Fellowship of the Ring
CHAPTER V
A Conspiracy Unmasked
Hullo friends! It’s Friday! – Time for our new chapter! I have been waiting for this one!
And thanks to all of you who contributed during the Freepathon this time. A fine thing to see indeed. Free Republic is valuable to all of us.
In this chapter the hobbits arrive at the house at Crickhollow, and Frodo learns that he is not the only one with a secret...
“It’s coming out in a minute,” whispered Pippin to Merry. Merry nodded.
“Well!” said Frodo at last, sitting up and straightening his back, as if he had made a decision. “I can’t keep it dark any longer. I have got something to tell you all. But I don’t know quite how to begin.”
“I think I could help you,” said Merry quietly, “by telling you some of it myself.”
“What do you mean?” said Frodo, looking at him anxiously.
“Just this, my dear old Frodo: you are miserable, because you don’t know how to say good-bye. You meant to leave the Shire, of course. But danger has come on you sooner than you expected, and now you are making up your mind to go at once. And you don’t want to. We are very sorry for you.”
Frodo opened his mouth and shut it again. His look of surprise was so comical that they laughed. “Dear old Frodo!” said Pippin. “Did you really think you had thrown dust in all our eyes? You have not been nearly careful or clever enough for that!…”
And so the conspiracy unfolds….
Movie Pictures-General This chapter happened “off screen” in the movie… so no specific pictures …
And here is ecurbh’s Timeline if you would like to keep track of what day it is as we go!
So off we go! – Here is a Map of the Shire so we don’t get lost….
715 posted on 3/8/02 10:49 AM Pacific by HairOfTheDog
Let's start off with a poem: Bilbo's Bath Song, as performed by Master Peregrin Took!
Sing Hey! for the bath at the close of day
that washes the weary mud away
A loon is he who will not sing:
O! Water Hot is a noble thing!
O! Sweet is the sound of falling rain,
and the brook that leaps from hill to plain;
but better than rain or rippling streams
is Water Hot that smokes and steams.
O! Water cold we may pour at need
down a thirsty throat and be glad indeed;
but better is Beer, if drink we lack,
and Water Hot poured down the back.
O! Water is fair that leaps on high
in a fountain white beneath the sky;
but never did fountain sound so sweet
as splashing Hot Water with my feet!
"There was a terrific splash and a shout of Whoa! from Frodo. It appeared that a lot of Pippin's bath had imitated a fountain and leaped on high."
716 posted on 3/8/02 10:50 AM Pacific by JenB
"It’s coming out in a minute,” whispered Pippin to Merry. Merry nodded
One of my favorite statements in the whole story. It shows how much they know about Frodo, and how they've been watching him. Love it!
718 posted on 3/8/02 10:54 AM Pacific by 2Jedismom
Yes, this chapter does develope all four Hobbits quite a bit. We see a side of Sam we haven't before - the conspirator! Merry and Pippin get a chance to show their devotion to Frodo, and incidentally prove that they are capable of at least setting off with him. Keeping this sort of conspiracy a secret is quite a task.
Other than that, we learn more about how much Hobbits love mushrooms, we learn that they like baths, and that Bilbo was quite a composer!
719 posted on 3/8/02 10:57 AM Pacific by JenB
I like this part:
"You do not understand!" said Pippin. "You must go - and therefore we must, too. Merry and I are coming with ou. Sam is an excellent fellow, and would jump down a dragon's throat to save you, if he did not trip over his own feet; but you will need more than one companion in your dangerous adventure."
722 posted on 3/8/02 11:00 AM Pacific by HairOfTheDog
Sam looked at him unhappily. 'It all depends on what you want,' put in Merry. 'You can trust us to stick to you through thick and thin - to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours - closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo. Anyway: there it is. We know most of what Gandalf has told you. We know a good deal about the Ring. We are horribly afraid - but we are coming with you; or following you like hounds.'
I thought that this exchange showed how deeply committed our young hobbit friends are to Frodo. Reading this again, with an eye to analyzing it, made me appreciate all the more the sacrifices these hobbits would end up making to see their friend successfully complete his (their?) quest.
-ksen
733 posted on 3/8/02 5:38 PM Pacific by ksen
Yes, this chapter does develope all four Hobbits quite a bit.
