[Kalimac]

Actually Birdland, I'm not sure that Frodo's barrow-blade did stab the Nazgul - afterwards Strider picks up a piece of black cloth and says this was the only hurt Frodo did to him, so maybe Frodo just sliced off a piece of his robe and didn't actually touch his body, or whatever you would call it. (Dramatically it was probably just as well - imagine if the Witch-King had fallen 1,500 pages earlier. Kind of takes away from the whole Siege of Minas Tirith scene). Sharku has a point though - lack of fear, though I don't know if Merry was so much fearless as just overcome by despair - the frame of mind that says "I might as well, I'm dead either way."

Re what you said about their not acting like normal ghosts - that's a good point. It also makes you wonder, why on earth did the Ringwraiths wear robes and ride steeds (winged or hoofed) in the first place? Certainly "their chief power was to inspire terror" and the black robes certainly help, but they're also quite a Look At Me - Frodo could see them from quite a distance. Wouldn't it have made more sense for them not to wear anything so they could sneak up on the Ringbearer unnoticed (if not unfelt)? Or were they not able to physically seize him unless they had physical gloves/robes/steeds to carry him in? Sorry, I'm not trying to divert the topic from fire/water fear (I still have no idea about the answer to that) just expand it a little.