Hullo Friends – We are overdue for our next Chapter, so I hope you are ready! I have gotten super busy at work lately, so I will have to post and run this time and I wont be back until late in the afternoon. Hopefully you can entertain each other today and behave yourselves!
Fellowship of the Ring
Topic: The Journey from Bree to the Ford
Pertinent Chapters (all or part)
Chapter XI - A Knife In the Dark
Chapter XII – Flight to the Ford
In this section we will travel from Bree to the Ford of Bruinen at the edge of Rivendell. Gandalf has not come, but luckily they have found a worthy guide in Strider, and a pitiful but necessary beast of burden, Bill the pony, purchased from the scoundrel Bill Ferny. The hobbits and Strider will head out of town this morning, deal with miserable marshes and head for Weathertop. There is some hope that they will find Gandalf there…
So they set off!
…the whole of Bree was buzzing with excitement. Frodo's vanishing trick; the appearance of the black horsemen; the robbing of the stables; and not least the news that Strider the Ranger had joined the mysterious hobbits, made such a tale as would last for many uneventful years. Most of the inhabitants of Bree and Staddle, and many even from Combe and Archet, were crowded in the road to see the travellers start. The other guests in the inn were at the doors or hanging out of the windows.Strider had changed his mind, and he decided to leave Bree by the main road. Any attempt to set off across country at once would only make matters worse: half the inhabitants would follow them, to see what they were up to, and to prevent them from trespassing.
They said farewell to Nob and Bob, and took leave of Mr. Butterbur with many thanks. 'I hope we shall meet again some day, when things are merry once more,' said Frodo. 'I should like nothing better than to stay in your house in peace for a while.'
They tramped off, anxious and downhearted, under the eyes of the crowd. Not all the faces were friendly, nor all the words that were shouted. But Strider seemed to be held in awe by most of the Bree-landers, and those that he stared at shut their mouths and drew away. He walked in front with Frodo; next came Merry and Pippin; and last came Sam leading the pony, which was laden with as much of their baggage as they had the heart to give it; but already it looked less dejected, as if it approved of the change in its fortunes. Sam was chewing an apple thoughtfully. He had a pocket full of them: a parting present from Nob and Bob. 'Apples for walking, and a pipe for sitting,' he said. 'But I reckon I'll miss them both before long…'
Movie Pictures - Leaving Bree through Flight to the Ford (several pages covering this section – click next at the bottom of each page)
And here is ecurbh’s Timeline if you would like to keep track of what day it is as we go!
And here is a Map of Middle-Earth So we don't get lost!
Index to thread… click link to find the start of each prior chapter discussion:
(First Five chapters are re-posts of highlights from the old forum)
Prologue and Chapter One – A Long-Expected Party
Chapter Two - The Shadow of the Past
Chapter Three – Three is Company … And also here – double post! ugh!
Chapter Four – A Shortcut to Mushrooms
Chapter Five – A Conspiracy Unmasked
End of re-posts
Chapter Six – The Old Forest
Chapter Seven – In The House of Tom Bombadil
Chapter Eight – Fog on the Barrow-Downs
Chapter Nine – At the Sign of the Prancing Pony
New "section" format:
Bree (chapters 9-11)
Journey from Bree to the Ford Current section – (chapters 11-12)Sections still to come:
Rivendell (Book 2 - chapters 1-3)
The Ring goes South (chapters 3-4)
Moria (chapters 4-5)
Lothlorien (chapters 6-8)
The Breaking of the Fellowship (chapters 9-10)
So Hullo! – Good Morning! – talk amongst yourselves! (and remember to behave yourselves! There are black riders about! – This is no time for Tookish behavior!
Awwww. You're no fun!
At least from a hobbit's point of view the delayed start gets them a good breakfast at The Prancing Pony. And they need a good breakfast for this cheerless part of their journey.
'Very odd," said Frodo, tightening his belt, 'considering that there is actually a good deal less of me. I hope the thinning process will not go on indefinitely, or I shall become a wraith.'The hobbits are still learning about their new friend:'Do not speak of such things!' said Strider quickly, and with surprising earnestness.
The hobbits gazed at Strider. It seemed that he was learned in old lore, as well as in the ways of the wild. 'Who was Gil-galad?' asked Merry; but Strider did not answer, and seemed to be lost in thought. Suddenly a low voice murmured:Gil-galad was an Elven-king........'He [Bilbo] did not make it up,' said Strider. 'It is part of the lay that is called The Fall of Gil-galad, which is in an ancient tongue. Bilbo must have translated it....'
Of him the harpers sadly sing:
the last whose realm was fair and free
between the Mountains and the Sea.
His sword was long, his lance was keen,
his shining helm afar was seen;
the countless stars of heaven's field
were mirrored in his silver shield.
But long ago he rode away,
and where he dwelleth none can say;
for into darkness fell his star
in Mordor where the shadows are.