Within a days march...

[lindil]

I was reading Tom Shippey's [excellent] 'The Road to Middle-Earth' today when I came across the quote of Aragorn in the Council of Elrond wherein he says,

' "Strider" I am to one fat man who lives within a days march of foes that would freeze his heart, or lay his little town in ruin, if he were not guarded ceaselessly.'

Shippey rightly points out that we do not know whom these foes are.

While the Barrow Wights seem an obvious choice, it is not likely at all that the Rangers had any power over them [saving perhaps Aragorn, but even that doubtful].

Perhaps the allusion is to Bombadil watching over the Wights - even though Aragorn has told us in other places that the Rangers guard both the Shire and Bree.

Fornost is out as it is futher away than weather top, and Gandalf alludes to Rangers going there anyway.

Shippey throws out,

Wood-orcs?, trolls?, killer Huorns?, ettens from the high fells?,

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

I lean toward Aragorn conflating the Dunedains' and Bombadils' guardianship.

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 3:20 AM December 24, 2003: Message edited by: lindil ]