Mark Reads ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’: Book Two, Chapter 8

In the eighth chapter of the second book of The Fellowship of the Ring, the Company bids goodbye to the Elves as they head into the uncertainty of the future. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read The Lord of the Rings.

CHAPTER EIGHT: FAREWELL TO LÓRIEN

This chapter provides a strange sensation that I can’t say I’ve experienced before: I feel like the journey is just beginning.

We’re nearing the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, and despite all that’s happened, it’s as if this book has been born anew, that there’s a second chance for everything, and that I should have long ago just admitted that it’s impossible to be prepared for any of this. No, seriously, there are hundreds of pages left, a million things have happened, and I still have no clue what’s going on. Okay, yes, I’m exaggerating. But there are so many details to keep track of, new motivations to account for, and the sheer unfamiliarity of the journey ahead to think about.

The loss of Gandalf is so immense at this point because Tolkien has stripped away what he represents literally and metaphorically: knowledge. That’s not to say that Boromir, Aragorn, Legolas, or Gimli aren’t knowledgeable, that they don’t possess information that will help them on their quest to destroy the Ring. I think we’ll get the chance to see all four of them help out the Company in the future. However, what I picked up pretty quickly is that pretty much no one knows what it is they should do after leaving Lothlórien. They’re given choices and the most minimal of counsel, but it’s all a mystery to them. That’s not the most ideal of situations, of course, but you’ll have to allow me to be really selfish right now: this excites me to no end. I mean, if the characters aren’t even prepared for this shit, that means I am on another astral plane of unpreparedness.

The time comes for the Company to leave Lórien, and I wasn’t surprised that all eight surviving members agreed to press on. Despite whatever it was that Galadriel “showed” them, they chose to stay with Frodo as long as they could. MY BABIES. Wait, aren’t all these characters older than me? Whatever, I’m treating them like they’re my children now. My children go through a long and touching ceremony as Galadriel and Celebron bid them goodbye. Actually…okay, I’m trying to think of a good example and I’m coming up empty, but have you ever seen a movie that “ended” like fifteen times? That’s what the bulk of chapter eight is: Galadriel and Celeborn say goodbye to the Company, and then do it again two pages later, then do it again, then when we think they’re just out of range that the Elves are gone forever, there’s a feast. I know it’s not supposed to be funny, but I laughed. Still, there’s a lot of important information given in this chapter that really isn’t that funny.

  • It seems Boromir is leading the way for a bit, as they’ve chosen to follow the west side to head to Minas Tirith. As much as I understand it, they’ll head there to gather an army of sorts before heading to face the Dark Lord. Also, Boromir is acting strange about the Ring? I can’t really tell what Tolkien is hinting at, honestly.
  • The Company genuinely doesn’t know what to do without Gandalf. I know I said that already, but it’s stressed so heavily in this chapter in a way that’s not just sad, but in order to cast a sense of doubt and fear over the future. It’s a brilliant choice that couldn’t have been easy to write because it gives this book such a fascinating dynamic, especially as we move into the next volume. These characters DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. They aren’t even sure they know what to do with the Ring. For all the talk of destroying it, it’s still never explicitly stated as a certain thing.
  • I really want to eat waybread.
  • I want one of those cloaks made by the Elves.
  • I want too many fictional things. Meh.
  • This isn’t really information that’s “learned” so much as something I want to point out because I enjoyed it so much: I adore the image of the land that stretches before them after they pass through the green wall on the opposite side of the city. IT’S SO PRETTY.
  • I don’t know what hithlain is, but it seems cool? Also, I love that the Elves are constantly like WHAT IS MAGIC WE HAVE NEVER HEARD THIS WORD WHATEVER ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT. Especially since it’s not at all ironic or weird! They genuinely don’t have that word in their vocabulary!
  • Okay, I’m only putting this down so that it’s easier to remember how the Company is split up, because I imagine I’m going to need to know this later. Boat #1, aka Excellent Party Time Adventure: Aragorn, Frodo, and Sam. Boat #2, aka MOST SERIOUS OF ALL SERIOUSNESS: Boromir, Merry, and Pippin. Boat #3, aka EPIC BROMANCE BFF: Legolas and Boromir.
  • Again, I can’t help but laugh that all were bid farewell, and then the come upon a boat that looks exactly like a giant swan, and then Celeborn and Galadriel are like JUST KIDDING ONE MORE GOODBYE LEFT. This is my favorite thing ever, I swear.
  • I don’t need to repeat it here, but I know that if somehow, I was in this book, if Galadriel tried to give me directions for how to steer down the River to head the correct way to Minas Tirith, I would get lost. WRITE THAT SHIT DOWN. To be fair, I’m sure Boromir and Aragorn understood her. I DON’T. It’s actually something I’ve been meaning to point out that’s kind of fascinating to me. Tolkien does not bother to explain names. Almost ever. It’s hard for me to keep track of them, and I always wonder if I’m referring to things correctly. (My great tragedy, though, is that I cannot Google anything to determine if my name-usage is correct because of SPOILERS.) While it can be confusing and overwhelming, there’s a part of me that loves it. He drops us into his world, and in that world, characters would rarely stop to explain what they mean when referring to places. I like that.
  • I refuse to let this go: after drinking the cup of parting, Lady Galadriel still won’t let them leave. SERIOUSLY WHY IS THIS SO FUNNY TO ME

Before they finally do leave, though, Lady Galadriel continues to win my heart and make me her #1 stan of all time. I am just enamored with the idea of her character, how complex she is, and how she has these two distinct sides to her. I’VE KNOWN HER FOR TWO CHAPTERS. Oh, but was I prepared for her to get even more complicated? Of course not. She makes quite a gorgeous spectacle out of giving the members of the Company parting gifts from the Elves. Aragorn is gifted a BeDazzled sheath, and it’s wonderful, and is asked if there’s anything else he might need:

‘Lady, you know all my desire, and long held in keeping the only treasure that I seek. Yet it is not yours to give me, even if you would; and only through darkness shall I come to it.’

