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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Jun 18 2008, 11:08am
Post #1 of 46
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It's time for some BS!
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I'd like to add to yesterday's Book Spoiler and look at Faramir's story of the alliance between Gondor and Rohan... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.
From The Window on the West: The Two Towers
... "'Of our lore and manners they have learned what they would, and their lords speak our speech at need; yet for the most part they hold by the ways of their own fathers and to their own memories, and they speak among themselves their own North tongue. And we love them: tall men and fair women, valiant both alike, golden-haired, bright-eyed, and strong; they remind us of the youth of Men, as they were in the Elder Days. Indeed it is said by our lore-masters that they have from of old this affinity with us that they are come from those same Three Houses of Men as were the Númenoreans in their beginning; not from Hador the Goldenhaired, the Elf-friend, maybe, yet from such of his sons and people as went not over Sea into the West, refusing the call.
... 'For so we reckon Men in our lore, calling them the High, or Men of the West, which were Númenoreans, and the Middle Peoples, Men of the Twilight, such as are the Rohirrim and their kin that dwell still far in the North; and the Wild, the Men of Darkness.
... 'Yet now, if the Rohirrim are grown in some ways more like to us, enhanced in arts and gentleness, we too have become more like to them, and can scarce claim any longer the title High. We are become Middle Men, of the Twilight, but with memory of other things. For as the Rohirrim do, we now love war and valour as things good in themselves, both a sport and an end; and though we still hold that a warrior should have more skills and knowledge than only the craft of weapons and slaying, we esteem a warrior, nonetheless, above men of other crafts. Such is the need of our days. So even was my brother, Boromir: a man of prowess, and for that he was accounted the best man in Gondor. And very valiant indeed he was: no heir of Minas Tirith as for long years been so hardy in toil, so onward into battle, or blown a mightier note on the Great Horn.' Faramir sighed and fell silent for a while."
"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."
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Curious
Half-elven
Jun 18 2008, 11:55am
Post #2 of 46
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The rhythmic speech continues.
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'Of our lore and manners they have learned what they would,
and their lords speak our speech at need;
yet for the most part they hold by the ways of their own fathers and to their own memories,
and they speak among themselves their own North tongue.
And we love them:
tall men and fair women,
valiant both alike,
golden-haired,
bright-eyed,
and strong;
they remind us of the youth of Men,
as they were in the Elder Days.
Indeed it is said by our lore-masters that they have from of old this affinity with us that they are come from those same Three Houses of Men as were the Númenoreans in their beginning;
not from Hador the Goldenhaired,
the Elf-friend,
maybe,
yet from such of his sons and people as went not over Sea into the West,
refusing the call.
...
'For so we reckon Men in our lore,
calling them the High,
or Men of the West,
which were Númenoreans,
and the Middle Peoples,
Men of the Twilight,
such as are the Rohirrim and their kin that dwell still far in the North;
and the Wild,
the Men of Darkness.
'Yet now,
if the Rohirrim are grown in some ways more like to us,
enhanced in arts and gentleness,
we too have become more like to them,
and can scarce claim any longer the title High.
We are become Middle Men,
of the Twilight,
but with memory of other things.
For as the Rohirrim do,
we now love war and valour as things good in themselves,
both a sport and an end;
and though we still hold that a warrior should have more skills and knowledge than only the craft of weapons and slaying,
we esteem a warrior,
nonetheless,
above men of other crafts.
Such is the need of our days.
So even was my brother,
Boromir:
a man of prowess,
and for that he was accounted the best man in Gondor.
And very valiant indeed he was:
no heir of Minas Tirith as for long years been so hardy in toil,
so onward into battle,
or blown a mightier note on the Great Horn.'
Faramir sighed and fell silent for a while.
Can "arts and gentleness" and "war and valour" coexist? Can scholars and gentlemen fight a war? They do in LotR, where Aragorn and Faramir excel in scholarship and decency as much as they do in war. It's an open question whether the same is true in the Primary World. But clearly it was important to Tolkien. In his letters he worries about the orcish element in the British military, and opines that if the Ring existed the British would use it. But he and his sons fought for England, and he voiced no regrets for doing so, except perhaps that he wondered if he had as much courage as the characters in his fantasy.
