Who Done it?
 

My brother is reading LotR for the first time, and he asked me who raided the Prancing Pony, Bill Ferny and co. or the Black Riders? I had always assumed it was the Black Riders, I'm not sure why, but some time ago I read on some Tolkien forum that it could have been Bill Ferny. Now I think it's most logical that the latter is true, because of what Aragorn tells the hobbits the night before the attack, and my brother pointed out that the Riders would have sensed the Ring and wouldn't have been foiled so easily. So I thought I'd ask the people of the Downs. Any ideas, long-lost Letters, obscure HoMe references :rolleyes: , or educated guesses would be appreciated.

A most interesting question that I had never considered before. We know that the Black Riders were in the village because of the numerous references to terror, which only they possess. But as to who broke into the inn? Maybe the Riders told Ferny et al to go and fetch the Ring and bring it back to them. This would explain why the intruders did not sense that the Ring was in a nearby room.

But would the Riders trust the Men? And, if I remember correctly, the Riders at all costs wanted to avoid being seen. I think they feared the prospect of having a roused village standing up to them in challenge. So I think that once the first room proved to be a red herring, the Riders fled, not wanting to disturb the peace anymore.

The Riders would probably be untrustful of Ferny. After all, he is a Man and Men are easily swayed by the Ring; ergo, they probably thought he would be lured by the Ring and take it.

Hmmmm... although its been some time that I've dug up the LoTR books, I remember that although the Riders were at the Prancing Pony it was in RoTK that, along with the burning of the Shire, the mention of the raiding of the Inn (or Bree) was done by the Men.

Any other opinion on this?

I recall reading in Unfinished Tales that the Nazgul themselves did the raiding. I don't think Ferny and his ilk were stout enough to want to try raiding the rooms...and I don't think they would have the blades, which I assume were used to slash the bolsters. Also, the Dark Riders were lurking outside the Inn, Merry sort of ran into them. I'd have to check and read it for sure, but I never doubted that it was the Ringwraiths that perpetrated the break-in.

Here's another question, though, one small enough that it isn't worthy of its own post. Do you think Butterbur was awake all night? One would guess not, since Tolkien added that little "he said" bit to make us doubt him. But if he HAD been awake, it would further make me think that it was the Nazgul, because they would probably be a little more stealthy about it.