While much of my chronological read through Middle-earth has fit seamlessly there have been a few spots where speculation on my part has been made. Perhaps a bit of knowledge or writing without a concrete date associated with it. I've done my best to place these bits where they seem to fit most appropriately, though no doubt other Tolkien enthusiasts may disagree with me assessments. Today's reading is one such situation. In The Tolkien Reader there are several poems that are associated with the Red Book (of which we will learn more). Included in the Red Book are the memoirs of Bilbo's unexpected journey and Frodo's historical narrative concerning the Downfall of the Lord of the Rings. During Frodo's last visit with Bilbo the older hobbit gave the younger his writings and wished for them to be finished.
As Frodo faded from the daily affairs of the Shire it makes sense to me that he spent most of his time writing--this would have been from the Winter of 3019 through the fall of 3021. While Frodo would have spent the majority of time working on the story of his journey it's not hard to imagine he made time to write on other topics: chiefly silly poems that hobbits adore. The first two poems discuss (and revisit) the ever elusive Tom Bombadil: The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Bombadil Goes Boating. The first is older hobbit lore and likely was derived when the hobbits first moved into the Shire region likely encountering Tom.
One stanza stood out to me, the moment Tom decided to marry Goldberry:
"He caught her, held her fast! Water-rats went scuttering,
reeds hissed, herons cried, and her heart was fluttering.
Said Tom Bombadil: 'Here's my pretty maiden!
You shall come home to me! The table is all laden:
yellow cream, honeycomb, white bread and butter;
roses at the window-sill and peeping round the shutter.
You shall come under Hill! Never mind your mother
in her deep weedy pool: there you'll find no lover!'" (p. 201, The Tolkien Reader).
The second poem follows Tom on a visitation to a friend in the Shire. It's noted that this was likely composed after Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin encountered Tom. Perhaps the four friends reminisced over their adventures and made it themselves. I found it very interesting that the poem highlights the connection between Tom and Farmer Maggot as we'll pick up after the two meet:
"Laughing they rode away, in Rushey never halting,
though the inn open stood and they could smell the malting.
They turned down Maggot's Lane, rattling and bumping,
Tom in the farmer's cart dancing round and jumping.
Stars shone on the Bamfurlong, and Maggot's house was lighted;
fire in the kitchen burned to welcome the benighted" (p. 207, The Tolkien Reader).
They went on to have a lively party with the rest of Farmer Maggot's family.
I read several other poems--all of which are attributed to Hobbit Lore. They could have been written down for posterity sake by Frodo (or perhaps other hobbits later): Princess Mee, The Mewlips, Oliphaunt, Fastitocalon, and Shadow-bride. Most of these are rather nonsensical (which hobbits enjoy) with a few minor references to things in Middle-earth with a good dose of mistrust for the Sea and things unknown--which makes very good sense for a hobbit.
Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 3019-3021
Today's reading comes from: The Tolkien Reader, pages 197-210; 215-217; 232-236; and 239
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