The Last Homely House

Frodo awoke and found himself in a pleasant room he did not know. He looked at the ceiling and wondered, aloud, where and when he was. "'In the House of Elrond, and it is ten o'clock in the morning,' said a voice. 'It is the morning of October the twenty-fourth, if you want to know'" (p. 231, The Fellowship of the Ring). Frodo recognized the voice of Gandalf immediately and could hardly believe it. Frodo engaged Gandalf on several topics, chiefly the fate of his friends, the delay of the Wizard and what had happened at the Ford. Gandalf did not wish to engage deeply for Frodo needed rest and Elrond was calling a great council that would explain much.

He told Frodo his friends were safe. He let Frodo know that he had been captured which amazed the hobbit. "'Yes, I, Gandalf the Grey,' said the wizard solemnly. There are many powers in the world, for good or for evil. Some are greater than I am. Against some I have not yet been measured. But my time is coming. The Morgul-lord and his Black Riders have come forth. War is preparing!'" (p. 232, The Fellowship of the Ring). Gandalf explained to Frodo that the Black Riders were Ringwraith's (Frodo did not know until now). The Wizard credited Aragorn saving the day letting Frodo know that Aragorn was a Man of Westernesse, in the line of the Kings over the Sea. Again Frodo was amazed thinking Strider only a Ranger. "'Only a Ranger! cried Gandalf. 'My dear Frodo, that is just what the Rangers are: the last remnant in the North of a great people, the Men of the West'" (p. 233, The Fellowship of the Ring).

Gandalf informed Frodo that he had been out of consciousness for three days. Had he not come into Elrond's care any later he would have faded into a wraith. As it was Frodo made the Ford just in time. Apparently Hobbits fade into the wraith world reluctantly; but as it was Frodo was safe in Rivendell for the time being. Strength to resist Sauron lived there, at least until all else was conquered as Gandalf explained: "'And here in Rivendell there live still some of his chief foes: the Elven-wise, lords of the Eldar from beyond the furthest seas. They do not fear the Ringwraiths, for those that have dwelt in the Blessed Realm live at once in both worlds, and against both the Seen and the Unseen they have great power.' 'I thought that I saw a white figure that shone and did not grow dim like the others. Was that Glorfindel then?' 'Yes, you saw him for a moment as he is upon the other side: one of the mighty of the Firstborn. He is an Elf-lord of a house of princes.'" (p. 235, The Fellowship of the Ring).

Gandalf studied Frodo and felt there was a change about him and a sort of translucent quality to his left arm that had been hurt. It was not known, even to Elrond, how that perilous wound would affect Frodo in the future. But the Wizard continued on with the tale about the Ford. It seems that Elrond had the River prepared to flood when the Ringwraith's entered the water. And so it was when the first three entered with Gandalf adding the special touches of horses, riders, and boulders, out of the foaming waves. Glorfindel knew he must deal with the remaining Ringwraith's on the shore and ordered the hobbits to build a fire. They charged out: Strider and the hobbits wielding fire, and Glorfindel revealing his wrath spooking the horses of the Riders and sending them plunging into the flood as well. Frodo hoped that would be the end of the Ringwraith's. Gandalf knew while the horses surely perished the Riders would regroup and come again. Frodo drifted off to sleep as Gandalf finished. "Frodo was now safe in the Last Homely House east of the Sea" (p. 237, The Fellowship of the Ring).

He woke up in the afternoon feeling completely refreshed. "At that moment there was a knock at the door, and Sam came in. He ran to Frodo and took his left hand, awkwardly and shyly. He stroked it gently and then he blushed and turned hastily away" (p. 237, The Fellowship of the Ring). I remember seeing something about Ian McKellan, who plays Gandalf, instructing Sean Austin (Sam) and Elijah Wood (Frodo) about this scene: that fans would be looking for Sam to grab Frodo's hand. He was overcome with emotion that the hand felt warm again for Sam was worried about his master. He seldom left Frodo's side once they entered Rivendell and barely believed Gandalf when he said Frodo was awake. Frodo asked Sam to show him around and he happily obliged. They went exploring until they ran into Pippin and Merry. Pippen foolishly declared Frodo the Lord of the Ring and was quickly rebuked by Gandalf. "'Evil things do not come into this valley; but all the same we should not name them. The Lord of the Ring is not Frodo, but the master of the Dark Tower of Mordor, whose power is again stretching out over the world! We are sitting in a fortress. Outside it is getting dark.' 'Gandalf has been saying many cheerful things like that,' said Pippin" (p. 238, The Fellowship of the Ring). Once reunited the friends made their way to the feast of Elrond.

Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 3018, October 24th

Today's reading comes from: The Fellowship of the Ring, pages 228-238