I suspect that responsibility for the side track lays with me, Mister U. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]
Yes, I had come across the doubts raised over Treebeard's knowledge before. You are right. Making a distinction between what some characters say and what may actually be true is indeed a clever device. And it provides even more scope for discussion on sites like this into the bargain. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]
But, whether or not we can take what Tom and Goldberry tell the Hobbits at face value, I would still go with my initial impression:
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Bombadil and Goldberry as physical embodiments of any of the Valar just doesn't "feel right" to me.
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Edit: A further thought. If Tom and Goldberry were indeed Aule and Yavanna, then surely we could take what they say as authoritative. In which case, they would be dissembling to conceal their true identity. Which doesn't seem like a proper way for Valar to behave to me. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]
[ September 11, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]