Farmer Maggot and Tom Bombadil

[littlemanpoet]

Greetings and well met, Gandalf the Gray and lathspell
- LMP removes bard's cap with a friendly flourish and replaces -

To quote from the professor himself:

When others went to bed in hay, fern, or feather,
close in the inglenook they laid their heads together,
old Tom and Muddy-feet, swapping all the tidings
from Barrow-downs to Tower Hills: of walkings and of ridings;
of wheat-ear and barley-corn, of sowing and of reaping;
queer tales from Bree, and talk at smithy, mill and cheaping;
rumours in whispering trees, south-wind in the larches,
tall Watchers by the Ford, Shadows on the marches.

Who said which to whom, and what was said?
Information from the Barrow-downs would come from Tom; tales from the Bree and from the Tower Hills would be from Maggot, because he's in touch with Hobbit society. Walkings and ridings: my guess is that this is told to Tom by Maggot. Here's why. Maggot is in his wagon, driving his horses back home and happens upon Tom. Maggot gives him a ride back to Maggot's farm. This is during the daytime. I figure it's the day after Maggot has helped Frodo and company, and witnessed the run in with the Black Rider. Thus he tells Tom of "walkings and ridings". "Queer tales from Bree" could be stuff about the strange southerners. Tall watchers by the Ford would be the Rangers. Shadows on the Marches - that's probably the Black Riders? What's also interesting is that Tom in his hurry leaves the boat behind that he has come down the Withywindle in, and a swan, otters, and a bird bring it back (except for the oars). So I think Tom hurried back so that he could meet up with Frodo and company, because he knew they intended to go through the Old Forest, and knew that Old Man Willow would draw them to him. And sure enough, there comes Tom, dancing and stomping down the way along the Withywindle, in the nick of time to save them from Old Man Willow. Any problems with this little theory? Any further explications? Let's hear them. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[ October 20, 2002: Message edited by: littlemanpoet ]