There's another way mercy is shown - in giving those who are weak a job they can handle. Fatty Bolger is one example - he's not ready to go on the adventure, but there's something within his means that he can do. And he acts as a hero, in his way.
The other example is Aragorn's pity on those of his troops who are terrified going to battle Mordor - he gives them an honourable task so they don't retreat in shame.
I know everybody in the book stretches their limits, but no one is scolded for their inability to tackle a huge task. I find that comforting - it's hard to accept my own limitations!
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'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth.. .'
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