Butturbur's Worst Customers

[Galadriel55]

The only thing that I want to say is that there might be more small-scale evil or just wild things hiding in the emptiness around the Shire and Bree than the 4 hobbits encountered. This leaves it open to imagination and makes it inclusive.

[Juicy-Sweet]

I don't think it takes more than a few ruffians to freeze Butterbur's heart.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Juicy-Sweet

I don't think it takes more than a few ruffians to freeze Butterbur's heart.

I don't know, he seemed pretty capable of dealing with the ones in Bree sent by Saruman.

'Mr. Butturbur! Master!' [Nob] shouted. 'They've come back!'
'Oh have they? I'll learn them,' came Butturbur's voice, and out he came with a rush, and he had a club in his hand.

ROTK The Scouring of the Shire

Notably, The Prancing Pony was still in business, unlike the inns in the Shire. Butturbur, and Bree in general, seem to have been more successful in resisting the ruffians.

[Tuor in Gondolin]

Originally posted by Inziladun
Notably, The Prancing Pony was still in business, unlike the inns in the Shire. Butturbur, and Bree in general, seem to have been more successful in resisting the ruffians.

But the ruffians were Saruman's method of just messing with the Shire, to get some revenge on Frodo et. al. He wouldn't have had much of an interest in Bree-beyond just causing more mayhem, but he wanted to destroy as much of the Shire as he could.

As for general threats, didn't The Fellowship take the (magical?) wolves who attacked them to be at first an "ordinary" wolfpack, implying that such attacks in The Wild were not unknown or unexpected? That and roving orc bands, perhaps riding on wolves, could be some of the dangers---sort of the way Medieval people (and Grimm's Fairy Tales) saw the forests and lands outside settled areas.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Tuor in Gondolin

But the ruffians were Saruman's method of just messing with the Shire, to get some revenge on Frodo et. al. He wouldn't have had much of an interest in Bree-beyond just causing more mayhem, but he wanted to destroy as much of the Shire as he could.

True enough. I was mainly defending Butturbur from charges of cowardice in the manner Gandalf took issue with his being described as "stupid" by Frodo.

Originally Posted by Tuor in Gondolin

As for general threats, didn't The Fellowship take the (magical?) wolves who attacked them to be at first an "ordinary" wolfpack, implying that such attacks in The Wild were not unknown or unexpected? That and roving orc bands, perhaps riding on wolves, could be some of the dangers---sort of the way Medieval people (and Grimm's Fairy Tales) saw the forests and lands outside settled areas.

I wouldn't think Orcs and Wargs to be the answer. While "white wolves" were not unknown in the area (the Shire having been invaded by them in the Fell Winter), they had apparently not been seen for many years leading up to the War of the Ring.
And if Orcs were in Eriador, surely that would have merited specific mention by someone, if not Aragorn.