Oooh, how mysterious of him! I love a man that’s coy.

‘For the gifts that you have given me I thank you,’ he said, ‘O Lady of Lórien of whom were sprung Celebrían and Arwen Evenstar.’

WAIT. WHAT? ARWEN? THE ARWEN? DO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT ARWEN IS GALADRIEL’S GRANDDAUGHTER? WHAT THE HELL. WHAT THE FUCK. oh my god MY BRAIN. THIS CHANGES GALADRIEL’S AND ARAGORN’S RELATIONSHIP INSTANTLY. Why can’t he just be with Arwen? I AM SO LOST I DON’T GET THIS AT ALL. what alsdkjfa;lskd ah ahh dh a;sdjf

i am so in love so in love

Also Aragorn gets a brooch? This is perfect. Actually, Sam’s gift might be the most perfect thing ever. I love that his gift is given with the understanding of hope, that he might be able to use once he returns home to the Shire. Can I just predict that I think Sam will survive by the end of the novel? Unless Tolkien put this here specifically to break my heart….oh great. TOO MUCH I NEED TO DEAL WITH ALREADY.

Then Gimli–that sly little romantic!–first denies his gift and then eloquently asks for….hair? I mean, ultimately, the idea of setting her hair in stone to act as a “pledge of good will between the Mountain and the Wood until the end of days” is spectacular, but I admit to feeling really weird about taking someone’s hair. Of course, that’s because I didn’t know what an honor this would be for Lady Galadriel. Also it’s because I would seriously be the worst character in a fantasy novel ever. In a way, it’s why I ultimately like Tyrion from A Song of Ice and Fire, despite that he’s gross, because he’s the closest representation to what I might be like in a world like this: the dude who talks his way out of everything. I can do that! I can’t fight worth a damn or suggest romantic things to do with an Elves’s hair.

What I can do, however, is talk about how much I love the dual nature of Galadriel:

Frodo took the phial, and for a moment as it shone between then, he saw her again standing like a queen, great and beautiful, but no longer terrible.

So Frodo can see a side of her no one else can, and it’s because he is the owner of the Ring. I am curious if Celeborn himself knows of this other side, or how much he knows about the conditions of Lórien. I’m intrigued by this idea that Galadriel has only chosen to trust Frodo out of necessity at first, since he can see her plainly for who she is, and how that’s developed into something else. Of course, the rapidity of it all is impressive. No other character has gotten as much depth as she has!

So it’s with great sadness that I also had to accept that I might not see Galadriel ever again. The Company is also full of the same grief because the wonder of Lórien is now behind them. Their future holds total uncertainty, and that city represents hope and dependability. It’s why the imagery that Tolkien provides as the characters drift along the River is so haunting to me. The silence, the ghostly trees, the setting sun, and the lack of stars all give their journey a sense of vacancy.

They’re not longer safe.

About Mark Oshiro

Perpetually unprepared since '09.
This entry was posted in The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

330 Responses to Mark Reads ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’: Book Two, Chapter 8

  1. Becky_J_ says:

    Gah. I could make a list of all the things that make me sad in this chapter, but they all amount to pretty much one thing: Lothlorien is no more, for the Fellowship, for the entirety of Middle Earth.

    We are leaving by far the most beautiful place, and I suspect that no one will ever return to it. The time of Lothlorien is gone, and it will fade. Now the Company has to face this quest head on; it was such a wonderful reprieve to be in Lothlorien this whole time! And now the power of Galadriel and the Elves is waning, and the golden trees and the elven songs will be gone. "For our spring and our summer are gone by, and they will never be seen on earth again save in memory." WHY. I hate this :'(

    There are only a couple things that I love in this chapter. One is the friendship of Legolas and Gimli. Because HELLO THIS IS GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL THING. The other thing is Sam's freaking love of ROPES, of all things. It cracks me up that he is still upset that he forgot to bring rope. I mean, this HAS to come into play later, right? Oh, Sam, you are so adorable.

    Also, I love this: "Frodo took the phial, and for a moment as it shone between them, he saw her again standing like a queen, great and beautiful, but no longer terrible. He bowed, but found no words to say." Beautiful, Tolkien. Just absolutely stunning imagery. Maybe I'll paint this scene someday…..

    I keep going back to being sad about Lothlorien, so instead I'm just going to post some art, so that we can enjoy the beauty of it instead of thinking about how it will disappear very soon :'(

    "The Swan" by Ted Nasmith
    <img src="http://img-fan.theonering.net/~rolozo/images/nasmith/swan.jpg"&gt;

    "Galadriel's Farewell" by Lamorien
    <img src="http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/193/e/5/galadriel__s_farewell_by_lamorien-d3n1kcx.jpg"&gt;

    • settledforhistory says:

      These are so beautiful!
      Thanks for posting them, I couldn't really imagine a giant swan-boat.

      Gah. I could make a list of all the things that make me sad in this chapter, but they all amount to pretty much one thing: Lothlorien is no more, for the Fellowship, for the entirety of Middle Earth.

      I agree, I just felt so sad while reading this chapter, as if I have to say good bye, too.
      It's also a feeling that this is the last chapter where they are safe and out of reach of The Enemy, it can only go downhill from here. :' (

    • misterbernie says:

      Don't get me wrong, the art is beautiful done and all, but the first one really doesn't help me unsee those aesthetically-challenged swan-shaped pedalos you get…

      • Sinnive says:

        I even see them while reading this chapter. A friend of mine used to live in a city with a big lake, and for one or two summers the big attraction of this was an actual swan who obviously had fallen in love with one of those bis swan-shaped boats and followed it all around the lake. I really can't help imagining Galadriel in her pedalo being followed by a love-sick swan …

        The second picture is really beautiful, although I can't figure why she put the harp onto her dress and how she will ever unwrap from this.

