Three is Company (FOTR) By Hildie

"You ought to go quietly, and you ought to go soon," said Gandalf.

What a fantastic opening line for a chapter. This chapter is one of my favorite chapters in all of the books actually. Why you ask? Because it is the final build up at the start of the quest, and the shove off. It's the real eye opener for Frodo, Sam and Pippin. I may have read this book many, many times, but every time I start this chapter I get this sense of excitement and urgency. (Silly, but true...)

I am absolutely taken by the fact that time is running out, it's all coming down to this moment, to this decision to leave. I was thrilled when I read this the first time that Frodo was going to go to Rivendell. I adored that in The Hobbit, and was hungry for more (I definitely remember that). In The Hobbit that journey wasn't that dangerous being the first "safe" (with the exception of the trolls) leg of the trip to Lonely Mountain. This time though Gandalf gives a good bit of foreshadowing and says "...make for Rievendell. That journey should not prove to perilous, though the Road is less easy than it was, and it will grow worse as the year fails."

I remember a great shock when I read that Frodo was selling Bag End to the S-Bs! I hated that, and I remember thinking "Oh dear! Bilbo's beautiful hole belonging to the S-Bs, oh dear! NOOOOOO!" I still hate the fact that they own it. However saying that I was also rather impressed with Frodo's bit of planning in moving to Buckland on the Eastwards side! What an easy way to slip away!

Also Gandalf's mysterious need to be away for a while truly made me worry. The fact that Frodo thought he looked worried, and that it was an urgent trip made me think that something bad had happened (which we know had happened) but WHAT COULD IT BE!? The fact that Gandalf didn't show up to meet them bothered me, because wizards never are late unless something bad happens. Again, I think this chapter is written so well to give you that deep sense of foreboding and dramatic tension.

There are three paragraphs (two together and one more a few pages later) in this chapter that describe Frodo's first encounter with the Black Riders which, I feel, stand head and shoulders above any other written fantasy or fiction. (I'm actually going to go ahead and quote them here just to show you which two they are and then I'll tell you the reason I think they are so effective. First off don't forget that Frodo had had a "sudden desire to hide from the view" of this rider... that sets the scene.)

"Round the corner came a black horse, no hobbit-pony but a full sized horse; and on it sat a large man, who seemed to crouch in the saddle, wrapped in a great black cloak and hood, so that only his boots in the high stirrups showed below; his face was shadowed and invisible.

When it reached the tree and was level with Frodo the horse stopped. The riding figure sat quite still with its head bowed, as if listening. From inside the hood came a noise as of someone sniffing to catch an elusive scent; the head turned from side to side of the road."

(those are the first two)

"The sound of hoofs stopped. As Frodo watched he saw something dark pass across the lighter space between two trees, and then halt. It looked like the black shade of a horse led by a smaller black shadow. The black shadow stood close to the point where they had left the path, and it swayed from side to side. Frodo thought he heard the sound of snuffling. The shadow bent to the ground, and then began to crawl towards him."

-JRR Tolkien, Chapter III FOTR

Okay, so those are the specific paragraphs, now on to the setting that etched these particular ones into my memory.

Picture a little girl, in year 3 at school, sitting on a chair in a sunlit living room next to a sliding glass door. She's home by herself while her parents drive up to the mailbox to get the mail and then come right back, so maybe 5-10 minutes max. She's sitting there reading a book that she loves, that she's heard before read aloud many times but this is the first time she's actually read it all by herself. (It just so happens that I was so engrossed in the book that my parents said I could stay while they quickly ran to the mailbox.)

Anyway, so I'm sitting there, and I'm reading this chapter. I was concentrating so hard, and was so excited and "petrified" by the possibility of this Rider getting Frodo, I mean the first time (first two paragraphs) was close enough and now this second time it's stopped where they've left the road and is crawling towards them...

I didn't notice my parents had walked up to the sliding glass door, and as I finished the last sentence about the "snuffling and crawling towards Frodo" my Dad knocked on the door for me to unlock it for them and I nearly fell of the chair!

I KNEW that the Black Rider had found me or Frodo, or both of us and I'd/we'd been had! That was it! They'd got us!

Looking back I find it hysterical because, in truth, I have no idea how I missed seeing them walk up it's not like they were sneaking or anything, but my heart was racing and I was out of breath. My Dad walked in and we both had a good laugh, and he hugged me, sat me on his lap and said "How 'bout I finish this chapter with you? Kinda scary huh?" So, of course, I curled up in my typical spot on his right knee with his big arm wrapped around me (yes, my heart was still pounding) and we read how Frodo just escaped certain doom and got away from that Black Rider (who tends to sneak up on year 3 kids sitting in their parents house in a sunlit room, well duh of course they do!).

It's always stuck with me, as you can tell. To this day I get goosebumps on my arm every time that scene comes up in the movies or the book. I love the way that memories can do that, it's awesome. Now on with just a tad more before I finish this chapter...

I was so glad when Gildor and the elves took them in to help them. It was a complete load off my mind, and gave me a reason to stop clenching my book (LOL). Though I was annoyed that he wouldn't tell Frodo what was after him. I mean seriously, how is Frodo supposed to know how to avoid them if he doesn't know what they are? I think that I prefer the regal, beautiful, intense side of the elves to the teasing, silly, joking, confusing side. Though I think that their characteristics balance out nicely as well. In this part of the chapter, I also took notice of something that previously had never really registered with me. When Gildor introduces himself to Frodo, Sam and Pippin he says that they are Exiles. I had never given thought to what he meant there until I'd read the Sil and Unfinished Tales! (I won't go into detail or explain so that I don't ruin those stories for anyone who hasn't had the chance to read those yet. No spoilers from me if I can help it!) Guess you can always find new things in Tolkien's writing no matter how many times you've read it.

I know that most people think the first bit is slow moving but I am definitely not one of those types. I think that, from the time that Frodo hears the Gaffer talking to the Mysterious Stranger until he gets to Bree, then from Bree to Rivendell are some of the most intense bits of the whole book. They are definitely my favorite part of the entire Lord of the Rings and what a great start to a book!

WOW what a chapter!