Page 690 – “‘Master knows,’ said Gollum with a sidelong glance…”

How many different places have I written this blog? Evanston, sure, where I started. Chicago, where I live now, obviously. But also, out at my parent’s house in the suburbs and a brief weekend in St. Louis. Is that it? Well, now you can add the Philadelphia airport. EXCITING.

Not yet on an airplane proper.

As such, it’s hard to concentrate. But let’s try.

Faramir seems satisfied with Gollum’s answers, and Frodo is relieved that they look to be holding water. Faramir releases Gollum into Frodo’s care…but Frodo has no idea what Faramir intends to do with him. It hasn’t been established. However, Faramir announces that Frodo is free to go. He must appear before Denethor in Minas Tirith within a year, but otherwise he is good to go. Anyone under his protection (Sam and Gollum), is free as well. Gollum, however, is under more of a agreement. Should he leave Frodo, his life is forfeit once more. Not a lot of room to screw up.

Today’s Gollum Meter: 61 – “You have a second chance. Better shape up.”

Good stuff today. Faramir is nice, Gollum seems to be believable, and Sam…well, Sam stays out of it. Frodo gets exactly what he hoped for. I know Sam didn’t hope for it (he sighs when Frodo accepts Gollum back), but he needs to learn sometime, as we all know.

And Faramir makes the one demand that Frodo must appear in Minas Tirith within a year. You know who made a similar demand? Éomer. Remember that? He let Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli continue to roam the lands of Rohan, but they had to agree to visit Edoras once their hunt was over. They did, and things went well! See, people are good.

No one dies today.

“Gollum made no reply.”

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Page 600 – “‘…was not deceived by the armour of Rohan…’”

This is it, the final page of Book Three. So…what’s exciting?

Not too much, really. Gandalf tells Pippin that they’re headed for Minas Tirith, as quickly as possible, before war catches up with them. He points out some other things, and tells Pippin to sleep for now. They’ll stop sometime near dawn, hopefully at Edoras. Pippin falls asleep, with Shadowfax running swiftly on into the night.

Just like this.

First Mentions:

-Mount Mindolluin: The easternmost peak of the White Mountains, towering next to Minas Tirith. Cities like to be at the ends of mountain ranges, I’ve noticed.

I don’t know why Gandalf had originally said they were going to Helm’s Deep. He doesn’t explain, even when Pippin asks. Sudden change of mind? Perhaps he meant to mislead even Théoden into thinking they were heading to the same place, just faster. The less people know of their intentions, the better.

Looking back, Gandalf never explicitly said he was going to Helm’s Deep, just ahead. He implied that he and Pippin would see the Deeping-coomb, but, again, never said that they would actually go there. Subtle.

Gandalf’s subtlety PALES in comparison.

Words My Computer Didn’t Like:

-Mindolluin

-greatheart

And that’s the end of that. Theoretically, as I said yesterday, I’m halfway through. We’re more than that, page-wise, but I’ve completed three of six books. Not bad! Here’s to finishing up three more.

And…here’s to the next few months of my life only being about Frodo and Sam.

“As he fell slowly into sleep, Pippin had a strange feeling: he and Gandalf were still as stone, seated upon the statue of a running horse, while the world rolled away beneath his feet with a great noise of wind.”

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Page 595 – “‘…not at once guess the nature of the Stone.’”

Yes, indeed, this is how Saruman communicated with Mordor. That’s clear now, right? Gandalf had thought to test the stone out for himself, but was saved from that ordeal by Pippin so eagerly taking it upon himself. Bad things could have happened if Gandalf became revealed to Sauron, so…thanks?

Someone’s gotta take one for the team.

Gandalf finds a way to take this advantage. Sauron probably thinks that Pippin (who must have the ring) is at Isengard. He’ll focus his attention there until he learns of its downfall. For now, Gandalf will take the time he can to ride ahead with Pippin. Théoden and his men, meanwhile, must ride with all speed to Helm’s Deep.

