Puns, riddles, and jokes (outside of linguistics)

[MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie]

This thread is inspired by littlemanpoet's thread- Linguistic puns, riddles, and jokes in LotR, etc. (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=002998&p=1). That thread deals with linguistics, however this one deals with any lines, phrases, paragraphs, themes, points, etc. that you think might be (or is) a riddle, pun, or joke. This is not confined to LotR. You can include the Sil or any other of Tolkien's works although I find that LotR is best for this.

So, to start us off, I was rereading the chapter The Forbidden Pool in LotR and I came across Faramir saying this: And do not you, Smeagol, try to dive into the falls. The rocks have such teeth there as would slay you before your time.

And as we all know, Smeagol was carried far beyond his time already, by the ring. Tolkien might have set this up as a joke, or this might just be here by chance.

[Luthien_ Tinuviel]

Maybe Faramir had a sudden burst of foresight? Who knows? One of my favortie jokes has always been this:

"You'll live to regret it, young fellow! Why didn't you go too? You don't belong here; you're no Baggins-you-you're a Brandybuck!"
"Did you hear that, Merry? That was an insult if you like," said Frodo as he shut the door on her.
"It was a compliment," said Merry Brandybuck, "and so, of course, not true."

I just find that extremely amusing. smilies/biggrin.gif

[Lord of Angmar]

And do not you, Smeagol, try to dive into the falls. The rocks have such teeth there as would slay you before your time.

Perhaps this is foreshadowing on Faramir's part, although he may not know it. It may well portend Smeagol's role at the Cracks of Doom. Perhaps some foresight made Faramir say this, knowing that Smeagol's role in this quest was not yet ended. It can also be seen as foreshadowing, as it deals with Smeagol diving to his death, much as he falls to his end at Orodruin after taking the Ring.

[Samwise Gamgee]

My favorite joke ever is when the hobbits are in the flet, and pippin says he will never sleep because he is scared of falling off. And Sam says something like "Well, once I'm asleep I won't wake up whether I fall off or not, so the sooner I stop talking the sooner I'll drop off, if you take my meaning"

[Daisy Brambleburr]

I love all the hobbitisms Tolkien pus in there, like Merry saying to Farmer Maggot 'did you find them in your duck pond?' and the mental image of Frodo rolling Pippin out from his rugs. Not to mention Frodo telling Pippin that he 'wants to think' and Pippin replying 'what, at breakfast?' And of course the Brandybuck part was very funny. They're not so much riddles or puns but lighthearted jests that I love.

[Horse-Maiden of the Shire]

Another joke that I personally like is in FotR, in Lothlorien:
"I hope it was nothing worse than a wicked plot to steal one of my blankets."
By Pippin, to Sam.