View Single Post
Old 12-24-2003, 02:15 AM   #1
lindil
Seeker of the Straight Path
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: a hidden fastness in Big Valley nor cal
Posts: 1,680
lindil has just left Hobbiton.
Sting Within a days march...

I was reading Tom Shippey's [excellent] 'The Road to Middle-Earth' today when I came across the quote of Aragorn in the Council of Elrond wherein he says,
Quote:
' "Strider" I am to one fat man who lives within a days march of foes that would freeze his heart, or lay his little town in ruin, if he were not guarded ceaselessly.'
Shippey rightly points out that we do not know whom these foes are.

While the Barrow Wights seem an obvious choice, it is not likely at all that the Rangers had any power over them [saving perhaps Aragorn, but even that doubtful].

Perhaps the allusion is to Bombadil watching over the Wights - even though Aragorn has told us in other places that the Rangers guard both the Shire and Bree.

Fornost is out as it is futher away than weather top, and Gandalf alludes to Rangers going there anyway.

Shippey throws out,
Quote:
Wood-orcs?, trolls?, killer Huorns?, ettens from the high fells?,
Anyone have any thoughts on this?

I lean toward Aragorn conflating the Dunedains' and Bombadils' guardianship.

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 3:20 AM December 24, 2003: Message edited by: lindil ]
__________________
The dwindling Men of the West would often sit up late into the night exchanging lore & wisdom such as they still possessed that they should not fall back into the mean estate of those who never knew or indeed rebelled against the Light.
lindil is offline   Reply With Quote