I agree. After this chapter the hobbits are no longer just cute, little, slightly humurous beings. You come to realize that they know the depth of the trouble that they are stepping into and they go into it with all the seriousness that they can muster. They may not know the particulars, but I believe they know the gravity and are still willing to give their own lives to see Frodo to the end of his mission.
Reading this chapter makes me feel good that the Ring has been entrusted to such a loyal, good-hearted group.
-ksen
734 posted on 3/8/02 5:45 PM Pacific by ksen
" Innocence, ignorance, courage and curiosity; How much of which do you think motivated Frodo at his point?"
Frodo strikes me as being a rather deep thinker for a hobbit and one who lives every minute of his life with his whole being. He was also a reader, which was fairly uncommon in hobbits which indicates that he had an inquisitive mind. Undoubtedly he had grown up at Bilbo's knee hearing many of the old stories over and over and doubtless was swept away in his young mind to other places full of mystery and danger and delight. While his love for the Shire was great and genuine, I expect he had a sense in his own mind at a very young age that he would have his own adventures, although I'm sure he could not have foreseen the enormous peril he would face.
I don't think ignorance played too much of a part and innocence was necessary for from it seemed to flow the purity of soul that made him so peculiarly well-suited for his mission. While I am sure early on in the planning there was an element of curiosity at play, Frodo knew that powerful and sinister forces were at work and must be weighed very seriously. Curiosity tends to denote foolishness and Frodo was NOT foolish. As far as courage, while it was something not called for often in the simple life of the Shire, it was his great love for that very simplicity that gave him the courage to face whatever was necessary, for to do otherwise would have meant certain destruction of his beloved homeland.
740 posted on 3/8/02 6:12 PM Pacific by sweetliberty
Innocence, ignorance, courage and curiosity; How much of which do you think motivated Frodo at his point?
Most excellent question.
Bilbo's tales stirred his curiosity, which he had whetted somewhat by traveling a bit, meeting some Elves and Dwarves, etc. He certainly was innocent regarding the knowledge of evil that he was to face, so his innocence could have led him to think it couldn't be all that difficult to get to Rivendell, his initial objective. Gandalf's words had to bring him up short, so to speak, delivering him from much of his naivety, but not enough of it, as Strider would later remark. He had a curious mind or he wouldn't have been tempted to go.
Then there is another thing that I think Tolkien wanted us to see in Frodo, and that is, obligation to do one's duty. I think this drove Frodo on when almost nothing else could have.
745 posted on 3/8/02 10:09 PM Pacific by GretchenEE
Somebody had mentioned before that they didn't know if Frodo and friends knew the gravity of the situation that they had found themselves in. I think the following quote should put that to rest:
'My dear and most beloved hobbits!' said Frodo deeply moved. 'But I could not allow it. I decided that long ago, too. You speak of danger, but you do not understand. This is no treasure-hunt, no there-and-back journey. I am flying from deadly peril into deady peril.'
I think this shows that Frodo knew that odds were that he would never return from this adventure. But he went anyway. Good young hobbit.
-ksen
748 posted on 3/9/02 6:14 AM Pacific by ksen
Sam looked at him unhappily. 'It all depends on what you want,' put in Merry. 'You can trust us to stick to you through thick and thin - to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours - closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo. Anyway: there it is. We know most of what Gandalf has told you. We know a good deal about the Ring. We are horribly afraid - but we are coming with you; or following you like hounds.'
The film developed Sam's devotion to Frodo, much more than Merry and Pippin. Merry and Pippin are a treasure only those who have read the books can appreciate fully, at least so far. Their participation in the film seems a chance accident, a spur of the moment adventure they just fall into!
Frodo, of course, seeks to protect them by sneaking away, because he loves them. The other three know this of course, and 'betray' him by conspiring to make sure he can't succeed in that. They will go with him. It is a test of friendship most of us will never face. In a move of self-sacrifice, Frodo will still offer them the chance to stay, now knowing that no matter what, they intend to go. They are naive, certainly. But many acts of bravery are naive. Most soldiers going to war are doing so for the first time.
