"'Hey dol! merry dol! ring a dong a dillo! Ring a dong! hop along! fal lal the willow! Tom Bom, jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo'" (p. 130, The Fellowship of the Ring). Thus our introduction to Tom Bombadil. His silly songs grew louder and clearer until he appeared in the path. He was bearded so not an Elf, too large to be a hobbit, yet not quite tall enough to be a Man. He certainly was Dwarvish either. Once again Frodo cried for help and Tom stopped and asked what was the matter, for he was in a hurry. Seeing the hobbits predicament he intervened--by speaking words to the willow tree: "You should not be waking. Eat earth! Dig deep! Drink water! Go to sleep!" (p. 130, The Fellowship of the Ring); as a nod to Tom Bombadil Treebeard is given this line in the extended version of The Two Towers. The willow shuddered and let Merry and Pippin free.
Tom laughed heartily and invited the frightened and weary hobbits to his house. He then bounded ahead of them down the path singing more silly songs. They tried to follow but soon only heard his voice. As dusk fell they saw an opening in the forest and a house on a knoll. Another voice, a beautiful voice, sang to them ending with "Old Tom Bombadil and the River-daughter" (p. 131, The Fellowship of the Ring). Once inside the house they were greeted by the new singer, Goldberry, daughter of the River. Very beautiful was she and when she moved it sounded as if a soft water flowing. She laughed merrily and greeted them warmly. The hobbits were captivated; Frodo in particular. "He stood as he had at times stood enchanted by fair-elven voices, but the spell that was now laid upon him was different: less keen and lofty was the delight, but deeper and nearer to mortal heart; marvelous and yet not strange" (p. 134, The Fellowship of the Ring). See what I mean? Who are Tom Bombadil and Goldberry?
Again she laughed and Frodo plucked up the courage to ask who Tom Bombadil was. "'He is,' said Goldberry, staying her swift movements and smiling. Frodo looked at her questioningly. 'He is, as you have seen him,' she said in answer to his look. 'He is master of wood, water, and hill'" (p. 135, The Fellowship of the Ring). Interesting. Tom came in after tending their ponies and greeted his pretty lady Goldberry. The meal was prepared but first Tom showed them to an extra room with tubs ready and vats of cold and hot water for washing. Afterwards the hobbits ate and ate as only hungry hobbits can do. Goldberry bid them goodnight and Tom stayed with them. Finally Frodo asked Tom if he had heard their cries for help. "'Just chance brought me then, if chance you call it'" (p. 137, The Fellowship of the Ring). But it was clear that Tom had been waiting for them to come. He led them to beds and offered to speak more the next day.
Frodo had dreams of a tall black tower with an old man at the pinnacle. Their were fell voices and the baying of wolves. An eagle appeared from the sky and took the man away and he then heard horse hooves from the East. He clearly had been given a vision of Gandalf captured at Orthanc, his rescue by an eagle, and most likely his coming from Rohan on Shadowfax; though Frodo interpreted the horse sounds to the Black Riders. Pippin had dreams of trees attacking him. Merry had dreams of endless water rising all about the house. "As far as he could remember, Sam slept through the night in deep content, if logs are contented" (p. 139, The Fellowship of the Ring).
Tom woke them the next morning to a day that promised rain. Frodo was thankful for he did not want to leave this house too soon. After breakfast Tom sat in long conversation with the hobbits. He told them many stories about the Old Forest and Old Man Willow who had almost captured them. "Tom's words laid bare the hearts of trees and their thoughts, which were often dark and strange, and filled with hatred of things that go free upon the earth, gnawing, biting, breaking, hacking, and burning..." (p. 141, The Fellowship of the Ring); this was another nod to Tom given to Treebeard in the movies. Tom then told many stories about the Barrow-downs which could be viewed from his home. "A shadow came out of dark places far away, and the bones were stirred in the mounds. Barrow-wights walked in the hollow places with a clink of rings on cold fingers, and gold chains in the wind" (p. 141, The Fellowship of the Ring). And Tom kept going all the way back to when the Elves first awoke.
Frodo asked again, this time to Tom, who he was. "'Eldest, that's what I am. Mark my words, my friends: Tom was here before the river and the trees; Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn. He made paths before the Big People, and saw the Little People arriving. He was here before the Kings and graves and the Barrow-wights. When the Elves passed westward, Tom was here already, before the seas were bent. He knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless--before the Dark Lord came from Outside'" (p. 142, The Fellowship of the Ring). This seems a reference not to Sauron but to Melkor from the First Age.
Goldberry came in and informed them food was prepared and another joyous feast was had by the hobbits. After eating Goldberry sang many songs about the land to them and then bid them goodnight. Tom now began to question the hobbits and it was clear that he had much knowledge of the Shire (owed to Farmer Maggot; a connection I can't explain) and had learned of their flight from Gildor. "Indeed so much did Tom know, and so cunning was his questioning, that Frodo found himself telling him more about Bilbo and his own hopes and fears than he had told Gandalf. Tom wagged his head up and down, and there was a glint in his eyes when he heard of the Riders. "'Show me the precious Ring!' he said suddenly..." (p. 144, The Fellowship of the Ring).
Frodo was astonished. Not that Tom knew. But that he immediately took it off the chain and handed it over with no second thoughts. He inspected it silently and then laughed and then put it on! "Then they gasped. There was no sign of Tom disappearing!" (p. 144, The Fellowship of the Ring). Strange indeed. He feigned to make the Ring disappear which made Frodo quite upset but it was clear the Ring had not hold or effect on him. Once the Ring was returned, at the opportune time, Frodo put it on (to make sure it was the same Ring) and disappeared and began to make his way out of the room. "'Hey there!' cried Tom, glancing toward him with a most seeing look in his shining eyes. 'Hey! Come Frodo, there! Where be you a-going? Old Tom Bombadil's not as blind as that yet!'" (p. 144, The Fellowship of the Ring). Frodo removed the Ring and sat down trying to feel pleased with himself.
Here is a very in-depth look at Tom Bomadil from one Tolkien fan looking to discern who Tom is. It may be worth a look.
Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 3018, September 26-27th
Today's reading comes from: The Fellowship of the Ring, pages 130-147
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