Tolkien admired the warrior code of the Anglo-Saxons and other Germanic tribes he studied. But he was also a devout Roman Catholic, and a classical scholar. If I may indulge in a bit of speculation, Denethor's tragic end may represent the weakness Tolkien perceived in Classical Greco-Roman non-Christian philosophy, while Eowyn's fierce despair may represent the weakness Tolkien perceived in the pre-Christian Anglo-Saxons who sought death in battle. Theoden and Faramir represent the best of those two traditions. And Aragorn represents something incorporating both and greater than either, not explicitly Christian and yet with hints of Christian belief. He represents Estel or Hope. As Aragorn said to Arwen, "'Behold! we are not bound for ever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory, Farewell!'"
For all the high thoughts in this passage, I can't help noting the hints of classism and racism contained therein. The hierarchy of men Faramir gives us may not seem controversial in a fantasy, but becomes much more controversial if we see Middle-earth as a fantasy version of Europe. Are the men of the South and East Wild Men of Darkness? Remember that the Dark Ages were only dark in Europe, and not in the Arabian Empire or China. There's a fine line between Romantic Nationalism and Chauvinism, Racism, and Classism.
(This post was edited by Curious on Jun 18 2008, 12:02pm)
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dernwyn
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Jun 18 2008, 3:41pm
Post #3 of 46
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Definitely one particular POV.
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For all the high thoughts in this passage, I can't help noting the hints of classism and racism contained therein. The hierarchy of men Faramir gives us may not seem controversial in a fantasy, but becomes much more controversial if we see Middle-earth as a fantasy version of Europe. I doubt any of those Men dwelling north, east, or south of Gondor would consider themselves in such light - or, considering the Gondorian "Twilight" and "Darkness", lack of light. Their own cultures are progressing just fine, from their own standpoints. Some may have considered these outsider Numenoreans to be, say, no different from our egotistical Nazis. And indeed, if one is to judge from the activities of Numenoreans along the coast of Middle-earth during their declining years, they were no better than pompous invaders. A reputation is not easily mended.
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
"It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?"
-Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915
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Curious
Half-elven
Jun 18 2008, 4:11pm
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Faramir's view of the Easterners and Southerners -- or, more fairly, his summary of the traditional view of Gondorian lore -- is certainly no more chauvinistic than those of the Europeans during the Middle Ages.
There's a passage in the Old French version of The Quest of the Holy Grail in which the three most holy knights on the quest, Galahad, Percival, and Bors, slaughter everyone in a castle, man, woman, and child, and then find out afterwards that they were all Saracens (never mind the anachronism). The point is that God allowed them to commit genocide because the inhabitants were Saracens. There are similar passages in the Old Testament -- indeed, the Hebrews under Joshua were punished by God because they took pity on some people and did not complete the job of genocide when they reached the Promised Land.
In these ancient tales foreigners and nonbelievers are often treated like orcs. At least Faramir recognizes that the Easterners and Southerners are men, and there are many passages in which Tolkien's characters express pity for the humans tyrannized by Sauron and the rulers who serve him. It is a fantasy, after all. Still, the traditional European attitude towards the "barbarians" to the East and the South is still very much an issue in politics today. Look at how offended some people were by the movie 300, for example.
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Jun 18 2008, 7:26pm
Post #5 of 46
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"Can scholars and gentlemen fight a war? "
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I'm reminded a bit of John Andre, the British soldier in the American Revolution, who led bloody bayonet charges by day and designed ladies' costumes for elaborate plays by night. I'm not sure how much of a gentleman he was, collaborating with Benedict Arnold, but he was certainly a scholar and an artist.
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"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
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"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Jun 19 2008, 9:02am
Post #6 of 46
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HEY! Wanna see this Book Spoiler in the Movie? Let's see some of Thorin's quality... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.
From Inside Information: The Hobbit
..."There they would have all been killed, if it had not been for Bilbo once again. "Quick! Quick!" he gasped. "The door! The tunnel! It's no good here."
... Roused by these words they were just about to creep inside the tunnel when Bifur gave a cry: "My cousins! Bombur and Bofur—we have forgotten them, they are down in the valley!"
... "They will be slain, and all our ponies too, and all our stores lost," moaned the others. "We can do nothing."
... "Nonsense!" said Thorin, recovering his dignity. "We cannot leave them. Get inside Mr. Baggins and Balin, and you two Fili and Kili—the dragon shan't have all of us. Now you others, where are the ropes? Be quick!"
