1. His companions saw only vague dark shapes coming towards them. Did they see the “pale king”? Why did Frodo call him the “pale king”? As the Witch-king was de-cloaked and Frodo had the Ring on did this combination allow him to “see” some physical essence of the enemy that the others were unable to see?

2. After all they have been through, and all that Sam had learned, why would he again have suspicions of Strider? Was it irresponsible of Strider to leave the Hobbits alone at this precarious time?

3. How did Strider know that ‘it’ (the Nazgûl-king) was unharmed? (Recall the “shrill cry”.)

4. Does it seem strange that Frodo would immediately fall unconscious from a stab in the shoulder? Was the “Black Breath” involved here, (as it had apparently caused Merry to collapse on the road in Bree)?

5. Thoughts on Strider’s singing ritual? Was this ritual used to degrade the toxicity of the knife-point and enhance the healing power of athelas? Or did athelas simply have a calming essence and a lessening of pain effect, not actual healing?
Would athelas have any healing or calming powers in the hands of the commoner?
”The hands of the King are the hands of a healer.” said Ioreth after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Did Strider have any special healing powers before becoming King?

6. Was this shortcut wise? Does this remind you of Pippin’s warning back in SirDennis’ Ch. 4, “Short cuts make long delays.”?
Did two of the Nazgûl see or sense them crossing the road? What would their cries convey? Do you think they were just coded cries of enlightenment or information (“hoot twice like a barn-owl”) or did they use a form of Black Speech?

7. Strider calls this an “elf-stone” – why? How did finding this stone make you feel? Did the discovery of the green beryl push your mind forward to Bilbo’s Song of Eärendil where Aragorn insisted that Bilbo put in a “green stone”?

3. How did Strider know that ‘it’ (the Nazgûl-king) was unharmed? (Recall the “shrill cry”.)
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We've actually been discussing this a bit prematurely ( http://newboards.theonering.net/...i?post=840726#840726 ) To summarize, I think we think that Strider thinks that Frodo's blade is intact, so can't have wounded the Witch King. But the name Elbereth was "more deadly" and may have caused the WK to cry out - in terror, we think.

And yes, I think Frodo is a definite victim of the Black Breath here. Why do you suppose the other hobbits weren't affected just by proximity? Or Strider too, for that matter? Does it really only focus on one person at a time?

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It’s still the night of Thursday, October the 6th, 3018, and our present chapter opens unbroken from Chapter 11 as Frodo comes to clutching the Ring and asks, “What has happened? Where is the pale king?”
1. His companions saw only vague dark shapes coming towards them. Did they see the “pale king”? Why did Frodo call him the “pale king”? As the Witch-king was de-cloaked and Frodo had the Ring on did this combination allow him to “see” some physical essence of the enemy that the others were unable to see?
Then Strider sang over the hilt in a strange tongue, and bathed Frodo’s shoulder with athelas.
5. Thoughts on Strider’s singing ritual? Was this ritual used to degrade the toxicity of the knife-point and enhance the healing power of athelas? Or did athelas simply have a calming essence and a lessening of pain effect, not actual healing?
Would athelas have any healing or calming powers in the hands of the commoner?
”The hands of the King are the hands of a healer.” said Ioreth after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Did Strider have any special healing powers before becoming King?

I am combining my answers here as I think they have a thematic connection. I believe Frodo can see the Witch King while wearing the Ring because that brings him in close, indeed pulls him into, the world of spirit where the bodiless, 'lifeless' (as in, bereft of hroa) Wraiths dwell, and where the Ring itself - also technically without life - exists.

I think the context of spirit also relates to Strider's singing while healing. The hroa and fea exist in a balance: but in Elves the rationale JRRT gives for their longevity and skill in healing wounds is their ability to exercise the innate powers of the fea - roughly, the spirit, in controlling the hroa, roughly the body, the stuff of Arda - and thus preserve the united life of the two. The athelas likely has physical properties; but the deeper healing will be from the spirit/fea, from marshaling the will to preserve life and resist death and disease, and in this case likely subversion of Frodo's fea by the W-K's spell originating in the blade. So the plant plus the song is a two-pronged approach, and that song goes with the King as the healer of the land (rather a Fisher King ideal) and thus of its people as his birthright, if he chooses to use it. So I think the bloodline of the House of Elendil, and then Strider's formative years with the Elves do both give him an innate ability to heal, and then the practical learning of touching and managing the fea from the Elves make him a formidable healer before the crowning. After that, as rightful and crowned King, I think JRRT intended there to be an even greater connection between Aragron's healing power and the entire land. (I think JRRT was a Royalist at the end of it all. I think that sort of regal mysticism felt right to him.)



