction. But if he dared to mention it to Gandalf, the wizard only said: "Hush! Take no notice!""
From Flies and Spiders: The Hobbit …"[Bilbo saw] spiders huge and horrible sitting in the branches above him... ...he realised that these loathsome creatures were speaking one to another... ...he could make out many of the words that they said. They were talking about the dwarves!
…"It was a sharp struggle, but worth it," said one... "...but I'll wager there is good juice inside."
…"Aye, they'll make fine eating, when they've hung a bit," said another.
…"Don't hang 'em too long," said a third. "They're not as fat as they might be..."
…"Kill 'em, I say," hissed a fourth; "kill 'em now and hang 'em dead for a while..."
…"They're dead now, I'll warrant," said the first.
…"...That they are not. I saw one a-struggling just now..."
…...With that one of the fat spiders ran along a rope, till it came to a dozen bundles hanging in a row from a high branch... ...a toe shot up and kicked the spider straight and hard... ...and the enraged spider fell off the branch...
…...The others laughed. "You were quite right," they said, "the meat's alive and kicking!""
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 5, 1:48pm
Post #21 of 27
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Today in Middle-earth
May 5, 2942 (S.R. 1342)
1. Bilbo finds rest in Rivendell.
(determined from text)
..."Weariness fell from him soon in that house, and he had many a merry jest and dance, early and late, with the elves of the valley. Yet even that place could not long delay him now, and he thought always of his own home."
May 5, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. The glad days of Gondor.
(not from the appendices)
..."In the days that followed the King sat on his throne in the Hall of the Kings... ...And last of all Aragorn greeted Éomer of Rohan, and they embraced, and Aragorn said: 'Between us there can be no word of giving or taking, nor of reward; for we are brethren. In happy hour did Eorl ride from the North, and never has any league of peoples been more blessed, so that neither has ever failed the other, nor shall fail. Now... ...we have laid Théoden the Renowned in a tomb in the Hallows, and there he shall lie forever among the Kings of Gondor, if you will. Or if you desire it, we will come to Rohan and bring him back to rest with his own people.'
...And Éomer answered: 'Since the day when you rose before me out of the green grass of the downs I have loved you, and that love shall not fail. But now I must depart for a while to my own realm, where there is much to heal and set in order.... ...when all is made ready we will return for him; but here let him sleep a while.'
...And Éowyn said to Faramir: 'Now I must go back to my own land and look on it once again, and help my brother in his labour; but when one whom I long loved as father is laid at last to rest, I will return.'"
We have been there and back again.
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(This post was edited by grammaboodawg on May 5, 1:51pm)
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Otaku-sempai
Elvenhome
May 5, 6:08pm
Post #22 of 27
(648 views)
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A very happy birthday to John Rhys-Davies (82). May your beard grow ever longer!
“Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved.” - Jenny Blake Isabella
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 6, 1:26pm
Post #23 of 27
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This is part-1 of a 2-part Book Spoiler that looks at the Rangers of Ithilien... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.
From Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit: The Two Towers ... "'Farewell!' said Frodo, bowing low [Speaking to Faramir]. 'Think what you will, I am a friend of all enemies of the One Enemy. We would go with you, if we halfling folk could hope to serve you, such doughty men and strong as you seem, and if my errand permitted it. May the light shine on your swords!'
... 'The Halflings are courteous folk, whatever else they be,' said Faramir. 'Farewell!'
... The hobbits sat down again... ...Close by, just under the dappling shadow of the dark bay-trees, two men remained on guard. They took off their masks now and again to cool them, as the day-heat grew, and Frodo saw that they were goodly men, pale-skinned, dark of hair, with grey eyes and faces sad and proud. They spoke together in soft voices, at first using the Common Speech, but after the manner of older days, and then changing to another language of their own. To his amazement, as he listened Frodo became aware that it was the Elven-tongue that they spoke, or one but little different; and he looked at them with wonder, for he knew then that they must be Dúnedain of the South, men of the line of the Lords of Westernesse.
... After a while he spoke to them; but they were slow and cautious in answering. They named themselves Mablung and Damrod, soldiers of Gondor, and they were Rangers of Ithilien; for they were descended from folk who lived in Ithilien at one time, before it was overrun... ...such men the Lord Denethor chose his forayers, who crossed the Anduin secretly... ...to harry the Orcs and other enemies that roamed between the Ephel Dúath and the River.
