horncall of buckland

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

It's interesting. I think many readers struggle to fit the cute, talking purse from the children's story The Hobbit into Tolkien's world. I've always considered it as Bilbo having a laugh with younger hobbits, and embellishing his tale (while scurrying over his incompetence, in that case, as a burglar).

Turin's sword? Nah. I don't believe in it. I just read that as an element added to the myth by subsequent generations. I can genuinely believe in the ancient character of Turin (well, not believe in him, but you know what I mean) but suspension of disbelief only goes so far.