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Originally Posted by Eomer of the Rohirrim
You are on the ball as ever Estelyn! 
Well, Mithalwen,
Once when drunk, Aragorn proclaimed that Bill actually had a twin sister as well. He claimed that she had 'come on to him' big-time in Bree. Merry and Sam in attendance were not sure what to make of this claim. |
It may well be true that Bill Ferny's "sister" was of easier virtue than, for example, an elf princess who having kept herself tidy for the best part of 3 millenia could easily hang ona few more decades; however Rangers were not generally at their most alluring during their stays at " the Pony " (the locals did tend to regard them as vagabonds). It is reasonable to assume that a frustrated man might interpret the behaviour of any (seeming) female who didn't actually knock his lights out as "coming on to him big time". Are we to assume "he made his excuses and left"? Or have we discovered a reason for Bil Ferny's taunting of Strider as he left Bree with the hobbits?
Saucepan Man - I thank you for this supporting evidence for the double life of "Bob" Ferny. However I am now in doubt as to the true gender of Bill's sibling. UK based scholars will be no doubt familiar with the Blackadder Chronicles which give precedents of the popularity of "Bob" as a name for women who disguised themselves as men.
Lalwende: Personally I am convinced that Bill Ferny met his fate at the hooves of Bill the Pony as outlined above . I think the Bill Ferny you speak of is Bill Junior who combined his father scheming with the financial aptitude of his "uncle". Whether he shared his inclinations in other areas remains to be seen.