Suddenly, a dark winged shape passes over the moon. Time to go!

Aha! Look! A reason that this scene takes place outside! It doesn’t seem to notice everyone huddled on the ground, but a Nazgûl casually flies by. You can’t do that inside Meduseld at Edoras. Take that, film interpretation!

Didn’t I mention the other day that there would be some advantages to be gleaned from this situation? Well, here you go. If Sauron is focused on trying to pry the ring off Saruman, he won’t be looking for it to come from somewhere else. Especially not from two dudes just walking into Mordor. As you may know, you can’t just simply do that. As if it already wasn’t unlikely, it’s more unexpected if Sauron thinks that the ring is somewhere completely different.

Such as…in space!

It’s all going to work out just fine. As long as Pippin stops doing stupid things.

“‘Let not the swift wait for the slow! Ride!’”

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Page 591 – “‘…affairs of Wizards,’ said Pippin.”

Yesterday, I may have made a little bit of fun out of the fact that there was no way I thought that Gandalf sleeping with his eyes open was actually Tolkien’s creation. Something that silly must have come from film additions, right?

WRONG.

But, first, we hear Merry put an end to Pippin’s late-night worry session. Well, not an end to it, but Merry won’t hear any more. He wants to sleep, and does so after a moment. Sleep doesn’t come so easily for Pippin, however, and he lays awake for a long time thinking about this black stone. Finally, he can take no more. He gets up and quietly wanders the camp. He finds Gandalf, yes, sleeping with his eyes open, holding a ball wrapped in his cloak. Pippin sneaks up and grabs it.

So…that’s almost exactly what happens in the move, just in a field instead of in Edoras.

What if Edoras is a metaphor for a field…and Rohan is just one big plain? WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!

Bah. Whatever. I’m done trying to come up with interesting reasons for things like this. Fact of the matter is, the scene’s the same however you slice it. The only thing that’s really bothering me at this point is how Merry reacts to Pippin’s needs. By pushing him away so brusquely, he doesn’t help anything. Pippin is just extremely curious right now, and saying it can wait until later isn’t going to help.

And we all know where curiosity leads.

Should we also be scolding Gandalf for not putting this thing in a more safe place? I don’t actually know where else he could hide it, but maybe he should at least look into being a little more aware of the things he’s closely guarding while he sleeps. As a wizard, you’d think there might be a seminar on these sorts of things.

“He tiptoed away, found a large stone, and came back.”

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Page 590 – “Guards were set, two at a watch.”

Yesterday, I was critical of the fact that the movie had the crew returning to Edoras, while our text doesn’t care about that. Where then, in my mind, does that nighttime, palantír-stealing scene come in? Gosh, it’s been so long since I read this far into the book that I’ve forgotten much more than I thought!

Truth is, it seems to be happening here, on the road to Dunharrow, and soon. Merry and Pippin settle down for the night, or, I should say, Merry settles down, while Pippin is restless.

The Oatmeal’s got it.

Since Merry got to ride with Gandalf, Pippin is a little jealous. He wants to know the news, and, also, if Gandalf has changed much since his reincarnation. Truth be told, Pippin probably heard most of the news, and nothing is a secret at this point. Gandalf seems much the same, although with more power, as evidenced by his interaction with Saruman. However, what’s really eating at Pippin is that strange black orb. It must be important, but Gandalf has said nothing of it.

Pippin? What are you doing? PIPPIN? STAHP!

Merry reminds him that a wise elf (Gildor) once said: “Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards.” Capisce?

Aw, no way! Pippin has done plenty of meddling, and he has the mettle to meddle some more, possibly with this orb, which is not made of metal.

METAL.

That’s clearly where this is going. And here’s what I see now: in making the film, they probably didn’t like that this scene took place in some sort of amorphous part of the countryside. Why not put it in Edoras? I’m interested to wait and see if there’s anything tying that scene to this location, or if it was just a choice.