... Those were perhaps the worst moments they had been through yet. The horrible sounds of Smaug's anger were echoing in the stony hollows far above; at any moment he might come blazing down or fly whirling round and find them there, near the perilous cliff's edge hauling madly on the ropes. Up came Bofur, and still all was safe. Up came Bombur, puffing and blowing while the ropes creaked, and still all was safe. Up came some tools and bundles of stores, and then danger was upon them.
... A whirring noise was heard. A red light touched the points of standing rocks. The dragon came.
... They had barely time to fly back to the tunnel, pulling and dragging in their bundles, when Smaug came hurtling from the North, licking the mountains-sides with flame, beating his great wings with a noise like a roaring wind. His hot breath shrivelled the grass before the door, and drove in through the crack they had left and scorched them as they lay hid. Flickering fires leaped up and black rock-shadows danced. Then darkness fell as he passed again. The ponies screamed with terror, burst their ropes and galloped wildly off. The dragon swooped and turned to pursue them, and was gone.
... "That'll be the end of our poor beasts!" said Thorin. "Nothing can escape Smaug once he sees it. Here we are and here we shall have to stay, unless any one fancies tramping the long open miles back to the river with Smaug on the watch!"
... It was not a pleasant thought! They crept further down the tunnel, and there they lay and shivered though it was warm and stuffy, until dawn came pale through the crack of the door. Every now and again through the night they could hear the roar of the flying dragon grow and then pass and fade, as he hunted round and round the mountain-sides.
... He guessed from the ponies, and from the traces of the camps he had discovered, that men had come up from the river and the lake and had scaled the mountain-side from the valley where the ponies had been standing; but the door withstood his searching eye, and the little high-walled bay had kept out his fiercest flames. Long he had hunted in vain till the dawn chilled his wrath and he went back to his golden couch to sleep—and to gather new strength. He would not forget or forgive the theft, not if a thousand years turned him to smouldering stone, but he could afford to wait. Slow and silent he crept back to his lair and half closed his eyes."
"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Jun 19 2008, 9:25am
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He was born as a scholarly leader for the rebirth of Gondor as it once was under a King of like mind and heart. But Faramir had no knowledge of Aragorn's existence and little hope that Gondor could be saved, but he never wavered in its defence.
"...we now love war and valour as things good in themselves, both a sport and an end..."
"... but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory." Faramir was definitely the finest example of art and gentleness co-existing with war and valour.
I think your speculation/comparisons are intriguing and hold to the sensibilities of Tolkien. After his own experience with war, politics, history and politics, I think this is a great outlet for his own conflicts with the folly of leaders and those thrown into war because of it.
"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."
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dernwyn
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Jun 19 2008, 11:04am
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Notice Thorin's selection of who is to be most protected from Smaug's wrath: Bilbo and Balin - besides himself, the most important members of that group, because of their skills - and Fili and Kili, the youngest (his relatives, as well, but still, their youth does matter).
If this is shown with its full intensity, there's going to be a lot of Hobbit-novices freaking out as they expect at least a Dwarf or two to get fried! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
"It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?"
-Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915
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Curious
Half-elven
Jun 19 2008, 3:45pm
Post #9 of 46
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Bilbo at his finest, and Thorin too.
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But how did they pull up their equipment and stores after they pulled up both dwarves? I suppose Bombur and Bofur must have tied them to extra ropes. How did they tell Bombur and Bofur what to do? Could they call down the mountainside, or was it obvious because of the dragon noises?
The fourteen dwarves in The Hobbit tend to blend into each other without distinctive personalities, with the exception of Thorin, Balin, and Bombur. Thorin is the most courageous, perhaps, but also the most pompous and, eventually, the most greedy and stubborn. Balin seems to have a special friendship with Bilbo. Bombur is the least courageous, which is saying something in this crowd. Witness Bifur's panic, for example. None of them combine courage with unselfish virtue like Gimli from LotR. But then Frodo and his friends are far more courageous and unselfish than Bilbo, at least at the beginning of their adventure. Even Gandalf seems more powerful and virtuous -- more angel than trickster -- in LotR than in The Hobbit. The Hobbit has an almost dark comic tone at times.
