Day 21: Bree at Last!

It would appear that I am terribly behind on blog posts. Life has gotten quite busy, but I have found that it has a tendency to do that. All the more reason for me to keep walking, because I am finding that every time I step out onto the next part of my journey I get to take a small break from stress and daily tasks. Sure, they are almost always at the back of my mind, but for a few hours a day I can push things aside and enjoy nature and the wonderful (and not so wonderful) surprises it has in store for me.

Day 21 has brought me the 135 miles (217.26 km) to Bree! It seems fitting to me that the mile marker of the hobbits arriving in Bree should occur while I am at a 3,000 room hotel complex. The hotel is larger than any I have ever seen, small streets and conservatories contained within it's glass roof and brick walls. All around I am confronted with the sheer foreignness of everything. There are so many people going about their own worlds, there are new foods and customs, and too many halls to navigate! I wonder if the hobbits were struck by how different Bree was. After all, this was the first time they had ventured to a city comprised mainly of Big Folk.

The hobbits had quite the time in Bree. Frodo tried to explain his travels to Bree by using the cover of an author writing a book. He was subsequently adopted by a family of Underhills (the fake surname he had adopted at the suggestion of Tom Bombadil). Barliman Butterbur, the inn keeper, proved an odd man in danger of Gandalf’s revenge for his forgetfulness. Pippin discovered that beer came in pints. Merry nearly got himself killed by Black Riders after an ill-advised nighttime walk. Frodo had a small “accident” involving a disappearing act courtesy of the ring, much to the shock of those in the inn. Strider makes himself known by hauling Frodo off. Sam makes a brave stand trying to regain Frodo. And the hobbits find an ally in Strider, even if he is still regarded with suspicion by some.

Altogether, Bree is an entirely action packed and important place that poses quite the challenge for trying to squeeze into a blog. Since there is too much to really talk about here, go read about Bree and save me some work!

Bree is very important to the storyline that has unfolded thus far. While in Bree the hobbits discover that Gandalf, previously missing in action, did indeed try to contact them and urged Frodo to get an immediate start on his journey. Thanks to the forgetfulness of Barliman Butterbur (is that an intriguing name or what!), Gandalf’s letter was never passed on. Gandalf aside, the most important aspect of Bree is the introduction of Strider.

Sitting in the corner of the Prancing Pony Inn, Strider surprised both the hobbits and J.R.R. Tolkien himself with his sudden and mysterious appearance. Strider will become a very important character in the books to come, but for right now, the hobbits are suspicious of him and Tolkien wants to find out more about him.

As their stay in Bree continues a nasty series of event unfold in which Frodo puts on the ring and vanishes in front of the crowded inn, Merry nearly dies at the hands of Black Riders, and Strider joins the hobbits’ travelling party. Strider has knowledge of both the burden Frodo carries and of that which pursues the hobbits. It is only thanks to him that the hobbits survive a surprise nighttime attack by the Black Riders.

It is very characteristic of Strider, and quite the foreshadow of his character, that he should come into the story unannounced, shrouded in shadow, and posing quite the dilemma for the hobbits. They are confronted with the choice of whether or not to trust Strider. In Gandalf’s letter to Frodo, the wizard gave two verses of a riddle that should be used to identify Strider. This is the famous “all that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wonder are lost” riddle. However, as the story goes on this riddle will prove to be much more. It will prove to be a prophecy of Aragon’s coming actions and a roadmap to his history. But we’ll learn more about Aragorn as the journey continues.

The Rode Goes Ever On and On,
~Daisy Buttons