        • Becky_J_ says:

          I WAS THINKING THIS TOO. Why in the world would you ever want to put your huge harp on your beautiful white dress?? Although knowing Galadriel, she would probably find a way to get it out and do it about a million times more graceful than anything I've ever done.

    • flootzavut says:

      That one with the harp is absolutely stunning <3

  2. Jenny_M says:

    Oh my God. Oh my God, Mark.

    "unir lbh rire frra n zbivr gung “raqrq” yvxr svsgrra gvzrf?"

    LBH THLF. V PNA'G.

    • unefeeverte says:

      I KNOW RIGHT.
      EbgX jvgu Znex jvyy or NJRFBZR.

      • rabidsamfan says:

        Bu, lrf. V ynhturq fb uneq jura V ernq gung V guvax V fgnegyrq gur arvtuobef.

      • Jenny_M says:

        V pna frr gur yviroybt abj: 10 pbzzragf va n ebj sebz Znex.

        "Jbj, gung jnf terng!"

        "Bu hz, vg'f fgvyy tbvat? Jryy, gung jnf n terng raqvat."

        "…vf…vf vg qbar abj?"

        "Bu sbe shpx'f fnxr."

      • redheadedgirl says:

        Yup.

        Jr nyy zhfg znxr fher gb erzvaq Znex bs gur fgngrzrag jura jr trg gb gur zbivrf.

    • blossomingpeach says:

      I know!

    • ljrTR says:

      I KNOW!!!

    • Zoli says:

      MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY.

    • Saphling says:

      FREVBHFYL. V pbhyqa'g uryc ohg favpxre. Ur unf ab vqrn.

    • Ryan Lohner says:

      Naq gurer jnf zber raqvat zngrevny nobhg Yrtbynf naq Tvzyv, juvpu jnfa'g rira chg va gur rkgraqrq rqvgvba orpnhfr V thrff Wnpxfba svtherq ur'q urneq rabhtu pbzcynvavat nobhg vg.

      Naq V nqber gur fgbel nobhg Wnpx Avpubyfba yrnivat rneyl gb jnez hc gur pne sbe uvf snzvyl, naq gura nfxvat Ryvwnu Jbbq uvzfrys jung unccrarq gb Sebqb.

    • Suzannezibar says:

      SERIOUSLY AAAAH.

    • Fuchsia says:

      V xabj, V'z ynhtuvat fb uneq bire gung. V pnaabg.

    • flootzavut says:

      I know LOL I just didn't know anyway of commenting on that without being spoileriffic 😀

    • misterbernie says:

      NUNUN BU TBQ LRF

      Gb dhbgr Pyrbyvaqn,
      GUR ZBIVR: *vf bire*

      GUR ZBIVR: *vf abg bire*

    • acityofdoors says:

      Hi-five to all the 'totally knew what this said without ROT13ing it' crew!

    • Katarina says:

      Lrnu, ernqvat gung, V jrag, "…Ur'f gebyyvat hf, evtug? Ur'f urneq nobhg gung cneg?" Ohg cebonoyl abg.

      • flootzavut says:

        Jvgu guvf, naq gur fghss sebz yngr va gur uboovg nobhg jnyxvat vagb n ibypnab… zna gurer ner fb znal zbzragf jura V unir jbaqrerq vs ur'f gebyyvat hf. Uvf hacercnerqarff vf n guvat bs GEHR ORNHGL.

    • stefb4 says:

      THIS IS WHAT I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT ALSO.

    • roguebelle says:

      VXE?!

      Naq V'z fbzrbar jub ubarfgyl ybirf gung jubyr zbivr gb ovgf naq vf abg rira obgurerq ol vg gnxvat gjragl zvahgrf gb trg guebhtu gur qrabhrzrag. Qbrfa'g shff zr va gur fyvtugrfg (naq V qba'g xabj jung lbh'q phg sebz gung, orpnhfr V guvax vg'f vzcbegnag gb frr gur punenpgref lbh fgnegrq jvgu nyy gur jnl guebhtu gb gur raq — Wnpxfba cebonoyl jbhyq'ir qbar orggre gb abg snqr nyy gur jnl gb oynpx be juvgr fb znal gvzrf, gubhtu). Ohg vg'f fgvyy fbeg bs uvynevbhf. V ubcr Znex erzrzoref guvf naq ynhtuf ng uvzfrys nsgre gur zbivr ivrjvat.

      • arctic_hare says:

        Guvf, V gbgnyyl nterr jvgu lbh – V jnagrq naq arrqrq gb frr jung unccrarq gb zl orybirq punenpgref. Ohg gur rqvgvat qrpvfvba gb qb nyy gubfr snqrf gb juvgr/oynpx jnf abg creuncf gur orfg pubvpr…

        Fgvyy, V nz ynhtuvat evqvphybhfyl uneq ng Znex'f pbzzrag.

        • roguebelle says:

          Naq V gbgnyyl trg crbcyr jub nera'g unccl jvgu gur qenja-bhg raqvat naq svaq vg sehfgengvat, ohg V'z whfg fhpu n fragvzragny trrx gung V jvyy unccvyl fvg gurer tevaavat fb oebnqyl naq fvzhygnarbhfyl jrrcvat yvxr n fznyy puvyq. (Frevbhfyl, V jvyy whfg trg bire bar rzbgvbany zbzrag jura gur arkg bar uvgf naq V'z n jngrefcbhg ntnva).