Note that Smaug returns to his pile of gold to gather strength, and contemplates waiting there a thousand years if necessary. This supports my theory that Smaug gathers strength directly from the gold, which is infused with the taint of Morgoth, according to Morgoth's Ring.
Poor ponies. I wonder if they were as intelligent as Bill the Pony in LotR? It's kind of odd that Middle-earth has so many sentient animals, and yet many animals are still treated like non-sentient beasts. In contrast, C.S. Lewis draws a careful distinction between talking and non-talking beasts in his Narnia series.
(This post was edited by Curious on Jun 19 2008, 3:46pm)
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FantasyFan
Rohan
Jun 19 2008, 3:52pm
Post #10 of 46
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Notice Thorin's selection of who is to be most protected from Smaug's wrath: Bilbo and Balin - besides himself, the most important members of that group, because of their skills - and Fili and Kili, the youngest (his relatives, as well, but still, their youth does matter). Thorin is protecting his nephews, yet later in the Battle of the Five Armies, they will fall trying to protect him. 
"That is one thing that Men call 'hope.' Amdir we call it, 'looking up.' But there is another which is founded deeper. Estel we call it, that is 'trust.' It is not defeated by the ways of the world, for it does not come from experience, but from our nature and First Being. If we are indeed the Eruhin, the Children of the One, then He will not suffer Himself to be deprived of His own, not by any enemy, not even by ourselves. This is the last foundation of estel, which we keep even when we contemplate the End. Of all His designs the issue must be for His children's joy."
Finrod, Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth, HoME X Morgoth's Ring
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Jun 19 2008, 4:23pm
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Phrased to rouse a child's apprehension, but had me glued as well!!
You're right about Thorin's choice of who to save. There was a time not long ago that makes me wonder if he'd made the same choices before having his ego built up again in Lake-town. He became King under the mountain again for a while. I'm also impressed that they thought to tie off some bundles from the ponies before rescuing themselves!
This is going to look SO GOOD on film! The whirring noise and the red-glow hitting the tips of the surrounding stone as Smaug approached! Brilliant!
"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Jun 19 2008, 4:25pm
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And this was after they (most likely) didn't completely agree with Thorin's anger and handling of the treasure, Bilbo and the army outside.
Dwarves are fiercely loyal to their kin and kind!
"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Jun 19 2008, 4:34pm
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I'm thinking they threw over more than two ropes... or that the bundles were tied off at the end of a very long length. I noticed they pulled up Bombur last... needing the extra pair of hands to do the hauling. Since they were going after the supplies anyway, they probably were already geared up to getting the stores up there.
Fersher Smaug goes back to gather his strength on the loot! I imagine it's all the more stimulating for him now knowing that it's at risk and someone else covets it. Is it a molecular empowerment or a psychological empowerment? Like Ice Cream really does it for me! Or warm brownies and cold milk :D *sigh* I don't glow from the fix, though. I grow.
"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."
TORn's Observations Lists
(This post was edited by grammaboodawg on Jun 19 2008, 4:36pm)
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Jun 20 2008, 8:59am
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Today in Middle-earth.
June 20, 3018 (S.R. 1418)
1. Sauron attacks Osgiliath.
(from the appendices)
...[Boromir recounts for the Council] "'But this very year, in the days of June, sudden war came upon us out of Mordor, and we were swept away. We were outnumbered, for Mordor has allied itself with the Easterlings and the cruel Haradrim; but it was not by numbers that we were defeated. A power was there that we have not felt before.
...'Some said that it could be seen, like a great black horseman, a dark shadow under the moon. Wherever he came a madness filled our foes, but fear fell on our boldest, so that horse and man gave way and fled. Only a remnant of our eastern force came back, destroying the last bridge that still stood amid the ruins of Osgiliath.
...'I was in the company that held the bridge, until it was cast down behind us. Four only were saved by swimming; my brother and myself and two others. But still we fight on, holding all the west shores of Anduin; and those who shelter behind us give us praise, if ever they hear our name; much praise but little help."
2. About the same time Thranduil is attacked and Gollum escapes.
(from the appendices)
...[Legolas recounts for the Council] "'Alas! alas!' cried Legolas, and in his fair elvish face there was great distress. 'The tidings that I was sent to bring must now be told. They are not good, but only here have I learned how evil they may seem to this company. Sméagol, who is now called Gollum, has escaped.'
