Heed no nightly noises

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by ainur

It says in UT that one reason the rangers could not hold out against the Black Riders at Sarn Ford was because their captain (Aragorn) was away north, watching the East Road. It doesn't say whether he knew to expect the hobbits to come through there or not, or whether it was coincidence. His behavior in Bree seems to indicate that he knew they would be travelling at that time of year. If Bombadil had messages from Gildor, is it possible that the Rangers did as well?

Aragorn was told by Gandalf that a certain hobbit - or hobbits - would come by the East Road to Bree, headed to Rivendell. Aragorn knew when and how Frodo is travelling, from Gandalf. So I think Gildor has little to do with it.

Originally Posted by doug*platypus

I think that Tom referring to Goldberry's 'Washing Day' was just his quite little name for when it rained. I think the only things being washed were the plants, and that Goldberry's being mentioned in connection with the rain just shows more fully her background as a water spirit. Of course, she was probably outside in the rain all day. Remember that when she sat down she always had her feet in water. The rainy day just seemed to fit in nicely, allowing the hobbits (and the readers) time to sit back and chill, and listen to some stories. I think Tolkien is actively condoning the practice. I love those rainy Tom Bombadil days.

I always thought that Washing Day was a kind of Big Autumn Clean-up Day, and just that. Tom, as was mentioned before, is like a stewart for his smallish chink of land (small compared to Denethor's and Gandalf's). Therefore Goldberry is to that land like a queen to her husband's kingdom. Tom does the rougher handiwork around their place, and Goldberry does the cleaning.

Originally Posted by radagastly

I suspect that Tom Bombadil has very keen eyesight as well. He very probably brought the Hobbits to just the right place on his border so that Aragorn could hear their conversation. I never saw coincidence in that, only design.

I won't put it beyond Bombadil to bring them right to a place that is watched by a Ranger, but I doubt that he meant Aragorn to overhear the conversation. I think he just wanted to deliver the hobbits to safe hands so that nothing would happen to them again.


Personally, I believe Bombadil knew about the presence and nature of the Nazgul in his lands. He just seems too all-knowing. On the other hand, he was completely surprised to find the hobbits near Old Man Willow. However, he definitely knows who is after the hobbits:

Originally Posted by Fog on the Barrow Downs

"But perhaps the delay will prove useful - it may have put them off our trail." [said Frodo]

...

"Do you think," asked Pippin hesitantly, "do you think we may be pursued, tonight?"

"No, I hope not tonight," answered Tom Bombadil; "nor perhaps the next day. But do not trust my guess; for I cannot tell for certain. Out east my knowledge fails. Tom is not master of Riders from the Black Land far beyond his country."

So he knows that the Nazgul are at the hobbits' heels. We also know from this quote that, if "out east [his] knowledge fails", he must know (or be able to foretell) most of what goes on in his land, if not all. And since he has the knowledge of the Nazgul, it is only fitting that he should give the hobbits the special knives.

And even things that Tom does not from knowledge (f.ex. saving the hobbits from Old Man Willow) cannot be called coincidental. Bombadil says about their meeting something along the lines of "chance brought me then, if chance you call it"; this indicates that he himself does not believe it was an accident.



This is what makes him such a fascinating character.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

From the earliest couple of drafts it seems clear enough that the hoofbeats and horse-noises Frodo heard outside the house were real, and not a dream, a change T consciously made.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

From the earliest couple of drafts it seems clear enough that the hoofbeats and horse-noises Frodo heard outside the house were real, and not a dream, a change T consciously made.

I think it was Fatty Lumpkin and Merry's ponies having a midnight lark.

[Nerwen]

Re: radagastly's speculation about whether the fog might have been caused by Tom to protect the hobbits– I should say definitely not. Nothing in the way it's presented suggests there's anything at all benign about it. If it's magical at all (which isn't clear), it seems to me much more likely to be the work of the Barrow-wight.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Re: radagastly's speculation about whether the fog might have been caused by Tom to protect the hobbits– I should say definitely not. Nothing in the way it's presented suggests there's anything at all benign about it. If it's magical at all (which isn't clear), it seems to me much more likely to be the work of the Barrow-wight.

Since rain had obviously been in the area the preceding days, I don't think a natural explanation for the fog is unlikely.

In agreement with Nerwen, I think Tom would have realized that the fog would have been more of an impediment for the hobbits, and likely to make them lose their way. How were they supposed to "keep to the west side" of a barrow with fog all about them?

[radagastly]

Originally posted by Nerwen:

Re: radagastly's speculation about whether the fog might have been caused by Tom to protect the hobbits– I should say definitely not. Nothing in the way it's presented suggests there's anything at all benign about it. If it's magical at all (which isn't clear), it seems to me much more likely to be the work of the Barrow-wight.

Yes, it was speculation without research. I have since found this:

From "Fog on the Barrow Downs," The Fellowship of the Ring:

When they caught a glimpse of the country westward the distant Forest seemed to be smoking, as if the fallen rain was steaming up again from leaf and root and mould. A shadow now lay round the edge of sight, a dark haze above which the upper sky was like a blue cap, hot and heavy.

So either a natural phenomenon because of a day of heavy rain, or possibly the angry Old Forest spitting it's last bit of venom at them, the last trick in its bag.

[Lalwendë]

The fog might not be natural. The main forms of fog are: radiation fog; advection fog; and sea fog. Obviously Sea Fog could be discounted in this case - it's something I'm very used to from holidays in Whitby, where a fret can roll in off the sea within minutes, but they never spread to more than a mile or two inland.

Radiation fog is also very unlikely as this tends to form overnight when humid air meets a cool ground surface. These thick fogs might last throughout the day if the weather is still and cool enough (very common in the Yorkshire autumn) or they may also burn off to reveal a lovely sunny day (very common in Lancashire in the summer). The mist/fog which descends as they ride with Farmer Maggot may be a radiation fog as it forms lightly at dusk and the morning mist is described as lifting when they are in the Old Forest and find a gap in the trees

Advection fog is mostly unlikely as for this to form there would need to be either a large body of water (lake or sea) or a snow field. Of the sub types, frontal fog might be ruled out as the weather front has already passed over the day previously with Goldberry's Washing Day (and it sounds like it was a considerable front - was Middle-earth affected by the Jetstream?).

However, it could possibly be an Upslope fog, which forms when very humid and warm air is forced up a rising land mass by a steady and quite strong wind. However, there is no fog or mist described as hanging over the Old Forest earlier in the day when they set off across the Downs, the weather is very fine and bright.

What's described as falling on them that afternoon on the Downs is more like Scotch Mist, i.e. drizzle and low cloud. Not as evocative as fog, I'll give you, but if it's to have a meteorological answer, that'd be it, I reckon. I do prefer the idea of some supernatural fog