The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - Proverbs with a Twist

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Proverbs with a Twist

I find it interesting to read the various sayings and proverbs in Tolkien's books. He often gives them a little twist, just enough to make them sound fresh. Let's collect them here!

Quote:

All that is gold does not glitter.

Quote:

All's well as ends better.

does

Quote:

Not all those who wander are lost

count?

If yes, than whole of:

Quote:

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

this comes in too [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

besides:

Quote:

It’s an ill wind as blows nobody no good

Quote:

Escape from Orcs to be caught by Wolves

"Never laugh at live dragons!"

^_^

~*~Orual~*~

Quote:

Few can foresee whither their road will lead them 'til they come to its end.

Quote:

Many are the strange chances of the world and helps oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the wise falter.

Quote:

...yet it is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till.

Quote:

It is best to love first what you are fitted to love, I suppose: you must start somewhere and have some roots...

Quote:

It is wisdom to recognize necessity, when all other courses have been weighed, though as folly it may appear to those who cling to false hope.

My signature

Those were off the top of my head. There are more I can't remember in whole...I'll be adding more below.

Quote:

The burned hand teaches best. After that advice about the fire goes to the heart.

Quote:

'Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.' ' but let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.' ''Yet sworn word may strengthen quaking heart.'

Quote:

It must often be so, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.

[ November 13, 2002: Message edited by: Legalos ]

"Out of the frying-pan into the fire", which is basically what Dúnethalath Taurendor said.

I'd like to add two orc proverbs; the first is my favorite funny one!

Quote:

Where there's a whip there's a will.

Quote:

You've caught the kitten and let the cat escape.

"But it doesn't do to leave a live dragon out of your considerations."
Well, something like that, I believe.

I like this one (from Letter 319)

Quote:

Oh what a tangled web they weave who try a new word to conceive!

Two more proverbs that sound just a bit different from our versions:

Quote:

Where will wants not, a way opens. (Dernhelm)

Quote:

The hasty stroke goes oft astray. (Aragorn)

Basically anything the Gaffer says.

Aslo, Gandalf's line in Shadow of the Past that goes somewhat like "You don't get to choose your time, but you get to choose what to do with it"

And Frodo's line in The Scouring of the Shire "It is useless to meet revenge with revenge: it will gain nothing"

There are way to many to remember at once!!!;)

I've always liked Gimli's dwarvocentric way of cussing:

'Hammer and tongs! I am so torn between rage and joy, that if I do not burst, it will be a marvel!'

The Gaffer's subtle pacifism:

"I don't hold with wearing ironmongery whether it wears well or no. "

Treebeard's take on 'wolves in sheep's clothing':

"There are Ents and Ents, you know; or there are Ents and things that look like Ents but ain't, as you might say."

Treebeard on rugged individualism:

"I don't know about sides. I go my own way; but your way may go along with mine for a while"