750 posted on 3/9/02 8:42 AM Pacific by HairOfTheDog
Anyway I've had more time to think about this chapter. I definitely wish that Jackson had included more of Merry and Pippin's scheming and plotting, because as has already been said it seemed a bit hap-hazard how they joined the group. It's clear that they don't really know what they're going to face, in the book, but they do know this is no picnic. You may not be able to chose your relatives, but Frodo sure hit the jackpot with these cousins!
The plot does advance in this chapter, though the journey itself doesn't; Frodo gains companions but they haven't traveled any further. Frodo knows that he has to leave the Shire quickly but prettly clearly he doesn't realize how little time he has to get out. It's simply their good fortune that they didn't decide to wait longer in Buckleberry... but that's next chapter, or more. We get to see more of the Hobbity courage that all us old hands know the little folk possess, but we also see Fatty Bolger, who's hardly fierce. I think Fatty's here to contrast with our adventuresome Hobbitses. Tolkien wants us to realize that our fellows are the exception - but that all Hobbits have a certain kind of courage and plenty of determination. Maybe all Hobbits are fierce as dragons in pinches, but what makes Merry, Pippin, Frodo and Sam special is that they're willing to be put in those pinches, while most Hobbits would try to get out of it. Tookishness? or too much exposure to Bilbo at a young age? Who really knows...
752 posted on 3/9/02 9:23 AM Pacific by JenB
Maybe all Hobbits are fierce as dragons in pinches, but what makes Merry, Pippin, Frodo and Sam special is that they're willing to be put in those pinches, while most Hobbits would try to get out of it.
Clearly we know our hobbits are special. If I have a quarrel with your interpretation, it would be that these hobbits are, rather than extraordinary by nature, are quite ordinary, but for their extraordinary circumstances.
In other words... they are any common man, behaving exactly in the way we hope we all would if faced with a circumstance that threaten us and our loved ones. This situation has hit them where it matters. True, perhaps Fatty is very happy to have a "reason" it is important for someone to stay behind. But for Frodo, it has fallen in his lap. For the others, it has threatened a beloved friend, and that is all they need to know.
Anyhow, that is what I think.
757 posted on 3/9/02 5:32 PM Pacific by HairOfTheDog
Yes, but he very clearly doesn't realize that they are going to show up.
Frodo has a pretty good idea that they'll show up at Crickhollow:
"I fear those Black Riders, and I am sure it is unsafe to stay in one place long, especially in a place to which it is known I was going."And Merry confirms:"How soon could the riders get to Bucklebury?"
"But, of course, Buckland cannot resist a determined attack for long. And it is possible that in the morning even a Black Rider that rode up and asked for Mr. Baggins would be let through. It is pretty generally known that you are coming back to live at Crickhollow
Fellowship of the Ring
CHAPTER VI
The Old Forest
Hullo friends! It’s Friday! – Time for our new chapter! And this is our first chapter in the new forum!
In this chapter the hobbits set out from Crickhollow. With black riders sure to be searching for them on the road, they decide to sneak out of the Shire by way of the Old Forest, a mysterious place of legend in the Shire. In our last chapter, Fatty Bolger warned: "But you can't be thinking of doing that. It is quite as dangerous as Black Riders…. You'll get lost. People don't go in there."
… Soon after six o'clock the five hobbits were ready to start. Fatty Bolger was still yawning. They stole quietly out of the house…
In their shed they found the ponies; sturdy little beasts of the kind loved by hobbits, not speedy, but good for a long day's work. They mounted, and soon they were riding off into the mist, which seemed to open reluctantly before them and close forbiddingly behind them. After riding for about an hour, slowly and without talking, they saw the Hedge looming suddenly ahead. It was tall and netted over with silver cobwebs.
…It was dark and damp. At the far end it was closed by a gate, of thick iron bars. Merry got down and unlocked the gate, and when they had all passed through he pushed it shut again. It shut with a clang, and the lock clicked. The sound was ominous.
"There!" said Merry. "You have left the Shire, and are now outside…"
Movie Pictures-General This chapter happened “off screen” in the movie… so no specific pictures …
And here is ecurbh’s Timeline if you would like to keep track of what day it is as we go!
Index to thread… If all went according to plan, (which it didn't but I cant tell what is wrong yet) chapters 1-5 are the first 5 (6?) posts of this thread.
OK! – talk amongst yourselves!….