          Ohg frevbhfyl, ur unf AB VQRN naq vg znxrf zr tvttyr. 😀

          • arctic_hare says:

            ZR GBB, V nz gur rknpg fnzr jnl! V ybir rirel cneg bs gubfr raqvatf naq unir gur fnzr ernpgvbaf lbh qrfpevorq.

            Fbzrbar jvyy erzvaq Znex bs guvf jura ur trgf gb gung zbivr, naq vg'yy or uvynevbhf.

            • AmandaNekesa says:

              V nterr gbb, V ybir rirel fprar vapyhqrq va gur raqvat bs EbgX. Vg jbhyq unir orra n irel qvssrerag srry gb raq vg jvgubhg nal bs gurz, gubhtu gurl pbhyq unir genafvgvbarq orgjrra gur fprarf n ovg orggre. V ernyyl ubcr Znex tbrf onpx guebhtu uvf erivrjf bapr ur svavfurf pnhfr guvf vf whfg gbb shaal!

            • flootzavut says:

              Gurer unir orra FB ZNAL zbzragf jura znex unf vanqiregragyl uvg ba guvatf gung, jvgu uvaqfvtug, ur whfg jba'g or noyr gb oryvrir ubj pybfr ur pnzr jvgubhg npghnyyl fghzoyvat ba vg. V xabj vg'f n ybat gvzr pbzvat, ohg V srry gur Uboovg/YBGE "Znex Ernqf" obbxf jvyy or rira zber jbegu gur jnvg cerpvfryl sbe guvf ernfba. V YBIR VG!

      • redheadedgirl says:

        Rknpgyl. Vg'f abg snyyvat npgvba sbe n 3-4 ubhe zbivr, vg'f snyyvat npgvba sbe n GJRYIR UBHE ZBIVR. Gung'f n YBG bs snyyvat gung arrqf gb or qbar.

    • AmandaNekesa says:

      That was my exact reaction too! Vs ur guvaxf guvf obbx unf zhygvcyr raqvatf, jung vf ur tbaan fnl jura ur trgf gbb gur EbgX obbx naq zbivr? Ururur…

      • flootzavut says:

        Ur'f cebonoyl tbvat gb tb nyy Wnpx Avpubyfba ba hf, qvq guvf raq lrg be jung?? YBY :Q

        • AmandaNekesa says:

          Ururur…lrnu V ybir Ryvwnu'f er-gryyvat bs gung rapbhagre (fbzrguvat yvxr guvf):

          Avpubyfba: Qvq lbh qvr?
          Jbbq: Jryy…jryy, lrnu vg fbeg bs qrcraqf hcba ubj lbh ybbx ng vg…Qvqa'g lbh frr gur raqvat?
          Avpubyfba: Ab, V yrsg jnnnl orsber gung!

          ununun…jura V svefg fnj gung cneg va gur rkgenf, V pbhyqa'g fgbc ynhtuvat. Gbb shaal! V'q cbfg n yvax sbe gur ivqrb ba lbhghor ohg V'z trggvat fb cnenabvq bs gurfr znffvir fcbvyref V qba'g rira jnag gb yvax bire gb ivqrbf pbagnvavat fghss yvxr guvf!

          LOL!!! 😀 brb, laughing forever…

      • flootzavut says:

        (Lbh xabj, gur orfg guvat vf, jr'er nyy cbfgvat njnl yvxr nalguvat naq Znex unf AB VQRN ubj fvtavsvpnag jung ur whfg fnvq vf. V thrff ur guvaxf guvf vf nyy nobhg shgher guvatf va gur obbx, naq ab, vg'f whfg hf nyy tbvat "OJNUNUNUNUNUNUN QVQ LBH WHFG ERNQ GUNG???! AB JNL!"

        V ybir gung :Q

        • AmandaNekesa says:

          V ybir gung gbb! Fbzrgvzrf V jbaqre vs V'z znlor bire-eryvfuvat va Znex'f hacercnerqarff, ohg gura V frr rirelbar ba urer naq vg znxrf zr srry orggre. 🙂 Jr cbhapr ba nal yvggyr pbzzrag gung fubjf uvf ynpx bs YbgE xabjyrqtr naq whfg ynhtu gb bhefryirf, guvaxvat: Jr pna'g jnvg gb frr uvf zvaq zryg jura ur ernyvmrf GUVF. ZJNUNUNUNUNUNNN… Naq jr whfg unir sha gbeghevat uvz ol pbagvahvat ba jvgu bhe qvfphffvba nobhg gurfr guvatf naq gelvat gb svther bhg jnlf gb zvfyrnq uvz naq fhpu. Onfvpnyyl V whfg jnag gb fnl, V ybir guvf pbzzhavgl. V ybir gung V'z abg gur bayl bar synvyvat jvgu n engure zvfpuvribhf teva ba zl snpr jura V pbzr npebff fghss yvxr guvf! <3

    • sporkaganza93 says:

      OH MY GOD I KNOW

    • Valerie says:

      I was literally about to post the exact same thing. SO FUNNY.

    • @eruvadhril says:

      Mark is obviously a Seer.

    • Clare says:

      breaking lurker silence because OH MY GOD. SO UNPREPARED.

    • farfromdaylight says:

      Oh my god I am delurking for this. JUST YES.

  3. Tauriel_ says:

    A recording of J.R.R. Tolkien reciting Namárië:

    [youtube 6de_SbVUVfA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6de_SbVUVfA youtube]

    Note: the text in the first verse is slightly different than in the book; Tolkien wrote several versions of the poem.

