Text:
"I have been picking out bear-tracks," he said at last. "There
must have been a
regular bears' meeting outside here last night. I soon saw that Beorn could
not have made them all: there were far too many of them, and they were of
various sizes too. I should say there were little bears, large bears, ordinary
bears, and gigantic bears, all dancing outside from dark to nearly dawn. They
came from almost every direction, except from the west over the river, from the
Mountains. In that direction only one set of footprints led – none coming, only
ones going away from here. I followed these as far as the Carrock. There they
disappeared into the river, but the water was too deep and strong beyond the
rock for me to cross. It is easy enough, as you remember, to get from this bank
to the Carrock by the ford, but on the other side is a cliff standing up from a
swirling channel. I had to walk miles before I found a place where the river
was wide and shallow enough for me to wade and swim, and then miles back again
to pick up the tracks again. By that time it was too late for me to follow them
far. They went straight off in the direction of the pine-woods on the east side
of the Misty Mountains, where we had our pleasant little party with the Wargs
the night before last. And now I think I have answered your first question,
too," ended Gandalf, and he sat a long while silent.
Bilbo thought he knew what the wizard meant. "What shall we do,"
he cried, "if he leads all the Wargs and the goblins down here? We shall all be
caught and killed! I thought you said he was not a friend of theirs."
Q: The Wizard Meant: What do you think the wizard meant, and how is that
different from what Bilbo thinks?
Q: Gandalf the Spy: Why do you think Gandalf followed the bears?
Q: Time: If Gandalf left after breakfast, how did he have time to follow the
bears so far?
Comments: Any further
comments?
* * * * * * * * * * *
Links for this week’s RR discussions: Queer Lodgings Chapter #7:
1. Notation Page for ‘Queer Lodgings’; 2. Beorning Questions; 3. The Beornings Book quotes ; 4. Artists of Middle-Earth [OneRing.net]; 5. Queer Lodgings Annotated Art: [Torania.com] "Mightier than Estë is Nienna, sister of the Fëanturi; she dwells alone. She is acquainted with grief, and mourns for every wound that Arda suffered in the marring of Melkor. So great was her sorrow, as the Music unfolded that her song turned to lamentation long before its end, and the sound of mourning was woven into the themes of the World before it began. But she does not weep for herself; and those who hearken to her learn pity, and endurance in hope. . . . All those who wait in Mandos cry to her, for she brings strength to the spirit and turns sorrow to wisdom." Valaquenta
Aloha & Mahalo – What is The Aloha Spirit
