Lord of the Rings Discussion Group (The Green Dragon Inn) II

[HairOfTheDog]

Happy you could make it... hope you get your books back so you can join in soon!

[HairOfTheDog]

Goldbery is the River-daughter... no riverman involved. Not that the distinction helps understand what she is ;~D

[MozartLover]

Well, as Frodo was running down the path and shouting for help, he became aware of Tom's presence far behind him, not in front of him where it would have been easier to hear. Also, Frodo could barely hear himself because of the effects of the willow-wind. Tom was clearly returning from somewhere as he states in his song ("Old Tom Bobadil water-liles bringing Comes hopping home again. Can you hear him singing")? So it would appear, at least, that he happened upon the scene........

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome! We do a chapter every week... The thread will buzz for awhile and then die out when we run out of constructive things to say on each chapter. That is normal and we will find it and revive it the next week!

[allthatisgolddoesnotglitter]

well of course they aren't normal! I was merely pointing out that they are more than normal trees and most likely Ents or Huorons (how do spell that again?).

[HairOfTheDog]

Huorns... That one is a troublesome word isn't it? ;~D

[JenB]

Tom was fetching water-lilies for Goldberry, remember? The last of the season, to flower about her feet until spring. In fact he said he would not be going down that path again until spring, so it was both coincidence and not - they said they were watching for Frodo and company. (Um, I'm not sure if some of this is spoilers for the next chapter but you wanted to know!)

[sweetliberty]

"So it would appear, at least, that he happened upon the scene........"

Still, there seems an air of divine providence about it.

[Overtaxed]

Consider perhaps that they did not exactly "choose" to do so. I think it was more like what could be compared to a heaviness that one might experience with certain kinds of drugs.

I had thought at first that maybe they were drawn to Old Man Willow. The fact that Sam wasn't drawn that way made me think that Willow was doing only the sleeping part. After reading your comment, however, I went back and re-read the passage. The only hint I got about drawing the hobbits to him was this:

Frodo lay for a while fighting with the sleep that was overpowering him; then with an effort he struggled to his feet again. He felt a compelling desire for cool water.

Did he [Bombadil] just "happen" along at that time or did he hear their call for help? Or did he perhaps learn of their presence from the trees themselves?

For what it's worth, I think it's just one of those master of his territory things. Tom just knows what's going on in his yard!

[HairOfTheDog]

For what it's worth, I think it's just one of those master of his territory things. Tom just knows what's going on in his yard!

Very true... Tom, it seems, can know of things that are happening far away, and can come quickly to help when called! And help was needed... either Old Man Willow, or the river, or the whole forest were conspiring to lull them to sleep.

Sam sat down and scratched his head, and yawned like a cavern. He was worried. The afternoon was getting late, and he thought this sudden sleepiness uncanny. ‘There’s more behind this than sun and warm air,’ he muttered to himself. ‘I don’t like this great big tree. I don’t trust it. Hark at it singing about sleep now! This won’t do at all!’

[MozartLover]

"... either Old Man Willow, or the river, or the whole forest were conspiring to lull them to sleep. "

To be honest with you I found this part positively delicious. Imagine being hot, tired & drowsy; you plop down against a tree, which then seems to cradle you as it sings sweet lullabies about sleep.............sigh.............sounds good to me........

[carton253]

Thanks for all that past history. It adds to Bombadil, but I still don't care for him.

[The Drowning Witch]

Finally you folks have got to Tom Bombadil!
Love this thread, BTW...Almost like reading the book all over again...

Witch.

[Overtaxed]

So...what's your "Who is Tom Bombadil" theory? Like him? Hate him? Wish he'd shut up with the silly songs? :)

[The Drowning Witch]

He's one of my favorite characters in the book. He's like a pan-dimensional being who just "is"....None of the currents of Middle Earth concern him;
He is the proverbial "uncarved block", "the stone in the stream o'er which the water flows".

[DonnerT]

I think Bombadil is a dirty old man.

He is a totally self absorbed relic of an ancient age. Goldberry, his River-daugher, is an old man's fantasy brought to substance and animation. He has everything the way he wants it and only takes interest in the Hobbits as an amusing curiousity. The Old Forest herded the company to Old Man Willow at his direction so that he could conveniently meet the one who would bring an end to his age.

[HairOfTheDog]

Preposterous! Blasphame!

[Overtaxed]

Have I started a Bombadil war?

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't know, but it looks like there may be a need for a lot of wings in Took's corner if this sort of behavior continues!

[Overtaxed]

I don't know. They might resort to bone-tossing after a while.