    • Clamarnicale says:

      There is another recording out there where the Professor himself actually sings Namárië, in a sort of Gregorian chant. I have been looking all over for it, but have been unable to find it. Though when Donald Swann set the songs and poems to music in The Road Goes Ever On, Tolkien insisted upon his own melody for Namárië, so it's basically the same.

      Here is The Road Goes Ever On recording (be aware though, the clip contains stills from the movies – so potential spoilers): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onbR23Kmcf8

    • flootzavut says:

      <3

    • Appachu says:

      Call me a geek, but apart from the hair he kinda looks like the third Doctor to me. WHICH ONLY MAKES HIM MORE AWESOME.

      Also <3<3<3

    • rissreader says:

      Thank you for posting this. It's amazing to listen to it. So beautiful. And, he seems quite fluent too! 😉

    • kbrooks says:

      Holy…. wow. I had no idea such a thing existed.

      I'm loving discovering these treasures in the comments as much as I'm loving reading about Mark's epic unpreparedness!

  4. Tauriel_ says:

    Two gorgeous renderings of songs in this chapter by the Poetic Fellowship:

    Song of Galadriel

    Namárië

  5. hansfish says:

    unir lbh rire frra n zbivr gung “raqrq” yvxr svsgrra gvzrf?

    JUL LRF

    LRF V UNIR

    oeo, qlvat bs ynhtu

    • ljrTR says:

      Very funny! ohg V fgvyy ubcr ur ernqf gur obbxf orsber ur frrf gur svyzf – Gur Fpbhevat vf fhpu na vzcbegnag raqvat gb zr.

    • pocketmouse says:

      V XABJ EVTUG.

    • Suzannezibar says:

      YBYBY FREVBHFYL WHFG JNVG GVYY UR JNGPURF ERGHEA BS GUR XVAT :Q

      • eregyrn says:

        Npghnyyl… gb tb ba n yvggyr gnatrag…

        Yvxr cebonoyl rirelbar, jura V jngpurq EBGX va gurngref, V bs pbhefr tbg gung "ubj znal raqvatf NER gurer?" frafngvba. (Vg whfg qvqa'g obgure zr ng nyy, orpnhfr V unq fbzrguvat va zl rlr… bu GURER VG TBRF NTNVA;.)

        Naq gura, V nz nfunzrq gb nqzvg tvira jung n uhtr Gbyxvra sna V nz naq nyfb n sna bs gur zbivrf… V arire jngpurq gur vagrtengrq EBGX RR. V bognvarq vg, bs pbhefr. V jngpurq nyy gur rkgen fprarf cvrprzrny. Ohg V unq abg fng qbja naq jngpurq vg guebhtu.

        Hagvy gur erprag ercevfr bs Gevybtl Ghrfqnl jvgu bar bs gur RRf rirel jrrx. Fb frrvat vg ba gur ovt fperra jnf gur svefg gvzr V fnj gur EBGX RR va vgf ragvergl.

        (Naq abj jr ernpu gur cbvag bs zl pbzzrag…) V jnf fhecevfrq gung V QVQA'G svaq gur raqvat bs gur EBGX RR nf pubccl nf V unq erzrzorerq vg orvat va gur gurngre. V sbhaq vg n YBG fzbbgure.

        Vs nalbar ryfr ernqf guvf naq unf ernq guvf sne, V'q ybir gb urne vs bgure crbcyr'f rkcrevraprf bs gur RR raqvat ner fvzvyne? Be jnf vg whfg gung gur cnffntr bs gvzr, naq gur sberxabjyrqtr bs gur "pubccl" raqvatf, znqr zl erivrjvat bs gurz guvf gvzr fzbbgure va zl urnq?

        • AmandaNekesa says:

          Sbe zl svefg gvzr jngpuvat EbgX va gur gurngref V qvqa'g rira guvax nobhg gur raqvat nf univat zhygvcyr raqvatf. V gubhtug vg sybjrq dhvgr jryy, naq qvqa'g guvax nobhg vg hagvy nsgrejneqf jura bgure crbcyr unq pbzzragrq ba vg.

          V guvax V jnf whfg zber ranzberq jvgu gur raqvat orpnhfr V unqa'g svavfurq ernqvat GGG jura V fnj EbgX, fb V qvqa'g xabj ubj gur fgbel raqrq. Gung, naq jura V'z jngpuvat n zbivr gung V ernyyl rawbl, V trg fb gubebhtuyl rairybcrq va gur fgbel, V qba'g ernyyl pner gung vg'f n ybat zbivr be nalguvat, orpnhfr V whfg jnag gb xabj gur fgbel naq nyybj gur svyzznxref gb fubj zr gurve ovg bs fgbelgryyvat. V unir n ybg bs sevraqf gubhtu jub unq arire ernq gur obbxf, naq gurl qrsvavgryl abgvprq vgf zhygvcyr raqvatf evtug njnl. Xabjvat zl sevraqf gubhtu, vg jnfa'g gbb fhecevfvat orpnhfr zbfg bs gurz unir n uneq gvzr fvggvat fgvyy sbe yratgul zbivrf, ubirevat nebhaq (be cnfg, sbe YbgE) gur 3 ubhe znex. Sbe zr, gubhtu, V unir ab ceboyrz fvggvat guebhtu zbivrf gung ner 3+ ubhef vs V'z ng nyy rawblvat vg, rira vs V'ir frra vg orsber. V guvax V'ir ybfg pbhag bs ubj znal gvzrf V'ir jngpurq gur YbgE zbivrf…. 🙂

        • flootzavut says:

          V guvax guvf vf irel zhpu n LZZI guvat. V jngpurq gur guveq zbivr nobhg n lrne V guvax nsgre svavfuvat gur guveq obbx naq jnf fhecevfrq ubj zhpu gurl phg bhg (frrzf boivbhf va ergebfcrpg, V zrna, uryyb fpbhevat bs gur fuver, boivbhf phggvat sybbe pnfhnygl). V qba'g erzrzore guvaxvat vg jnf nyy gung pubccl, gubhtu V qb erzrzore vg jnf n ybbbbbbbat raqvat… ohg V qvqa'g zvaq. Naq gura ba jngpuvat gur RRf gur raqvat bs EbgX vf V qba'g guvax punatrq zhpu vs ng nyy sebz gur gurngevpny.