...'Escaped?' cried Aragorn. 'That is ill news indeed. We shall all rue it bitterly, I fear. How came the folk of Thranduil to fail in their trust?'
...'Not through lack of watchfulness,' said Legolas; 'but perhaps through over-kindliness. And we fear that the prisoner had aid from others, and that more is known of our doings than we could wish. We guarded this creature day and night, at Gandalf's bidding, much though we wearied of the task. But Gandalf bade us hope still for his cure, and we had not the heart to keep him ever in dungeons under the earth, where he would fall back into his old black thoughts.'
...'You were less tender to me,' said Glóin with a flash of his eyes, as old memories were stirred of his imprisonment in the deep places of the Elven-king's halls.
...'Now come!' said Gandalf. 'Pray do not interrupt, my good Glóin. That was a regrettable misunderstanding, long set right. If all the grievances that stand between Elves and Dwarves are to be brought up here, we may as well abandon this council.'
...'Glóin rose and bowed, and Legolas continued. 'In the days of fair weather we led Gollum through the woods; and there was a high tree standing alone far from the others which he liked to climb. Often we let him mount up to the highest branches, until he felt the free wind; but we set a guard at the tree's foot. One day, he refused to come down, and the guards had no mind to climb after him: he had learned the trick of clinging to boughs with his feet as well as with hands; so they sat by the tree far into the night.
...It was that very night of summer, yet moonless and starless, that Orcs came on us at unawares. We drove them off after some time; they were many and fierce, but they came from over the mountains, and were unused to the woods. When the battle was over, we found that Gollum was gone, and his guards were slain or taken. It then seemed plain to us that the attack had been made for his rescue, and that he knew of it beforehand. How that was contrived we cannot guess; but Gollum is cunning, and the spies of the Enemy are many. The dark things that were driven out in the year of the Dragon's fall have returned in greater numbers, and Mirkwood is again an evil place, save where our realm is maintained.
...'We have failed to recapture Gollum. We came on his trail among those of many Orcs, and it plunged deep into the Forest, going south. But ere long it escaped our skill, and we dared not continue the hunt; for we were drawing nigh to Dol Guldur, and that is still a very evil place; we do not go that way.'"
"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."
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dernwyn
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Jun 20 2008, 10:42am
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A "regrettable misund--" *jaw drops* Omigosh, gramma!
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 Where did you get that absolutely fantastic footer pic?
Guidance and cousel, indeed! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
"It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?"
-Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915
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silneldor
Half-elven
Jun 20 2008, 10:42am
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of dragon breath that happens to be emitted through the crack of the door into the blackness followed by trails of smoke seen rising from what light that that crack allows....I can see also in the tailtale light a bunch of rather wide open eyes with bodies standing stock still, staring toward that distant door.
....You know if Bilbo had enough time he might had figured that a a pig in a poke on a stick and standing (of course) tight against the door might have been a fine opportunity for that long looked for home cooked meal.
"Tolkien, like Lewis, believed that, through story, the real world would become a more magical place, full of meaning. We see its patterns and colors in a fresh way. The recovery of a true view of the world applies both to individual things, like hills and stones, and to the cosmic - the depths of space and time itself. For in sub-creation, in Tolkien's view, there is a "survey" of space and time. Reality is captured on a miniature scale. Through stories like The Lord of the Rings, a renewed view of things is given, illuminating the homely, the spiritial, the physical, and the moral dimensions of the world."
Tolkien and C.S. Lewis- The Gift of Friendship -Duriez
May the grace of Manwë let us soar with eagle's wings!
In the air, among the clouds in the sky
Here is where the birds of Manwe fly
Looking at the land, and the water that flows
The true beauty of earth shows
With the stars of Varda lighting my way
In all the realms this is where I stay
In the realm of Manwë Súlimo
By El~Cugu
From the website: 'The Realm of Manwe'
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dernwyn
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Jun 20 2008, 3:11pm
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The problem with dragonbreath barbecues
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is that if you're standing close enough to roast something on a stick, you're close enough to be roasted yourself... !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
"It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?"
-Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915
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Curious
Half-elven
Jun 20 2008, 5:32pm
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If Boromir and Faramir held the bridge, how did the Nazgul cross?
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And if they still held the western shores, how did they miss the Nine Riders in their midst? Did the Riders use their invisibility? If so, where did they pick up their horses and robes?
