[the guy who be short]

I don't think there is a real meaning, no more than there's a real shade of green. I'm sure everybody accepts that LotR can have more than one meaning, and I don't classify any of these as more "real" than any other. If we were discussing preferred meanings, I'd vote for the experience of the reader. As it is, I'll just vote for the fun option. It is awfully good fun...