          Hz. V'z abg fher jung V nz gelvat gb fnl urer… YBY fbeel. V guvax V nz trarenyyl fb vairfgrq va gur fgbel gung V whfg npprcg gur onmvyyvba raqvatf!

          Enaqbz, naq whfg orpnhfr v nz jngpuvat OOG guvf nsgreabba, V'q ybir gb jngpu n Ovt onat Gurbel rcvfbqr juvpu cnebqvrq gur zhygvcyr raqvatf bs EbgX – gung jbhyq or fbbbb shaal 🙂

    • eregyrn says:

      FREVBHFYL. QVRQ YNHTUVAT. Gura qrpvqrq V'q orggre ernq gur pbzzragf gb frr vs fbzrbar ryfr pyrireyl fnvq gur fnzr guvat V jnf tbvat gb, juvpu jnf nyy-ohg nffherq. *ung gvc* gb lbh, fve/znqnz. 🙂

  6. Jenny_M says:

    Also, I am impressed with you picking up on Galadriel's lineage on your first read, Sir! TWO COOKIES TO YOU FOR EXCELLENT READING COMPREHENSION.

    • ljrTR says:

      I sure didn't pick up on it the first time around

    • Katie says:

      Took me about five reads to realize Galadriel and Arwen were related at all…

    • Katarina says:

      I never realized on my own – someone mentioned it a couple of years ago. But I blame everything I lack in LotR reading comprehension on Ohlmarks.

      • Cylena says:

        I bought LotR in a nice set from amazon just so I don't have to reread Ohlmarks translation for TTT and RotK. I have the fellowship in a new translation, so that is fine, but reverting to the crapastic ones? No thanks!

    • Juliana Moreli says:

      Naq ur nyfb ”nccneragyl” tbg gur ybir uvfgbel orgjrra Nentbea naq Nejra…fb, ”nccneragyl” ab zber fcbvyrel!

      • flootzavut says:

        V gubhtug ur qvq ernyyl jryy gb cvpx hc ba gung – V qba'g guvax V abgvprq nyy gur ersreraprf ba zl svefg ernq guebhtu rira gubhtu V'q frra gur svefg zbivr ng gung cbvag… :b

    • SweetVerda says:

      When I first read it, I forgot about Celebrian's mention as Arwen's mother in Rivendel, and thought that Arwen was Galadriel's daughter, which made less sense than none, because *Elrond*. So I am very happy Mark had managed to pick up so much. He seems to be Arwen-sensitive, and had noted every single mention of her. Maybe it's because there are so few women it's easier to keep track of them all than the men.

  7. Tauriel_ says:

    Tauriel's Linguistic Corner

    In this chapter we have one of the longest compositions in Quenya (High Elven) that Tolkien ever wrote. I'm not going to go through it word by word, because it would take too long – and in any case, here is a excellent in-depth analysis of it by linguist and Tolkien scholar Helge Fauskanger on his site "Ardalambion" (and I can't compare with him – his site is the primary source of all my Quenya and Sindarin knowledge 🙂 ).

    But here are the translations of a few names that appear in this chapter:

    Sarn Gebir – "Stony ridges". Sindarin origin: sarn – "small stone"; gebir is a lenited form of cebir – "spikes", "ridges".
    Rauros – "Noisy fall". Sindarin origin: raw – "roaring noise"; ross – "spray or fall or fountain".
    Nen Hithoel – "Misty lake". Sindarin origin: nên – "water", "lake"; hîthui – "foggy", "misty" (hîth = "fog", "mist")
    lembas – "journey-bread". Sindarin origin: lend – "journey"; bass – "bread".
    hithlain – "mist-thread". Sindarin origin: hîth – "fog", "mist"; lain – "thread".
    Tol Brandir – "tall island". Sindarin origin: toll – "island"; brand – "high", "tall", "lofty".
    Emyn Muil – "Hills of Dreariness". Sindarin origin: emyn – hills (singular form of "hill" is amon); muil – "twilight", "dreariness", "shadow".
    Cirith Gorgor – "Pass of horror". Sindarin origin: cirith – "pass", "cleft"; gorgor – "horror", "deadly fear".

    • Smurphy says:

      Question. And yes, I'm behind but I'm rereading so… technically this isn't Quenya or any other of Tolkien's languages but his own so you might not be able to help me but… Is there a reason Tolkien uses "miles" to speak of distance and would it be equal to our distance for miles?

      "It cannot be less than forty miles from West-door to East-gate in a direct line, and the road may wind much."
      J.R.R. Tolkien (2009-04-17). The Lord of the Rings (p. 310). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

      I LOVE THAT FEATURE. It's not the only time he did it either. He used it 100 times. Love that feature too. I just find it odd. Thoughts/opinions?

      • Smurphy says:

        and feet! and inches! and yards!

        • Tilly says:

          Well, why wouldn't he use miles? The UK didn't metricate until the 60s, and then only partially. Even now they still use miles on road signs and things like that.

      • Tauriel_ says:

        Miles, feet and yards are "traditional" units of measurement, and since LOTR is supposed to be a record of ancient Earth history, it makes sense that Tolkien would use those rather than the metric system. Also to keep things simple and allow the readers to easily visualise the distances (it wouldn't be so easy if he invented new units of measurement just for LOTR).