Strider left for a good long while and Sam was beginning again to have doubts about him.
2. After all they have been through, and all that Sam had learned, why would he again have suspicions of Strider? Was it irresponsible of Strider to leave the Hobbits alone at this precarious time?

Sam is later described as a small, fierce creature ready to defend its mate from a tower of horn and hide...we see that here. That his Mr. Frodo has actually been hurt sends Sam into a tizzy of protectiveness.



At Strider’s return he found the Nazgûl cloak on the ground, with Frodo’s slash above the lower hem. Strider says, ”The only hurt that it did to his enemy, I fear; for it is unharmed,. . .”.
3. How did Strider know that ‘it’ (the Nazgûl-king) was unharmed? (Recall the “shrill cry”.)

Enhanced knowledge of the enemy at hand. He knew that the invocation of the name Elbereth would wound more in the spirit sense than a mortal knife would affect that without a body. We know from Bree that Strider knows his enemy and has faced them before.




We now learn that Frodo carries the broken point of the Morgul-knife in his shoulder.
4. Does it seem strange that Frodo would immediately fall unconscious from a stab in the shoulder? Was the “Black Breath” involved here, (as it had apparently caused Merry to collapse on the road in Bree)?


The Breath, and maybe that Frodo was half in the world of spirit already when wounded, wearing the Ring...somewhat divorced, if temporarily, from his body?



The company now headed south across the Road in full daylight, as it was the quickest way to reach a wild bushy country and some concealment, and Strider’s plan was to take a shortcut by skirting a great loop of the Road. As they crossed they heard two cries far away.
6. Was this shortcut wise? Does this remind you of Pippin’s warning back in SirDennis’ Ch. 4, “Short cuts make long delays.”?
Did two of the Nazgûl see or sense them crossing the road? What would their cries convey? Do you think they were just coded cries of enlightenment or information (“hoot twice like a barn-owl”) or did they use a form of Black Speech?

It is likely some sort of speech, but only half-heard by the living. I like the shortcut idea, on the merits. Heading for the largest bit of rock...not so much, necessarily. But I see its importance as we posted about last week.


After a few days traveling eastwardly in a cheerless wild land south of the Road Strider led the Hobbits back toward the Road. And on Thursday morning, Oct. 13th they came to the Last Bridge where Strider found a pale-green beryl stone. He took the discovery as a sign that they may safely cross.
7. Strider calls this an “elf-stone” – why? How did finding this stone make you feel? Did the discovery of the green beryl push your mind forward to Bilbo’s Song of Eärendil where Aragorn insisted that Bilbo put in a “green stone”? *Takes a quick sneak-dip into Book II*



When I first read it, it seemed very 'fairie' and magical. I like the air of mystery it lends. I only got the green stone bit after a few reads.

2. After all they have been through, and all that Sam had learned, why would he again have suspicions of Strider?

Instinct. He still is a stanger with no credentials.

Was it irresponsible of Strider to leave the Hobbits alone at this precarious time?

Did he have a choice? If he was searching for the magic all-saving leaf (and no, I don't mean Longbottom Leaf) - he had to.

3. How did Strider know that ‘it’ (the Nazgûl-king) was unharmed? (Recall the “shrill cry”.)

"It" means Frodo's sword. It would have perished had it touched the Witch-king. Just like Merry's did.

Though I am wondering... How much of Strider's fear of the Nazgul is inherited from Trotter? Though I'm sure he could have heard of them from Gandalf.

Or did athelas simply have a calming essence and a lessening of pain effect, not actual healing?

I think it had healing properties of a sort proposed by Brethil. Perhaps it was only effective as a spiritual healing source? In the end, I think that no plant could save Frodo from such a terrible enemy. Besides... it adds urgency to the tale.

Would athelas have any healing or calming powers in the hands of the commoner?

Maybe. But would they know to use it?

”The hands of the King are the hands of a healer.” said Ioreth after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Did Strider have any special healing powers before becoming King?

Well he had exceptional knowledge, and that might seem like magic when it isn't. I'm looking at you Arthur C. Clarke!

Shout "O, Ale Breath" at him & see if he vanishes with a shriek.

Aragorn has been to the Deep South 'where the stars are strange' so he could have come by some obscure knowledge there, as well as the library of Rivendell... Hmm....

Though at first, I do think that it was personal experience, because of that passage you cite.