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Shade of Carn Dûm
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<img src="http://www.barrowdowns.com/images/posticons/onering.jpg" align=absmiddle> Re: Bilbo cheated?
I was actually using original text from Hobbit (pre-revision).
In that version, Gollum would not do such a thing at all.
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Quote:<hr> JRR Tolkien
"Both wrong," cried Bilbo very much relieved; and he jumped at once to his feet, put his back to the nearest wall, and held out his little sword. But funnily enough he need not have been alarmed. For one thing Gollum had learned long long ago was never, never, to cheat at the riddle-game, which is a sacred one and of immense antiquity. Also there was the sword. He simply sat and whispered.
"What about the present?" asked Bilbo, not that he cared very much, still he felt that he had won it, pretty fairly, and in difficult circumstances too. "Must we give it the thing, preciouss? Yess, we must! We must fetch it, preciouss, and give it the present we promised.".... "Where iss it? Where iss it?" Bilbo heard him squeaking. "Lost, lost, my preciouss, lost, lost! Bless us and splash us! We haven't the present we promised, and we haven't even got it for ourselves."<hr></blockquote>
As for shades of grey... an entire discussion could be held on the actions of characters that are of dubious nature and how they affect the future. Care to discuss Boromir's actions? Or Feanor's? Or Thingol's bride-brice for Luthien? There are many....
Bilbo's thinking of winning it pretty fairly is interesting, when by accounts even in
Hobbit, Bilbo realized it was not a fair riddle.
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