      • flootzavut says:

        We still use miles (and indeed yards and feet) for many measurements of distance in the UK – and Middle Earth is very much inspired (the Shire moreso) by bucolic English countryside. After all, this is our ancient pre-history, not the prehistory of another planet. It would have been entirely natural to him to use miles and I think it would be weird (from a British POV) if he didn't.

        Appendix spoilers:

        Nyfb, va gur nccraqvprf ur gnyxf nobhg ubj ur genafyngrq rirelguvat sebz gur Jrfgeba gb nf zhpu nf cbffvoyr tvir gur ernqre n synibhe bs jung guvatf jbhyq frrz yvxr sebz n Uboovg cbvag bs ivrj. Fb Eviraqryy vf n genafyngvba bs gur Jrfgeba anzr,abg gur Jrfgeba anzr vgfrys. Uvf ernfbavat vf gung gur Jrfgeba naq Ryivfu anzrf (CYRNFR qba'g nfx zr gur Jrfgeba, V qba'g erzrzore…) jbhyq or rdhnyyl nyvra gb gur ernqre, fb ur cebivqrf na "Ratyvfu genafyngvba" bs gur Jrfgeba.

        Ur jnf n ovg bs n travhf, fb fbzr bs uvf ernfbavat va guvf vf n ovg oenva-qrslvat gb sbyybj, ohg fghaavat va gur qrcgu bs uvf vzntvangvba!

        Fvzvyne guvat tbrf jvgu n ybg bs gur anzrf – Fnzjvfr Tnztrr naq Sebqb Onttvaf, sbe rknzcyr, ner Ratyvfu genafyngvbaf bs Jrfgeba anzrf.

        Zl cbvag – juvpu V irel arneyl sbetbg gb znxr :b – vf gung va tvivat gur ernqre gur uboovg cbvagf bs ivrj, jungrire zrnfherzrag gur uboovgf hfrq sbe nal tvira fvghngvba jbhyq or "genafyngrq" vagb gur nccebcevngryl snzvyvne genafyngvba va Ratyvfu. (V srry gung Nentbea be fbzrbar znl hfr "yrnthrf" naq bgure fyvtugyl zber rfbgrevp zrnfherzragf yngre, juvpu jbhyq fvtavsl n zrnfherzrag yrff snzvyvne gb gur uboovgf.) Fb, rira vs gur uboovgf naq ryirf hfrq n qvssrerag zrnfhevat flfgrz, genafyngvat vagb zvyrf vf na rkgrafvba bs Gbyxvra'f pbaprvg gung ur qvq abg jevgr gur fgbevrf, ohg zreryl genafyngrq gurz sebz gur Erq Obbx bs Jrfgznepu.

        Naq V glcrq nyy gung va ebg13 fb vs gurer ner nal jrveq glcbf gura gung'f jul… V ubcr guvf znqr fbzr xvaq bs frafr!

  8. Tauriel_ says:

    DO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT ARWEN IS GALADRIEL’S GRANDDAUGHTER?

    Yep, exactly. 🙂 Galadriel is Arwen's Grandma. 😀

  9. Stingingpetals says:

    I heartily encourage you to listen to the Tolkien Ensemble's renditions of the poem in this chapter.

    I think it's interesting, that, even though we've seen relatively few women so far in this book, they're all formidable in some way. Arwen, Lobelia and Galadriel are special, something very different from the pack of menfolk they're all surrounded by. I think that Tolkien must've loved and respected (and feared, a little) women very much.

    I'm so happy you're reading this book, Mark! It was a huge part of my childhood and I still read it once every other year. <3

    • Darth_Ember says:

      And we have Luthien, mentioned way back in Aragorn's song… which ties into Silm stuff, va juvpu jr nyfb trg Unyrgu, jub vf bar bs gur zbfg njrfbzr ynqvrf rire gb njrfbzr. Abg rira Ryiraxvatf pna gryy ure jung gb qb! Fur vf onfvpnyyl na vapneangvba bs xvpxnff, naq qbrf vg nyy juvyr orvat uhzna, gb obbg, naq gurersber abg tvsgrq jvgu gubhfnaqf bs lrnef naq rkgen-fgebat frafrf gb uryc ure qvfgvathvfu urefrys.

      • Tauriel_ says:

        Lrnu, Unyrgu vf njrfbzr. 🙂 Fur'f onfvpnyyl gur Ébjla bs gur Fvyznevyyvba, ohg fyvtugyl zber onqnff.

    • ljrTR says:

      and Goldberry – being the mate of Tom Bombadil makes her pretty different and special too!

  10. cait0716 says:

    unir lbh rire frra n zbivr gung “raqrq” yvxr svsgrra gvzrf?

    Lrf, vg jnf pnyyrq erghea bs gur xvat

    I really want to eat waybread, too.

    EPIC BROMANCE BFF is so accurate

    I read that as Arwen being Galadriel's daughter. But granddaughter probably makes more sense. Unless Galadriel dated Elrond before Celeborn. Dated is probably the wrong word.

    • Jenny_M says:

      I think I need a CW show about dating Elves. Get on that, Alloy Entertainment.

    • ljrTR says:

      I always wanted one of the cloaks.

      • eregyrn says:

        V qvq engure yvxr gur jnl gurl qvq gur pybnxf va gur zbivrf, naq lbh pna GBGNYYL ohl gurz, sebz gur AM jrniref jub qvq gur jrnivat gung gur zbivr cebqhpgvba hfrq. Qb n frnepu sbe "pybnx fgnafobebhtu" naq gung jvyy trg lbh gur pbzcnal'f cntr, nygubhtu gurve jbex vf nyfb fbyq guebhtu gur JO bssvpvny fubc sbe YBGE zrepunaqvfr. Hasbeghangryl, gurl ner gur rcvgbzr bs ABG PURNC.