Hey, what else can I do? I’m running out of ideas.

“‘But our whole life for months has been one long meddling in the…’”

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Page 589 – “‘…given thought even to these simple matters.’”

We’re talking about the plan moving forward today. Unsurprisingly, the plan includes moving forward!

And yes, Gandalf does finally answer Merry’s question. They will ride easily tonight, and stop at the end of the valley. From there, instead of heading back to Edoras, they will make for Helm’s Deep. Messengers have been sent to bring that word. Gandalf won’t say more, as he’s feeling very worried about their safety. Merry vows to corner Aragorn for a more complete tale of events.

He actually plans on tackling him.

They do eventually stop for the night. A fire is lit among bushes.

First Mentions:

-Dol Baran: The last hill of the northern march. Naturally, it has to have a name!

Now, Gandalf’s fear is quite understandable. As of this moment, he doesn’t know how Saruman was able to communicate and coordinate with Sauron. Once Sauron hears of Saruman’s downfall, his retribution will be swift. Gandalf feels very out in the open as they traverse the countryside of Rohan. This is what goes into the decision of riding to Helm’s Deep instead of a few more days to Edoras. Théoden will ride with his men to the mountain fastness of Dunharrow from there.

Oh, is that not what happens in the movie? Yeah, from this point, I’m not even going to point out when things drastically change. We don’t need to stop off at Edoras in the text.

Which means we don’t learn that Gandalf sleeps with his eyes open.

Likewise, I wonder if Gandalf had not known of Saruman’s palantír as he had in the film. Yep, with a double-check, I see that it hasn’t been mentioned before this chapter’s title. But was there not a palantír at Orthanc all along? I thought that’s how Saruman came to own it in the first place. They once were housed at various structures of the ancient kingdoms, such as Weathertop. Having one at Isengard would make a lot of sense. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if that’s true.

Words My Computer Didn’t Like:

-Baran

-greenfooted

-Thornbushes

-writhen

Ouch, compound words are taking a beating today.

“Buds were swelling at each twig’s tip.”

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Page 572 – “‘…caught like Orcs in a hole; but we found a winding stair…’”

In the end, Merry and Pippin get the best view of the flooding of Isengard. Worried that they’ll be caught in the rising water, they find shelter on top of the guardhouse. Steam rises from the newly-formed lake.

This goose knows that feel.

Since then, the water has been finding a way to drain, but the bowl of Isengard is still mostly filled. Merry and Pippin awoke this morning to the dreary and lonely dawn. They try to end the story there, but Gimli reminds them of Wormtongue, who they had mentioned was in Orthanc somewhere. Gimli wants to know when and how he arrived.

Well, Pippin continues, Treebeard walked over to he and Merry this morning, wanting to tell them that some people would be arriving during the day, along with some of the hobbits’ companions. Just as he says that, they hear a horse approaching.

Needless to say, this horse isn’t from Rohan. You might recall that Merry and Pippin were lazing about on a rock pile when Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and the Rohirrim arrived. Treebeard also wasn’t around. Easy guess: this is Wormtongue, who took way too long to make his way here from Edoras.

Seriously, he was booted out of Edoras the day before the battle at Helm’s Deep. That was…three days ago? Something like that. How does he only manage to make it to Isengard the same day that Théoden does, who stopped on the way for an all-night battle?

Traffic?

Words My Computer Didn’t Like:

-moisty

-hooming

As if most people didn’t already have a big problem with “moist”, now we get “moisty”, the uglier, nastier cousin to the world’s most uncomfortable common word. Want to make something creepier? Just add “y”.

“‘We rushed out before the gates, and I stood and stared,…’”

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Page 559 – “‘I will come with you,’ said Théoden.”

Not much here today, just Théoden bidding Merry and Pippin farewell, and inviting them to come talk with him in Edoras to their hearts’ delight. The hobbits bow to him, muttering about how nice this king is.