... 'It is close on ten leagues hence to the east-shore of Anduin,' said Mablung, 'and we seldom come so far afield. But we have a new errand on this journey: we come to ambush the Men of Harad. Curse them!'"
[continues tomorrow]
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 7, 12:15pm
Post #24 of 27
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This is part-2 of a 2-part Book Spoiler that looks at the Rangers of Ithilien as they speak with Sam and Frodo about the Men of Harad... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.
From Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit: The Two Towers ... "'...curse the Southrons!' said Damrod. ''Tis said that there were dealings of old between Gondor and the kingdoms of the Harad in the Far South; though there was never friendship.... ...'Tis many lives of Men since any passed to or from between us. Now of late we have learned that the Enemy has been among them, and they are gone over to Him, or back to Him—they were ever ready to His will—as have so many also in the East. I doubt not that the days of Gondor are numbered, and the walls of Minas Tirith are doomed, so great is His strength and malice.'
... 'But still we will not sit idle and let Him do all as He would,' said Mablung. 'These cursed Southrons come now marching up the ancient roads to swell the hosts of the Dark Tower. Yea, up the very roads that craft of Gondor made. And they go ever more heedlessly... ...thinking that the power of their new master is great enough, so that the mere shadow of His hills will protect them. We come to teach them another lesson. Great strength of them was reported to us some days ago, marching north. One of their regiments is due... ...to pass by, some time ere noon—up on the road above, where it passes through the cloven way. The road may pass, but they shall not! Not while Faramir is Captain. He leads now in all perilous ventures. But his life is charmed, or fate spares him for some other end.'
... Their talk died down into a listening silence. All seemed still and watchful. Sam, crouched by the edge of the fern-brake, peered out With his keen hobbit-eyes he saw that many more Men were about. He could see them stealing up the slopes, singly or in long files, keeping always to the shade of grove or thicket, or crawling, hardly visible in their brown and green raiment, through grass and brake. All were hooded and masked, and had gauntlets on their hands, and were armed like Faramir and his companions. Before long they had all passed and vanished."
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
May 8, 12:33pm
Post #25 of 27
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Today in Middle-earth
May 8, 2942 (S.R. 1342)
1. Gandalf and Bilbo leave Rivendell for Hobbiton.
(determined from text – referencing Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth)
..."[Bilbo] said farewell to Elrond, and giving him such small gifts as he would accept, he rode away with Gandalf.
...Even as they left the valley the sky darkened in the West... ...and wind and rain came up to meet them.
..."Merry is May-time!" said Bilbo, as the rain beat into his face. "But our back is to legends and we are coming home. I suppose this is a first taste of it."
..."There is a long road yet," said Gandalf.
..."But it is the last road," said Bilbo.
...They came to the river that marked the very edge of the borderland of the Wild, and to the ford beneath the steep bank... ...The water was swollen both with the melting of the snows at the approach of summer, and with the daylong rain; but they crossed with some difficulty, and pressed forward, as evening fell, on the last stage of their journey."
May 8, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. Éomer and Éowyn depart for Rohan with the sons of Elrond.
(from the appendices)
..."So the glad days passed; and the Riders of Rohan made ready, and rode away by the North-way; and it was lined with people to do them honour and praise them, from the Gate of the City to the walls of the Pelennor.... ...in the City there was labour of many willing hands to rebuild and renew and to remove all the scars of war and the memory of the darkness.
...The Hobbits still remained in Minas Tirith, with Legolas and Gimli; for Aragorn was loth for the Fellowship to be dissolved. 'At last all such things must end,' he said, 'but I should have you wait a little while longer... ...A day draws near that I have looked for in all the years of my manhood, and when it comes I would have my friends beside me.' But of that day he would say no more.
...In those days the Companions of the Ring dwelt together in a fair house with Gandalf, and they went to and fro as they wished. And Frodo said to Gandalf: 'Do you know what this day is that Aragorn speaks of? For we are happy here... ...but the days are running away, and Bilbo is waiting; and the Shire is my home.'
...'As for Bilbo... ...he is waiting for the same day, and he knows what keeps you. And as for the passing of the days, it is now only May and high summer is not yet in; and though all things may seem changed, as if an age of the world had gone by, yet to the trees and the grass it is less than a year since you set out.'"
We have been there and back again.
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