Dangerous Delays

I've titled this post as a play on the next chapter in The Return of the Shadow: Delays are Dangerous. This was a defacto title Tolkien scribbled on the papers which would eventually become chapter 3 in Fellowship. With each revision the story becomes closer aligned with the published version (obviously). Practically that means I will blog a bit less as I have been most interested, thus far, in details that differ, never came to be, or were dropped altogether. It's fun to think about what could have been.

Indeed, the title is attributed to the fact that Bingo delayed the start of his journey while anxiously waiting for Gandalf (though is only a day late in this version). This proves dangerous as Bingo and his friends (who are not fully aware of Bingo's full plan; at least by Bingo's admission) encounter Black Riders.

I found a quote by Gandalf (before the plan to leave was set) was quite interesting. Again, it's a nice subtle reference to The Hobbit plus it's decidedly ominous (which is perhaps why it wasn't included in the published story). Bingo decides he will go on the journey: "'And to go there but not come back again, likely enough,' added Gandalf grimly" (p. 274, The Return of the Shadow).

In this revision there appears the name Michel Delving (Great Delving) the chief town of the Shire. After the first encounter with a Black Rider the hobbits wonder what to say if they are overrun and asked about Baggins (as they knew from Gaffer Gamgee the Black Riders might ask). Bingo gives a clever answer: "'Give him a true answer,' said Bingo. 'Either say: Back in Hobbiton, where there are hundreds; or say Nowhere. For Mr. Bingo Baggins has left Bag-end, and not yet found any other home'" (p. 280, The Return of the Shadow).

Another interesting conversational tidbit is between Bingo and Gildor (the Elf). While the Elf questioned why Bingo and friends are on a dangerous journey Bingo mentions that an "un-hobbitlke" fate was laid on him. To which Gildor replied: "'Then you are not an ordinary hobbit,' said Gildor, 'for otherwise that could not be so. But the half that is plain hobbit will suffer much I fear from being forced to follow the other half which is worthy of a strange fate, until it too becomes worthy (and yet remains hobbit)...The hobbit half that loves the Shire is not to be despised but it as to be trained...'" (p. 281, The Return of the Shadow).

I think this is an interesting and insightful conversation. Essentially Gildor is thinking that Bingo has not been given a burden that the hobbit is unable to bear; but it will no easy journey and Bingo will need to die to parts of his nature that are unwilling to bear the burden. At least that's how I read it--it rings true for all of life to me.