Why did Sauron's servants rescue Gollum? How did they plan the rescue? What happened after the rescue? Did Gollum escape his rescuers, or was he set loose to hunt for the Ring?
Why was Gollum entrusted to the elves of Mirkwood and not the elves of Lorien or Rivendell, or the dwarves for that matter, or even men like the Beornings -- whom he had wronged, apparently?
I have more questions than answers.
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dernwyn
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Jun 21 2008, 3:42am
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Answers...answers that need questioning...
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Supposedly the Nine went to Isengard first, before continuing on to the Shire. They crossed the Fords of Isen in mid-September, so they would have crossed the Anduin probably not too much before that, well after the attacks in June, and above the Wetwang, to make the trip to Isengard less sloshy. How they crossed it, I'll leave to those who'd like to stretch their imaginations! 
Why the Mirkwood Elves, to care for Gollum? My UUT is that Gandalf wanted him as far from his old haunts as he could safely get him - and in a place supposedly surrounded by enchantments. The escape was planned out by crows communicating with Gollum when he climbed to tree-tops; they could have waited, out of sight of the Elves, then flown off once Gollum had been returned to the cave. I cringe at the thought of Elven guards being "taken" rather than slain by the Orcs.
Gollum was undoubtedly released, to continue his personal quest for Baggins - but he would have been tracked, which failed once he entered Moria. Or it could be that he entered Moria because he knew he was being followed...
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
"It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?"
-Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Jun 21 2008, 10:27am
Post #20 of 46
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In celebration of the summer solstice... a collective of Today in Middle-Earth.
June 21, 2951 (S.R. 1351)
(Appendix A & B – determined from text)
..."'It came to pass that when Aragorn was nine and forty years of age he returned from perils in the dark confines of Mordor, where Sauron now dwelt again and was busy with evil. He was weary and he wished to go back to Rivendell and rest there for a while ere he journeyed into the far countries; and on his way he came to the borders of Lórien and was admitted to the hidden land by the Lady Galadriel.
...'He did not know it, but Arwen Undómiel was also there, dwelling again for a time with the kin of her mother. She was little changed, for the mortal years had passed her by; yet her face was more grave, and her laughter now seldom was heard. But Aragorn was grown to full stature of body and mind, and Galadriel bade him cast aside his wayworn raiment, and she clothed him in silver and white, with a cloak of elven-grey and a bright gem on his brow. Then more than any kind of Men he appeared, and seemed rather an Elf-lord from the Isles of the West. And thus it was that Arwen first beheld him again after their long parting; and as he came walking towards her under the trees of Caras Galadon laden with flowers of gold, her choice was made and her doom appointed.'
June 21, 2941 (S.R. 1341)
1. Bilbo, Gandalf, Thorin and Company rest in Rivendell.
(not from the appendices-no text)
...Bilbo found himself quite turned around in the fair house of Elrond as he sought out the great hall where he was to meet Gandalf and the dwarves. He prided himself on his sense of direction, but he finally had to concede he'd lost his way. Just as he was about to retrace his steps, a green-clad Elf approached him smiling. 'Greetings Bilbo Baggins of The Shire. I am Gildor Inglorion, and have been sent to escort you to the gathering of your friends and Lord Elrond in the Hall of Fire.'
...'Ah! Good!' sighed the hobbit. 'I began to fear I'd survived Trolls and the Wild only to be lost within the walls of this grand house!'
June 21, 2942 (S.R. 1342)
1. Bilbo and Gandalf travel home.
(not from the appendices-no text)
...Even though Bilbo was anxious to rest in the familiar comfort of his own home, he agreed with Gandalf it would be wise to stop for the night. Their ponies were moving slowly under their burden of the chests of gold, silver, and other treasures accumulated during the journey. They had passed the fields where the trees of Woody End could be seen in the distance and had finally come to Frogmorton. It was decided they should spend the night at The Floating Log and begin fresh in the morning travelling the last long miles to Hobbiton and finally to Bag End.
June 21, 3018 (S.R. 1418)
1. Summer at Bag End, Hobbiton, The Shire.
(not from the appendices-some no text)
"... in the fine weather [Frodo] forgot his troubles for a while. The Shire had seldom seen so fair a summer..." He always enjoyed Gandalf's company and was quite pleased when his good friend showed no signs of leaving. Even though there were whisperings and side-long glances at the wizard from the villagers when they passed along the roads together, Frodo and Gandalf would take pleasure in pleasant conversations while sitting and smoking, frequent and plentiful meals, and long walks in the peaceful beauty of the Shire summer.