And that’s the chapter!

Let’s celebrate.

Um…that’s nice that Merry and Pippin seem to like Théoden. Getting along is better than not getting along. And Théoden is certainly more willing to be interested in their long stories, regardless of Gandalf’s warnings. There’s nothing wrong with stories, in my book. I don’t understand why the wise Gandalf is so against a bit of talking.

Okay, okay, I guess there are more important things to do. And we’ll get to them.

But not right now. There’s nothing important here, anyway. Time to get ready for the next chapter.

“‘A fine old fellow. Very polite.’”

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Page 551 – “…and it seemed strange to them…”

Hey, remember when I was speculating if the dead Rohirrim had been piled and buried and so on and so forth? Answered today.

They have been! How convenient! As it turns out, Gandalf had a part in that, too. While he was rounding up the scattered riders and bringing them to Erkenbrand, he left some behind to deal with the cleanup, provided that they made their way to defend Edoras afterward. Well, they did that, and now Edoras is also better off. Two birds!

One very stony stone stone.

First Mentions:

-Grimbold: A man of Westfold, who led those sent from Gandalf to Erkenbrand.

-Elfhelm: A Marshal, who Gandalf gave the lead to take the burial men to Edoras.

So it turns out that Gandalf has been working behind the scenes to make everything better the whole time. I can’t say I’m surprised. All in all, he went and got every rider that had survived the battle at the Fords, and sent most to Erkenbrand. There were less dead than had been rumored, so he just sent a handful of men to handle the burial. Thinking that looters might head to an undefended Edoras, Gandalf sent them there, where they can meet up with Théoden when he rides back. Oh, and sometime in that Gandalf managed to make it to Isengard and check out what’s going on there.

World traveler! Don’t forget that this was all in the span of a day and a half or so. Maybe less.

Gandalf, seeing the world.

Words My Computer Didn’t Like:

-Grimbold

-Elfhelm

Meanwhile, it’s almost New Year’s Eve, and I have a lot to do! Time to go.

“‘And glad shall I be to see it again,’ said Théoden, ‘though brief now, I doubt not, shall be my abiding there.’”

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Page 545 – “…Aragorn, and Legolas, and Gimli.”

King Théoden and the INFINITE SADNESS.

Today, as the king sleeps and the men of Rohan clean up after the battle, we remember Háma, faithful captain of the guard.

Oh, I guess he’s this guy in the movie.

The remaining soldiers round up the wild men who surrendered, and set them to work helping to gather bodies. Men of Rohan are piled in two mounds, one for the eastern lands and another for the Westfold. Háma’s body is found, and is given its own resting place in a grave near the Hornburg. The orcs are piled by the forest, where Gandalf hints that they may be…disposed of…by the morning.

First Mentions:

-the East Dales: The eastern part of Rohan. That would be the opposite of Westfold, naturally.

Of course, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, regardless of his injury, plan to go with Gandalf to Isengard. This is a foregone conclusion. Remember, they were trying to find Merry and Pippin before getting sidetracked by Gandalf to go to Edoras. Gandalf probably knows that they’ll find the hobbits at Isengard, so they’ll go with him.

In the meantime, Théoden and his closest men take the time to rest. He is grieved by the loss of Háma, but lets the lesser men do the work of cleaning everything up. However, the aid of the wild men is nice. Once taken, they are told that they will be set free, provided that they take an oath never to take arms against Rohan again. That, and they have to help do the post-battle chores.

I LOVE CLEANING.

By the afternoon, folks are getting ready to go. Here’s a question: how will they get out of the valley with the new-found forest blocking off the exit? Didn’t think of that now, did we?

BUT MAYBE IT’S GONE. OH NOES.

“The work of burial was then but beginning; and Théoden mourned for the loss of Háma, his captain, and cast the first earth upon his grave.”

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