Pippin Took

"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf shouts this line all the time at young Peregrin. It seems he is always hungry or in trouble! He is stout young hobbit who accompanies the Fellowship. His best friend is Merry (Meriadoc Brandybuck). They go everywhere together, and it is hardly possible to separate them. Pippin is the more foolish of the two, and Merry is more level-headed but still has a flair for adventure like Pippin, so together they are a handful! 

Pippin comes into the story even before the Fellowship of the Ring began. He, Merry, Frodo, and Sam go from the Shire to Rivendell. Pippin is very faithful to his friends, and never abandons them. After the secret council of Elrond he told Elrond flat out that he would have to be kept under lock and key to be kept away from the Fellowship, otherwise he would just follow them anyway! 

Pippin's curiosity in the fellowship is best shown in the Mines of Moria. When Gandalf was considering the choice among three passages, Pippin found a curious attraction to a well, and decided to drop a stone into it. This in time roused the orcs of their presence, and for the rest of the way through Moria they were either fighting or fleeing. Soon after this, Pippin and Merry become the prisoners of the orcs who came to take the halflings to Saruman. Here he showed a bit of sense, because he knew Aragorn and the others were coming for them, so he left the leaf of Lorien (that was on his cloak) behind for Aragorn to find, so that they might know that he and Merry were still alive. 

Yet soon after this Merry and Pippin escaped from the orcs, and found themselves in the company of Treebeard or Fangorn. Here Pippin also showed some sense, and convinced Treebeard to help the Rohirrim to defeat the orcs, and to attack Isengard. Yet soon after this his curiosity got the best of him again, and he found himself looking into one of the last 7 seeing stones. Here Sauron learned of the hobbits whereabouts and sent a Nazgul to Isengard to investigate the situation. After this Gandalf knew it was no longer safe for Pippin to stay in Rohan, so close to Isengard, so Gandalf took him to Gondor, where Pippin became a soldier of Minis Tirith.

Now here is the part where Pippin shows his true courage and bravery: during the time when Denethor had died, and Aragorn had come to the city, and Pippin had just found Merry just after he had fought the Nazgul. Soon after this, while Merry and Eowyn were in the houses of healing, Aragorn led an army of men from both Rohan and Gondor to the Black Gate. At this battle, Pippin wanted to do a deed as great as Merry's, (a little hobbit competition here). Well he did. He fought a troll and nearly killed himself while doing this, for he killed the troll but the troll landed right on top of him, and he lay there until Gimli saw his hairy feet sticking out under the troll's body. Gimli believes Pippin is dead, and apparently Pippin is brought to life by the healing hand of Aragorn.  Soon afterward, the whole Fellowship came together again in Minas Tirith, Aragorn was crowned King of Gondor, and the four hobbits went back to the Shire. 

The shire was a mess when they got there. For Saruman (or "Sharkey" as his servants called him) had been torturing the hobbits as well as burning and destroying almost every good thing. When Merry and Pippin saw this, they rallied the hobbits together, and retook the Shire. Frodo and Sam weren't the great Captains that Merry and Pippin had become, so Sam protected his master and they waited for Merry and Pippin's instructions. After Saruman had been taken care of, and the Shire was once again put to its right, Merry and Pippin settled down after their long journey. Pippin married Diamond of Longcleeve, and they had a son named Faramir, after his hero and captain, plus other little hobbits to follow. Pippin lived a long,quiet life, and at the end returned with Merry to visit Rohan and Gondor.

The Old Forest

In "The Fellowship of the Ring" the four hobbits have to cross the Old Forest on the borders of Buckland. This forest has several legends that aren't all that nice. There are stories of the trees moving, and of their standing up in rebellion against the hobbits. For it was said that they all stood in a line so close together that no one could get through, but the hobbits came, and cut them down and now there is a great glade int he forest where they burnt them. After this the trees began to settle down. Yet it is told that they move uneasily and the paths shift with the trees' movements, and it is almost impossible to find a route through.

