A hundredth re-read of the LotR

[Boromir88]

In this chapter, we have the memorable saying "Short cuts make long delays." I'm wondering, is that originally invented by Tolkien, or has he picked it from somewhere?~Lommy

Hmm interesting, and of course this is also where we get Frodo's retort:

"That settles it!"..."Short cuts make delays, but inns make longer ones."

And we know Tolkien certainly loved spending time at the pub with his fellow Inklings.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Lommy, I am a native speaker, and I'm not aware of a common saying that goes "Short cuts makes long delays", so I'm inclined to credit Tolkien with inventing that one. It's all too often true, isn't it?!

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

And we know Tolkien certainly loved spending time at the pub with his fellow Inklings.

Maybe the saying was born out of bitter (ho ho) experience, as yet another night out with Clive and the lads would turn into a late session with the Professor having to fly home on his beer scooter and the volume on the house turning up to 11 as he vainly tried to get the key in the door quietly without waking up the wife?

Originally Posted by Mister Underhill

Try to think back to before you knew all there was to know about the Nazgûl (admittedly not much, relatively speaking, but still). The sniffing and snuffling, I think, is definitely an effective way to signal that these Riders are not human, that there's something weird (in all senses of that word) about them.

Indeed. Yes, a creature which snuffles all the time might make you think of the workmate with the perennially runny nose who doesn't seem to understand the uses of Kleenex and who makes you feel sick but.....a creature which snuffles around in the dark is most definitely not human, and it's pretty scary if you think about all the possible reasons why they would want to sniff you out. If anything, it makes me think of Hannibal Lector and his "sssss-ssssss" thing and sniffing at Clarice Starling. Horrible.

Anyway, I'd better read the next chapter.....

[alatar]

In this chapter we lose Fatty Bolger, said to be a good friend of Frodo's, but never to really show up again. It's interesting that Fatty would rather play at being Frodo than to journey with his friend. Obviously he didn't know how deadly such a choice could have been (it's been said that, inside even the fattest hobbit, there exists down deep - almost buried - the legs of a sprinter).

[Thinlómien]

I thought I'd only post when I've read this and the following chapter but this discussion and my reading pace are so pitiful that I had a change of plans...

I like Merry very much in this chapter. He seems to be a natural born organizer of stuff. And he's such a lovely person too. Or what would you say of this quote?

"It all depends on what you want," put in Merry. "You can expect us to stick to you through thick and thin - to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours - closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo."

It never struck me like it did now, but it's so very true, and so very beautifully said. One more piece of proof that Tolkien was a wise guy with a gift for phrasing his thoughts in a touching manner.

I also find it interesting how easily Merry found out about the Ring. Makes me think that it wouldn't have been to odd if someone else had known about it too...

[CSteefel]

Probably less to say about this chapter than some, but a few things strike me.

One was the story from Merry about how he found out about the Ring, seeing Bilbo disappear off the road as the Sackville-Baggins were approaching.

And then the short poem along the model of a dwarf-song when they decide they will all set forth together, with one verse:

To Rivendell, where Elves yet dwell
In glades beneath the misty fell,
Through moor and waste we ride in haste,
And whither then we cannot tell.

And then I think we get the first of Frodo's dreams (more later in Bombadil's house), where he begins overlooking a dark forest from a high window (the Old Forest?), but then he hears a sound he takes initially as the wind coming through the trees, then realizing it is the sound of the Sea:

Then he knew that it was not leaves, but the sound of the Sea far-off; a sound he had never heard in waking life, though it had often troubled his dreams. Suddenly he found he was out in the open. There were no trees after all. He was on a dark heath, and there was a strange salt smell in the air. Looking up he saw before him a tall white tower, standing alone on a high ridge. A great desire came over him to climb the tower and see the Sea. He started to struggle up the ridge towards the tower; but suddenly a light came in the sky, and there was noise of thunder.

The tower is clearly one of those in the Tower Hills, perhaps the one that had traditionally held the Elendil Stone. Less clear is the sudden appearance of the light and thunder. Otherwise, one of the first of Frodo's premonitions of his passing in to the West...

[Tuor in Gondolin]

I'd like to jump in here and make a comment on the
last chapter, about Farmer Maggott. he seems to be
one of those interesting barely introduced figures
(like Gildor) who alludes to something thereby giving
depth to the story. Like JRRT said in Letters about
"barely glimpsed vistas", something about being needed
to give depth to a story/world, and if explored/exploited
by the storytellrt then in need of further barely cited vistas to
give a continued feeling of depth. As to Maggott's importance
beyond that of the hobbits understanding consider Tom Bombadil's observation:

...he made no secret that he owed his recent knowledge
largely to Farmer Maggott, whom he seemed to regard as a person
of more importance than they had imagined. 'There's earth under his
old feet, and clay on his fingers; wisdom in his bones, and both his
eyes are open,' said Tom.

And of course, Maggott wasn't daunted by Sharkey's gang.
(In a way, he was taking on a fallen maia)!

An interesting thread here, 'praps I'll follow along.

[CSteefel]

Originally Posted by Tuor in Gondolin

I'd like to jump in here and make a comment on the
last chapter, about Farmer Maggott. he seems to be
one of those interesting barely introduced figures
(like Gildor) who alludes to something thereby giving
depth to the story. Like JRRT said in Letters about
"barely glimpsed vistas", something about being needed
to give depth to a story/world, and if explored/exploited
by the storytellrt then in need of further barely cited vistas to
give a continued feeling of depth. As to Maggott's importance
beyond that of the hobbits understanding consider Tom Bombadil's observation:

And of course, Maggott wasn't daunted by Sharkey's gang.
(In a way, he was taking on a fallen maia)!

An interesting thread here, 'praps I'll follow along.

I often wondered (especially with the last reading of the Bombadil chapter) about where Bombadil met up with Farmer Maggot. I am assuming that Bombadil did not leave the confines of the Old Forest, since it is said elsewhere that he sticks with the borders he has set. So it must be Farmer Maggott crossing the river??