Those Little, Unimportant, and Unknown parts that we love...

[Oroaranion]

possibly the greatest line in english literature must be:

I don't know half of you as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you as well as you deserve

makes me laugh a lot, especially if you read the sentence after, which shows the hobbits's reactions.

[Firefoot]

Another good part is when Sam is near the Tower of Cirith Ungol just after he wakes up and he is wondering about the rest of the Fellowship and what is going on and he "waved his hand vaguely in the air before him; but he was in fact now facing southwards, as he came back to Shelob's tunnel, not west."

[Kransha]

Oh, I remembered a fun tidbit.

When the Nine Walkers first arrive at the western door of Khazad-dum, Gandalf reads the inscription written on the door itself. The inscription reads thus;

The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.

Now, this is not particularly extraordinary, except for one thing. The name "Moria" is, I believe, "Black Pit." The dwarves of Khazad-dum would not want their beautiful realm called this demeaning name, so why is it written there? The answer is actually sort of funny, when you think about it. The inscription is in Elvish, carved by Narvi the Elf. Now, the dwarves couldn't read anything but Cirth, so they had no idea what Narvi was really writing there on the western door. In a way, it's a practical joke on the dwarves which struck me as funny, considering it was played right beneath those dwarf noses.

[Osse]

I've always liked the idea and hints to the pukel-men, and the later links to the Woses of druadan.

[Dininziliel]

Woo, Kransha . . . for the first 2/3 of your latest post in this thiread I was thinking, "Um hmmm . . . yeh . . . yeh . . . surely Kransha doesn't think "Speak friend and enter" is a new discovery on his/her part . . . " and then, "Woo!"

I guess I either don't recall or haven't read whether dwarves can/could read Elven writing, but the idea of Narvi playing a practical joke--that is special!

Any dwarves out there have anything to say about this?

(Elves are also welcome to reply!)

[Leyrana Silumiel]

To venture out of the realm of LOTR for a minute, one of my favorites is from The Silmarillion:

Then Manwe and Yavanna parted for that time, and Yavanna returned to Aule; and he was in his smithy, pouring molten metal into a mould. 'Eru is bountiful,' she said. 'Now let thy children [the dwarves] beware! For there shall walk a power in the forests whose wrath they will arouse at their peril.'

'Nonetheless they will have need of wood,' said Aule, and he went on with his smith-work.

Just the casualness with which I can envision Aule saying this is just too amusing.

[rutslegolas]

Kransha that was too good ,one of the best i have ever heard
really cool,keep it up

ya
i think the pukel men are actually the wild men of the drudan forest.

just a guess actually.

[Hot, crispy nice hobbit]

Ga, People!

I found one more favorite: starring Merry Dol and Dong Dillo!

Together they carried out Merry, Pippin, and Sam. As Frodo left the barrow for the last time he thought he saw a severed hand wriggling still, like a wounded spider, in a heap of fallen earth. Tom went back in again, and there was a sound of much thumping and stamping.

I did not thought much when I came across this passage at first. Upon re-reading, I find it SO hilarious! Ol' Tom the Merry Fellow Tap Dancing on Poor Ol' Wight's hand! I wonder whether Ol' Tom's house had any spiders.

[Anarion]

The parts where Pippin is riding on Shadowfax with Gandalf; I think it's in TTT. Very vivid. Expressions like: in the darkling, the westering moon, etc.

[Essex]

Frodo talking to Sam about them being characters in a book before they reach Shelob's lair

We're going on a bit too fast. You and I, Sam, are still stuck in the worst places of the story, and it is all too likely that some will say at this point: "Shut the book now, dad; we don't want to read any more." '

That always brings a shiver to my spine.

And the lines about Merry after the battle with the Witch King

Merry to Pippin 'Are you going to bury me?'

Gandalf to Pippin regarding Merry 'He should have been borne in honour into this city,'

Eowyn to Eomer "And what of the king's esquire, the Halfling? Éomer, you shall make him a knight of the Riddermark, for he is valiant!"

always make me cry like a baby.

[Hot, crispy nice hobbit]

Ga, the funny parts strike again! Remember how Faramir found Frodo and Sam?

'We have not fount what we sought,' said one. 'But what have we found?'

'Not Orcs,' said another, releaseing the hilt of his sword, which he had seized when he saw the glitter of Sting in Frodo's hand.

'Elves?' said a third, doubtfully.

'Nay! Not Elves,' said the fourth, the tallest, and as it appeared the chief among them. 'Elves do not walk in Ithilien in these days. And Elves are wondrous fair to look upon, or so 'tis said.'

'Meaning we're not, I take you,' said Sam. 'Thank you kindly. And when you've finished discussing us, perhaps you'll say who you are, and why you can't let two tired travellers rest.'

That comparison really shined.

[Hot, crispy nice hobbit]

Geesh... can't resist...

You can find this in the last few paragraphs of Flotsam and Jetsam, The Two Towers.

'"What about drink?" I (Pippin) said to the Ents.

'"There is water of Isen," they said, "and that is good enough for Ents and Men." But I hope that the Ents may have found time to brew some of their draughts from the mountain-springs, and we shall see Gandalf's beard curling when he returns.'

Now that I come to think of it, so do I! Gandalf's beard curling!

[Essex]

Oroaranion, I reckon the line

I don't know half of you as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you as well as you deserve

is just beaten to the post by

Frodo was alive but taken by the Enemy.

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

The elegy to Snowmane (which is quoted from old memory and may not be 100% accurate) always makes me shiver. The irony is strong, I think.

Faithful servant yet Master's bane,
Lightfoot's foal was swift Snowmane.

Frodo's dream of the sea in Tom Bombadil's house is another piece that always moves me. The longing in that passage is so intense, and so intangible. Just as Frodo sees the clouds rolling back he wakes up and loses it again.

And my favorite, much quoted, passage is the one from "Journey to the cross roads" where Frodo and Sam see the old statue of the King which has been defaced and beheaded, yet around the old king's forehead a vine with golden flowers has grown. It is a powerful foreshadowing of the King's return, and Frodo comments "They cannot conquer forever". I find it one of the most evocative scenes in the whole book, because Frodo's despair rarely lifts from that point on, but you see in that instant such glowing hope.

Sophia

[Tharlionglin]

I'm at work so I don't have my copy handy but one of my favourite quotes from not only the books but the movie as well is when Gandalf has just found Sam evesdropping on their conversation. It goes something like this.

"Nothing really. Just something about a dark lord and the end of the world, please don't turn me into anything un-natural!"

It sets up Sam and all of his innocent enthusiasm for the rest of the book.

[Garulf]

I love any moment where Sam sings. The best is when they are near Weathertop in FotR, and one of the hobbits asks about Gil-Galad. Just recently I was reading that part and I came upon the poem. I don't have the book with me now but it goes something like this: "A low voice started chanting..." I immediately (in my mind) read the poem as if Aragorn was saying it, and I was as surprised as all the characters to find out that Sam was the one singing. Also the fact that he only remembered the part about elves and not the part about Mordor is funny. It just shows what a good-natured hobbit Sam really is

[Sirithheruwen]

My most favorite chapter is A Conspiracy Unmasked, and you could say that it is somewhat unknown, seeing as it wasn't in the movie. I also love the fox part too! But this is perhaps my most favorite quote:

[Lobelia said] "You don't belong here; you're no Baggins - you - you're a Brandybuck!"
"Did you hear that, Merry? That was an insult, if you like," said Frodo as he shut the door on her.
"It was a compliment," said Merry Brandybuck, "and so, of course, not true."

And here's another cute line fromIn the HOuse of Tom Bombadil:

As far as he could remember, Sam slept through the night in deep content, if logs are contented.

That's all I can think of for now, but I'll be back, you can count on that!

[airetari]

I am in love with a quote that Sam says when he asks Frodo what he should name his daughter:
"I suppose you're right Mr. Frodo, I've heard some beautiful names on my travels, but I suppose they're a bit too grand for daily wear and tear, as you might say. The Gaffer, he says 'Make it short, and then you won't have to cut it short before you can use it.' But if it's to be a flower-name, then I don't trouble about the length: it must be a beautiful flower, because, you see, I think she is very beautiful, and is going to be beautifuller still."

It really shows Sam's personality because he worries so much about every detail in his life. This would be an important detail, but still he consults Frodo about it. Also, the name Elanor is kind of like introducing asian food to a hispanic person. it broadens and beautifies the shire. Tolkien was amazingly clever by putting this in there because people can connect with that kind of melting pot, especially if they live in america.

[Alphaelin]

Several of my favorite parts of the trilogy have been quoted, but no one has mentioned Barliman Butterbur! I smile every time I read his response to the attack on the hobbits' room:

"Guests unable to sleep in their beds and good bolsters ruined and all! What are we coming to?" FOTR, A Knife in the Dark

And then there's Gandalf's comment about him at the end of his letter to Frodo: "A worthy man, but his memory is like a lumber room: thing wanted always buried. If he forgets, I shall roast him." FOTR, Strider



And here's a favorite line of mine from The Hobbit :

"Never laugh at live dragons, Bilbo, you fool!"

[doug*platypus]

What sticks out most to me after reading these passionate quotes, is that the passages are NOT little, unimportant OR unknown!! That's the way Tolkien is, and the reason we can go back to reading his works time and time and time again. I'm sure they must be the most re-read non-political and non-theological books in existence. LOTR would probably give even the Communist Manifesto a run for its money.

So this thread is kind of an anachronism. But I might be wrong, especially since I'm only 70% sure what that word even means!! But in the spirit of the season, here we go. This is relatively unimportant , but if you ask me it is still absolutely essential, and of course I'm extremely disappointed that it wasn't in the movie!

Did you ever know anyone like him? Except Gandalf, of course. I think they must be related!

It's just so inane, endearing and... Hobbitish! I love it.

[Guinevere]

What sticks out most to me after reading these passionate quotes, is that the passages are NOT little, unimportant OR unknown!! That's the way Tolkien is, and the reason we can go back to reading his works time and time and time again.

I quite agree with you there, Doug! And many such "pearls" I discovered only when rereading Tolkien's works.

But, as you suspected, "anachronism" isn't the right word : it means "error in time reckoning, thing out of harmony with the present". Whereas you meant to say, that the posts in this thread contradict the title... (I know there's a foreign word for selfcontradictory, but I can't remember it right now. )

Here's something which is not important for the plot of that story, but it really touched me:

In "of Tuor and his coming to Gondolin" in U.T , Voronwë describes to Tuor how he tarried on the way in Nan-tathren, "lovely to hearts enchantment was that land" and how he nearly forgot his errand and wanted to stay there. I found this part very moving, giving us a glimpse into the feelings of that Elf, who otherwise is just a "instrument" of Ulmo to bring Tuor to Gondolin.
Also a bit later in the same story:
Voronë sighed , and spoke then softly as if to himself "But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside."

[Bombadil]

If you have ever seen a dragon in a pinch, you will realize this was only poetical exaggeration applied to any hobbit, even to Old Took's great-grand-uncle Bullroarer, who was so huge (for a hobbit) that he could ride a horse. He charged the ranks of the goblins of Mount Gram in the Battle of the Green Fields, and knocked their king Golfimbul's head clean off with a wooden club. It sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit-hole, and in this way the battle was won and the game of Golf invented at the same moment.

love it