The hobbits risk it, and they go into the forest. Merry was the one that led the way, for he lived in Buckland  and he knew the most about the forest. The four hobbits made their way first toward the fire glade, but on the way the trees shifted so thickly that there was barely enough room for their ponies to make it through. However they made it in the end. After this they kept going through the forest until they came to a stream and a willow tree beside it. Here they became incredibly sleepy and Merry and Pippin sat down with their backs to the willow and fell asleep, while Frodo sat by the bank with his feet in the cool water. Sam kept awake and tended to the ponies. Then he heard a splash and a click, and what had happened was the willow used one of his roots to dunk Frodo into the stream in an attempt to drown him, and the other was to enclose both Merry and Pippin in his trunk. 

Sam came and got Frodo out of the water. There was little they could do for Merry and Pippin, so Frodo ran to the path and shouted "help, help, help." And suddenly they heard singing. 

"Hey dol! Merry dol! Ring a dong dillo!

Ring a dong! Hop along! Fal lal the willow!

Tom Bom, jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo!"

(Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter 6, pg. 154). 

Here Tom Bombadil came and helped them, for Tom is the master of the woods, and old man willow had to obey him. Tom took the hobbits to his house, where Goldberry, his wife, was waiting. He had brought her water lilies for she is the daughter of the river god and loves the lilies. 

Tom Bombadil is a strange character. He is always singing happy songs and dancing. He knows nothing of evil and evil has no effect on him. This was proven when Frodo put on the Ring in Tom's house and turned invisible. Frodo began to leave when Tom shouted at him, and asked him why he would leave. Tom could see Frodo, while to the others Frodo was gone. Why would this be? My belief is that Tom is so free, and so good that evil has no domain over him. He has the heart of a child, like we all should, in order to understand the mystery of Jesus.    

Samwise Gamgee

"Don't you leave him Samwise Gamgee" (Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring) Sam is one of the hobbits that accompanies Frodo in the Fellowship. Yet, unlike Merry and Pippin, he goes all the way to Mount Doom with Frodo. Frodo is Sam's master, and Sam has a great love for him. He wouldn't let Frodo go tramping off to Mordor by himself. He almost drowned in order to go with Frodo. 

Sam tries to make the trip to Mount Doom as comfortable as a trip through a barren wasteland can be for Frodo. He takes all the heavy loads, sometimes skips meals, and makes sure Frodo gets his sleep. Sam always serves his master, and since his master has a very heavy burden as it is (the Ring), Sam tries to alleviate some of the pressure.

Indeed, without Sam the quest to destroy the Ring would have been a failure. For Sam saved his master from the greatest danger in the crossing into Mordor: Shelob, the evil HUGE spider that lives in a tunnel in the mountains surrounding Mordor. She lived alone, and ate any orc, man, or elf that comes into her web. To get into Mordor, Frodo and Sam had to pass through her tunnels. Uh-oh. 
This ended up to be a trap set by Gollum, who was guiding them. He had alerted Shelob that two tasty little treats would be coming to her soon. He had hoped that after Shelob was done with them, that he would once again have his precious back. If it weren't for Sam, the Ring would have been discovered, and Frodo would have died.

Shelob was able to get Frodo. She got him with her stinger, which made him temporarily paralyzed. She did this so she could enjoy fresh blood. She was just winding him into a web when Sam appears holding the phial of Earendil's star (a gift for Frodo from Galadriel) and Sting (the elven sword that Bilbo found in the troll cave).  With these treasures Sam fought Shelob and stabbed her where she is most tender, her stomach. After that, she creeped back into her tunnels and nursed her wounds. After this Sam went to Frodo, and took the Ring from him, because he believed that Frodo was dead, and that he would have to fill out the task for him. 

