The Three Walkers

[Carorëiel]

Can anyone tell me where (if?) Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas are referred to as "the Three Walkers" in the text of LotR?

I was sure they were referred to that way, but I can't find the reference in the text and searching the indices in all of my Rings-related books has revealed nothing. I've found several people here and on other Tolkien message boards/forums referring to them that way, but no mention of a text citation.

[Legolas]

I think it's an inadvertent cross of the two terms - "Nine Walkers" and "Three Hunters."

The Fellowship of the Ring are obviously referred to as the Nine Walkers. Elrond does so at the Council of Elrond as he names the members.

'The Company of the Ring shall be Nine; and the Nine Walkers shall be set against the Nine Riders that are evil. With you and your faithful servant, Gandalf will go; for this shall be his great task, and maybe the end of his labours.
'For the rest, they shall represent the other Free Peoples of the World: Elves, Dwarves, and Men. Legolas shall be for the Elves; and Gimli son of Glóin for the Dwarves. They are willing to go at least to the passes of the Mountains, and maybe beyond. For men you shall have Aragorn son of Arathorn, for the Ring of Isildur concerns him closely.'

Tolkien refers to them as such later in Book IV, Chapter 5: The Window on the West.

His heart was heavy with fear and sorrow: if he and Sam were indeed, as seemed likely, all that was now left of the Nine Walkers, then he was in sole command of the secret of their errand.

Aragorn refers to Legolas, Gimli, and himself as the Three Hunters once they set out from Parth Galen to hunt the Uruk-hai after Boromir's slaying. The end of Book III, Chapter 1: The Departure of Boromir.

'Yes,' said Aragorn, 'we shall all need the endurance of Dwarves. But come! With hope or without hope we will follow the trail of our enemies. And woe to them, if we prove the swifter! We will make such a chase as shall be accounted a marvel among the Three Kindreds of Elves, Dwarves, and Men. Forth the Three Hunters!'

Tolkien refers to them this way once more towards the beginning of Chapter 5: The White Rider.

With that the three hunters plunged into the forest of Fangorn.

[MatthewM]

Originally Posted by Legolas

I think it's an inadvertent cross of the two terms - "Nine Walkers" and "Three Hunters."

The Fellowship of the Ring are obviously referred to as the Nine Walkers. Elrond does so at the Council of Elrond as he names the members.

'The Company of the Ring shall be Nine; and the Nine Walkers shall be set against the Nine Riders that are evil. With you and your faithful servant, Gandalf will go; for this shall be his great task, and maybe the end of his labours.
'For the rest, they shall represent the other Free Peoples of the World: Elves, Dwarves, and Men. Legolas shall be for the Elves; and Gimli son of Glóin for the Dwarves. They are willing to go at least to the passes of the Mountains, and maybe beyond. For men you shall have Aragorn son of Arathorn, for the Ring of Isildur concerns him closely.'

Didn't see it fit to mention Boromir?! Pft.