LotR -- Book 1 - Chapter 04 – A Short Cut to Mushrooms

[Bêthberry]

When bereft of original thought, simply pass someone else's off as your own.

Rather, share and share alike, I'd say.

Yes, I knew that about the use of maggots in cleaning wounds, having heard a story of one poor chap whose friend snuck a bottle of spirits up to his room. The spirits might have improved the patient's spirits for a time but they unfortunately also killed the maggots. The patient died of his gangrene.

My thoughts about the symbolic portent of 'maggot' were slightly different than yours, Sauce. I thought of Farmer Maggot's courage and refusal to be cowed by the Black Rider. Maggot eradicates the stench of fear. I guess technically, though, we don't know yet that the Black Riders are artificially preserved flesh, do we? Gah, can't even remember chapters I read a week ago.