Just as he did this, orcs came and took his master away to the tower of Cirith Ungol. After they do this they kill each other over Frodo's mithril shirt. So Sam only had to kill a few orcs to come to his master. After this Frodo and Sam make their way to Mount Doom disguised as orcs. They made it all the way to the Mountain, where Frodo collapsed. Here Sam carried his master all the way to the Fiery Door. Here Frodo (with Gollum's help) destroyed the Ring. After this Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin returned to the Shire. At this time Sam married Rose Cotton. Yet, soon after this, Frodo leaves these shores forever, and went away to the land of the Valar. This was a tender parting between Frodo and Sam. After this Sam returned to the Shire and had 13 children named Elanor, Frodo, Rose, Merry, Pippin, Goldilocks (who married Faramir, Pippin's son), Hamfast, Daisy, Primrose, Bilbo, Ruby, Robin, and Tolman (Tom). 

Frodo Baggins - the Ring Bearer

Frodo is the main character in the trilogy, "The Lord of the Rings." He was given a golden ring by his uncle Bilbo, but afterward, he found that this ring was THE Ring, the one Ring of Sauron. After this Frodo decided to leave the Shire, and go to Rivendell. Thus by taking the Ring to a safer place, he took the Shire out of danger.

The only other hobbits he brought along for the trip were Samwise Gamgee (Sam), Merriadoc Brandybuck (Merry), and Peregrin Took (Pippin). These four hobbits set out from the Shire to Rivendell. In Bree they met Strider, a friend of Gandalf, who helped them make their way to Rivendell.

The road was long and hard, and on the way they ran into Nazgul several times. The most unfortunate time was on Weathertop. Here the Nazgul found Frodo, and Frodo put on the Ring to hide from them. But the Nazgul were pure evil, and so they have the power to see people hidden by the Ring. The Nazgul attacked and Frodo was stabbed in his shoulder, a fatal wound, because it was done by a blade of Morgul.

After this they made all speed to Rivendell. Strider put Kingsfoil (a weed) on Frodo's shoulder wound to help slow the poison of the blade. Yet they hadn't lost hope yet, for an elf named Glorfindel came riding to them because he had been sent by Elrond of Rivendell to find the Ringbearer. Frodo took Glorfindel's horse and rode across the River, where Elrond released the River and it swallowed the Nazgul. Here Frodo fainted, but he came to himself again in Rivendell, because he had been saved from his wound by Elrond.  After this he begins his journey to Mordor to destroy the Ring. 

Frodo through out this journey, shows a Jesus figure in this Fellowship. He puts all the burden onto himself, and shares it with no one. He wanted to go alone into Mordor but Sam decided to come and aid his master. (A bit like Simon, who helped Jesus carry his cross.) Once the Ring is destroyed, Frodo goes back to the Shire, which is just like Jesus spending time with His disciples after His Resurrection. Yet he was not at total peace here. So Frodo went to the land of the Valar which is evergreen (heaven). Here Frodo stayed, until the end of his days, living happily with the elves, Gandalf, and the Valar.

Eomer, 18th King of Rohan

Eomer is Eowyn's brother, and he is the nephew of King Theoden. He is a great military leader, a wonderful horseman, and his men are extremely loyal to him. His helmet has white horse hair on it, and his sword is named Guthwine (friend in battle). In battle he carries the banner of a white horse running on green ground.

During the enslavement of King Theoden's mind, Eomer and his company rode across the fields of Rohan in order to kill any orcs that were there. During this time he met Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli who were tracking some orcs that had taken Merry and Pippen captive. Here Eomer learned that Aragorn was the true king of Gondor, and this gave him much hope for the future. And although the laws of his country state that only people with the King's permission can ride across the fields of Rohan, he let the Fellowship continue on, and also gave them horses.

Soon afterwards, Gandalf rode in search of Eomer and his men. He found them and told them of Saruman's army. Eomer immediately lead his men to Helms Deep and the battle was won. Soon after this they were riding to war again, for Gondor had called for aid to fight the thousands of orcs that had come onto the plains of Minis Tirith. In this battle King Theoden was killed, but first he named Eomer as his sucessor to the throne. When this battle was over, Eomer remained in the city, and went with Aragorn and his men to the Black Gate, a move which was a diversion in order to give Frodo a chance at destroying the Ring. This Battle was also a victory, and after this Eomer returned to Rohan and married Lothuriel. They had a son that they named Elfwine. And Eomer lived a long life and died when he was 93.

