Quote:
Originally Posted by Nerwen
Yes, it's an interesting theory. I always found the name "Goldberry" rather strange, for a character so strongly associated with water and water plants.
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I'm not sold on "nymphe" (T wasn't big on classical language sources in his fiction), but the "gold berries" of budding spring waterlilies is a very convincing image. Especially since it's pretty well accepted that his image of the willow-hung and willow-leaf-flecked Withywindle was inspired by Oxford's Cherwell, where such lilies also grow, as in this Turner painting in the Ashmolean:
