LotR - Prologue

[Carnimírië]

On the topic of hobbits being liars, I agree that hobbits are not morally superior to humans, and that they are no more likely to lie than anyone else is. I also remembered that when Frodo dissapeared in the Prancing Pony he lied and said "I haven't dissapeared," then made up somethiong to explain why he suddenly went missing.

Although now I see why the Prologue isn't part of the appendices, it certainly makes more sense when it's read after reading the book. I heard once that maybe Tolkien did it like that so that once you've finished reading LotR you go back to see what was in that Prologue, and thus you're enticed to read the book all over again... . That actually did happen to me once.


~Carnie~

[the phantom]

The quest was successful, and the Dragon that guarded the hoard was destroyed. Yet, though before all was won the Battle of Five Armies was fought, and Thorin was slain, and many deeds of renown were done, the matter would scarcely have concerned later history, or earned more than a note in the long annals of the Third Age, but for an 'accident' by the way.

I'm not sure I agree with that. I'm sure Gandalf doesn't agree. I remember him saying (can't think of where it was right off hand, maybe someplace in UT) that he wanted to get rid of Smaug badly because Sauron could've used the dragon "with terrible effect".

In Appendix A of ROTK Gandalf says-

Yet things might have gone far otherwise and far worse. When you think of the great Battle of the Pelennor, do not forget the battles in Dale and the valor of Durin's folk. Think of what might have been. Dragon-fire and savage swords in Eriador, night in Rivendell. There might be no queen in Gondor. We might now hope to return from victory here only to ruin and ash. But that has been averted because I met Thorin Oakenshield one evening on the edge of spring in Bree."

According to Gandalf, his meeting with Thorin and the journey to Lonely Mountain that resulted might've stopped the entire Northern section of Middle-Earth from being overrun by evil.

So it seems to me that Thorin's trek and the subsequent death of Smaug definitely concerned later history and was worth more than a note in the annals of the Third Age, in spite of what the text in the Prologue says.

[Kuruharan]

So while comfort is all very good and well in its own way, adventure is a lovely thing too.

It kind of sounds like a “grass is always greener” effect, in a way.

So it seems to me that Thorin's trek and the subsequent death of Smaug definitely concerned later history and was worth more than a note in the annals of the Third Age, in spite of what the text in the Prologue says.

So, now we have the matter of the Long Winter and this as little inconsistencies in the Prologue. I’d speculate that he was trying to emphasize the importance of finding the Ring in comparison to everything else.

We need to start keeping a list.