June 21, 3019 (S.R. 1418)
(not from the appendices)
..."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...."
......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."
June 21, 3020 (S.R. 1420)
1. A cherished summer in the Shire.
(not from the appendices)
..."...if Sam thought himself lucky, Frodo knew that he was more lucky himself; for there was not a hobbit in the Shire that was looked after with such care. When the labours of repair had all been planned and set going he took to a quiet life, writing a great deal and going through all his notes. He resigned the office of Deputy Mayor at the Free Fair that midsummer, and dear old Will Whitfoot had another seven years of presiding at Banquets.
...Merry and Pippin lived together for some time at Crickhollow, and there was much coming and going between Buckland and Bag End. The two young Travellers cut a great dash in the Shire with their songs and their tales and their finery, and their wonderful parties. 'Lordly' folk called them, meaning nothing but good; for it warmed all hearts to see them go riding by with their mail-shirts so bright and their shields so splendid, laughing and singing songs of far away; and if they were now large and magnificent, they were unchanged otherwise, unless they were indeed more fairspoken and more jovial and full of merriment than ever before.
...Frodo and Sam, however, went back to ordinary attire, except that when there was need they both wore long grey cloaks, finely woven and clasped at the throat with beautiful brooches; and Mr. Frodo wore always a white jewel on a chain that he often would finger."
June 21, 3021 (S.R. 1421)
1. Frodo's memory is stirred when looking at the summer flowers.
(not from the appendices)
...[Frodo remembered when he] "...stood awhile... ...lost in wonder. It seemed to him that he had stepped through a high window that looked on a vanished world. A light was upon it for which his language had no name. All that he saw was shapely, but the shapes seemed at once clear cut, as if they had been first conceived and drawn at the uncovering of his eyes, and ancient as if they had endured for ever. He saw no colour but those he knew, gold and white and blue and green, but they were fresh and poignant, as if he had at that moment first perceived them and made for them names new and wonderful. In winter here no heart could mourn for summer or for spring. No blemish or sickness or deformity could be seen in anything that grew upon the earth. On the land of Lórien there was no stain....
......Though he walked and breathed, and about him living leaves and flowers were stirred by the same cool wind as fanned his face, Frodo felt that he was in a timeless land that did not fade or change or fall into forgetfulness....
...[Frodo still] would walk there, upon the grass among elanor and niphredil in fair Lothlórien."
"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."
TORn's Observations Lists
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Jun 21 2008, 10:38am
Post #21 of 46
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I snagged this Alan Lee pic and had a bit of fun with it :)
I know Peter doesn't wear glasses anymore, but I still love his hobbity look from the good 'ol days. So, in my heaven, Peter still wears specs.
"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."
TORn's Observations Lists
(This post was edited by grammaboodawg on Jun 21 2008, 10:42am)
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Jun 21 2008, 10:56am
Post #23 of 46
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from expanding my imagination SO MUCH! I liken them to LotR tattoos! :D
I wonder if Gollum eats black butterflies?
I wonder if the Wraiths sit around a flameless campfire and share stories of the good ol' days? Maybe sing about Ungoliant the Fair.
I wonder why Gollum would climb the trees in the daytime when he hated the yellow face so much?
*stretch* I'm developing a perfect map of the U.S. interstate system!
"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."
TORn's Observations Lists
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jun 21 2008, 12:44pm
Post #24 of 46
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So that's why it looks "familiar"!
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Gramma, you're a genius.
I wonder if Mr. Cere could have this put on a T-shirt...?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
"It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?"
-Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jun 21 2008, 12:53pm
Post #25 of 46
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Now that's "stretching" it!
Mmm...butterfly sandwichesss...delicioussesss, preciousss! Maybe that's why he liked to climb the trees: to grab a few little delicacies. But you're right, he hated the Sun, so why would he climb so high...?
Hmm...maybe the Wraiths have a "dark fire" they light up and sit around during the day, telling tales of this strange horrible creature that lives at the edge of that noble burying-ground, the Barrow-downs...
Ah, yes, answers that need questioning!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
"It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?"
-Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915
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It's time for some MORE BS!
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