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Originally Posted by Hookbill
Glorfindel tells Strider to keep the hilt of the Morgul blade, so that Elrond can read the runes from it. To me this seemed very similar to the happenings in the Hobbit concerning Glamdring and Orcrist.
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Or perhaps the morgul blade had a dual existence, it existed in slightly different forms in both worlds - its 'normal' world form had no writings on the hilt, but its otherworld form did. This opens up a whole new 'dimension'
- hidden symbols & messages which can only be seen by those 'walkers between the worlds' like Glorfindel, the wraiths & Frodo. An interesting thing for me is that before treating Frodo's wound with Athelas, Aragorn takes time out to sit down & sing a song over the knife hilt! Why was this important. It reminds me of an old folkbelief (not exactly comparable, I admit), the so-called 'weapon-salve':
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In 1631, William Foster published a treatise called Hoplo-Chrisma Spongus; or, A Sponge to Wipe Away the Weapon Salve, wherein he sought to prove that this alleged remedy was magical & unlawful - he might have added, futile & imaginary.
Werenfels says; - 'If the superstitious person be wounded by any chance, he applies the salve, not to the wound, but what is more effectual, to the weapon by which he recieved it.
'Dictionary of Faiths & Folklore', WC Hazlitt (1905)
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Athelas is also interesting, as its healing 'power' seems to come as much from Aragorn as from any inherent virtue it may have. (Of course, this is contradicted by a comment made by Tolkien that the healing herb Huan brings to Luthien to cure Beren was also Athelas.)