Blindfolded

Haldir led the Fellowship deeper into the woods of Lorien. As they crossed the Silverlode Haldir noted that very few strangers had ever come so far and it was time to blindfold Gimil. The Dwarf was obstinate. He declared his faithfulness to the Fellowship and refused to be blindfolded. Haldir did not doubt Gimli's word but it was not his decision. Gimli was irresolute setting his hand upon his axe hilt: "'I will go forward free,' he said, 'or I will go back and seek my own land, where I am known to be true of word, though I perish alone in the wildernss'" (p. 362, The Fellowship of the Ring). Now it was Haldir's turn to be frustrated noting that only the Lord and Lady of Lorien could permit Gimli to stay or go which led to a tense moment. "Gimli drew his axe form his belt. Haldir and his companions bent their bows" (p. 362, The Fellowship of the Ring). Aragorn quickly diffused the situation by offering that the whole Fellowship, including Legolas, would be blindfolded. Now it was Legolas' turn to be frustrated but Gimli was well pleased. "'Alas for the folly of these days!' said Legolas. 'Here all are enemies of the one Enemy, and yet I must walk blind, while the sun is merry in the woodland under leaves of gold!'" (p. 362, The Fellowship of the Ring).

Haldir led the Company on a good path and they made decent speed. They spoke of the world beyond Lothlorien and fairness within its borders. Haldir seemed to be filled with foreboding that he would, one way or another, have to leave the land he loved. Frodo felt a strange sensation as they walked, as if ancient things lived in Lothlorien and were not simply memories as in Rivendell. Indeed, no shadows had ever fallen on the fair woods. They marched through the day passing a company of Elves on their way to guard the borders of the land from whence they had just come. They brought a message from the Lady of the Galadhrim that all the Company, Gimli included, were to walk freely and without blindfold. Haldir made sure that Gimli's blindfold was removed first and asked for the his pardon.

Frodo was overcome with the beauty of the land: giant trees and fair flowers. A green mound was near them; the mound of Amroth. Haldir saw Frodo and explained the ancient beauty the hobbit was enthralled with. Indeed, Frodo could see no signs of decay or blemish. "On the land of Lorien there was no stain" (p. 365, The Fellowship of the Ring). Haldir attributed it to the power of the Lady. There is an interesting line at the end of the chapter (the italics are names of flowers): "When he had gone and passed again into the outer world, still Frodo the wanderer from the Shire would walk there, upon the grass among elanor and niphredil in fair Lothlorien" (p. 366, The Fellowship of the Ring). I find it interesting because there was always a somewhat odd, to me anyway, scene in Peter Jackson's Return of the King, where Frodo falls and looks up as if he's in Lothlorien again complete with a conversation with the Lady Galadriel. I think it primarily was a way to devise more screen time for a female character on screen. After reading the quote above it now makes sense to me way Frodo's thought drifted to Lothlorien--he was so captivated by its beauty and fairness.

Haldir took Frodo up a tree where they could see all the beauty of Lorien and even beyond its fair borders to the wastes beyond. Indeed, they could even see Mirkwood forest in the distance. It looked bleak and dark in comparison. Haldir explained to Frodo what he was viewing: "'In the midst upon a stony height stands Dol Guldur, where long the hidden Enemy had his dwelling. We fear now that it is inhabited again, and with power sevenfold. A black cloud lies over it of late. In this high place you may see the two powers that are opposed to one another; and ever they strive now in thought, but whereas the light perceives the very heart of the darkness, its own secret had not been discovered. Not yet.'" (p. 366, The Fellowship of the Ring).

Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 3019, January
Today's reading comes from: The Fellowship of the Ring, pages 361-366