Legolas

Legolas is an elf of the woods of Mirkwood. His name in Sindarian means "Greenleaf." He, like all elves, has great hearing and eyesight. And because of this he also is a great archer, for he never misses. Legolas used his talents to aid the Fellowship greatly. For when they fought countless times against the orcs he killed many just with his bow. He does have a long silver dagger of the elves.

Legolas is one character that everyone loves. His great love for nature and his understanding adds greatly to his character. Because of his caring nature he becomes best friends with both Aragorn and Gimli. They all travel together for many leagues in which Leogolas' great eyes, and Aragorn's tracking ability are priceless to the Fellowship.

Legolas is a valiant warior. He fights chiefly with his bow, but he does use his dagger as well. He fought at the battle of Helms Deep, the battle at the Gates of Gondor, and the battle at the Black Gate. He also fought many orcs and trolls in Moria and in the woods across from the Emin Muil.

After the Battles for Middle Earth, Legolas and the elves of the woods came to live in Ithilien. Here Legolas could visit Aragorn, and Gimli visited them often as well. Yet all things had their time, and when the King of Gondor died, he left these shores with Gimli to sail to the land of the Valar, with all the other elves. Gimli was the oddball in this group, but his friendship with Legolas and his affection for Galadriel made it possible, and not only that, for Bilbo and Frodo were there as well. It was definitely a happy ending for everyone.

Bilbo

"But so far trouble had not come; and as Mr. Baggins was generous with his money, most people were willing to forgive him his oddities and his good fortune. He remained on visiting terms with his relatives (except, of course, the Sackville-Bagginses), and he had many devoted admirers among the hobbits of poor and unimportant families. But he had no close friends, until some of his younger cousins began to grow up." (Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter 1, page 1).

Here in the words of the author, Bilbo Baggins' character is described perfectly. He is a good, generous, and humble hobbit. However Bilbo is envied by some because 

"At Ninety he was much the same as at fifty. At ninety-nine they began to call him well-preserved; but unchanged would have been nearer the mark. "  (Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter 1, page 1).

 His rumored wealth from his journey with the 13 dwarfs to the Lonely Mountain had become a legend among hobbits. Although he had all this attention he was neither proud nor arrogant, but humble and generous. This character is greatly misrepresented in the movie, when Bilbo tells Frodo at his party that he is "...very selfish. Yes I am, very selfish." (Peter Jackson, The Fellowship of the Ring.) 

Bilbo's good fortune at being "well-preserved" did not come from mere luck. On his journey to the Lonely Mountain, he found at the bottom of a chasm in the Misty Mountains, a Ring. Bilbo knew this Ring was magical, because every time he put it on, he disappeared. This aided him greatly to save the 13 dwarfs from spiders and elves, and with it he even stole from the dragon Smaug. This Ring is the reason why Bilbo had been "well-preserved" for it was the One Ring of Sauron. Although Bilbo didn't know it yet, he would be in danger if he kept it any longer than he did, in danger of becoming like Gollum. Yet since he was a humble Hobbit, he was able to let the Ring go, and pass it on to Frodo. 


After Bilbo left the Ring with Frodo in the Shire, he journeyed to the Lonely Mountain again, and found things going excellently with the dwarfs. After that he went back to Rivendell, and there he stayed for a long time, finishing his book. Yet, after many years, the elves were finally going to leave Middle Earth forever and go to the land of the Valar. Therefore Rivendell would no longer be inhabited. So Bilbo had to leave, but he was given a great gift. The elves allowed him to go on the last ship to the land of Valar with them. So he went with the elves, and lived happily ever after.