Tolkien is having a bit of fun at Sam's expense. But it does characterise
Sam well: he's not a worrier, but a practical person who deals with problems as
they arise. Also, describing four dreams in succession might have been a
bit much. As it is, three dreams in a row already strikes me as overly
methodical and plodding; but the joke on Sam dispels any sense of "plod" and
rounds off the passage
nicely.
__________________________________
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