        Gur nqinagntr bs tbvat gb gur Fgnafobebhtu jrofvgr vf gung gurl nyfb unir vgrzf yvxr fpneirf naq jencf gung pbfg zber va gur ernyz bs "nssbeqnoyr", znqr bhg bs gur fnzr jrnir nf gur ryira pybnxf. (Gur qvfnqinagntr bs pbhefr vf fuvccvat sebz AM, hayrff lbh'er gurer nyernql.)

        V xabj vg'f abg ernyyl gur fnzr guvat nf jnagvat GUR PYBNXF sebz GUR OBBXF. Ohg vs lbh yvxrq gur jnl gur zbivrf qvq gurz, V gubhtug vg jnf vasb jbegu cnffvat ba.

        (Abj — zl xvatqbz sbe na npghny uvtu-dhnyvgl ercebqhpgvba bs gurve oebbpurf. :C V rkgrafviryl pbzcnevfba-fubccrq, ohg V raqrq hc srryvat yvxr abar bs gur ercebf jrer nf svaryl-znqr nf V jnagrq gurz gb or. *fvtu*)

    • Becky_J_ says:

      I thought that she was her daughter too, and I spent most of last night trying to remember how it worked…. GRANDDAUGHTER BECKY. GRANDDAUGHTER. *facepalm*

      And elf dating…. I expect a book on this along with the book about the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid's childhood and EVERYTHING ELSE THAT I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THESE WORLDS.

  11. Ryan Lohner says:

    "However, what I picked up pretty quickly is that pretty much no one knows what it is they should do after leaving Lothlórien."

    This is noted by one of the Tolkien scholars on the DVD (the same one whose synopsis of the Council of Elrond I noted before): "I think what he created, very powerfully, was a sense of realism. And realism comes from not knowing what's going on, and not knowing what to do next."

    Naq bs pbhefr, guvf unccraf rira zber jura lbh ybfr jubyr punenpgre tebhcf sbe uhaqerqf bs cntrf va obbxf gjb naq guerr.

    • ljrTR says:

      agree so much that the not knowing gives tha sense of realsim.! Abg xabjvat jung gb qb; abg xabjvat jung'f unccravat gb bgure punenpgref be cynprf. Great technique by Tolkien

    • summeriris says:

      That was Tom Shippey. Everyone should read his 'The Road To Middle-Earth'. A great guide to Tolkien. But Mark you cannot get it till you finish the LOTR proper. Also I highly recomment Karen Wyn Fonstad's Atlas. I sometimes read the LOTR with it open beside me. It's one of the things I like about Tolkien, you know where you have been, and you know where you are more or less, but you really don't know where you're going. Sometimes I wish other authors would pay attention to the details like he does.

  12. _Sparkie_ says:

    Um Mark, I think you mean the bromance between Legolas and Gimli, not Boromir! 😛

  13. blossomingpeach says:

    "Gung’f abg gb fnl gung Obebzve, Nentbea, Yrtbynf, be Tvzyv nera’g xabjyrqtrnoyr, gung gurl qba’g cbffrff vasbezngvba gung jvyy uryc gurz ba gurve dhrfg gb qrfgebl gur Evat. V guvax jr’yy trg gur punapr gb frr nyy sbhe bs gurz uryc bhg gur Pbzcnal va gur shgher. "

    Urr, ur fgvyy vzntvarf gurz nyy tbvat gb qrfgebl gur evat gbtrgure. V pna'g jnvg gb frr uvf ernpgvba va n pbhcyr bs puncgref…

  14. BetB says:

    "Also Aragorn gets a brooch? This is perfect. "

    Don't forget, he got another name: Elessar, the Elfstone. We need to update the list!!!

    "I refuse to let this go: after drinking the cup of parting, Lady Galadriel still won’t let them leave. SERIOUSLY WHY IS THIS SO FUNNY TO ME"

    I agree, the whole chapter seems to be "Goodbye, but wait just a moment for this…". (chuckle). That's ok, we get to see Galadriel and Celeborn more and learn about the elves magic that isn't magical to them. ^_^

    "Actually, Sam’s gift might be the most perfect thing ever. I love that his gift is given with the understanding of hope, that he might be able to use once he returns home to the Shire. "

    Znex, lbh fyl qbt, lbh… Ubj creprcgvir! Jnvg hagvy lbh svaq bhg jung'f va gur obk!

    "So it’s with great sadness that I also had to accept that I might not see Galadriel ever again. The Company is also full of the same grief because the wonder of Lórien is now behind them. Their future holds total uncertainty, and that city represents hope and dependability. It’s why the imagery that Tolkien provides as the characters drift along the River is so haunting to me. The silence, the ghostly trees, the setting sun, and the lack of stars all give their journey a sense of vacancy.

    They’re not longer safe."

    It is amazing how easily Tolkien changes the mood to uncertainty and loss and almost mourning. It only takes him a couple of paragraphs and I feel the passing from the happiness of being with the most excellent elves of Lorien to being adrift and not knowing where the Fellowship is going. I feel like Tolkien is tweaking emotion knobs to control my feelings.

    And lastly Mark, at least you know that you are unprepared.

  15. Katherine says:

    I don't think this is a spoiler, since you've already figured it out, but I'm impressed with you working out there's something between Aragorn and Arwen. Most people miss it completely.

  16. TheFormerAstronomer says:

    spoileriest spoilers: Nyfb, Obebzve vf npgvat fgenatr nobhg gur Evat? V pna’g ernyyl gryy jung Gbyxvra vf uvagvat ng, ubarfgyl.

    Ernyyl? Ernyyl? Unununununun, bu Znex – fb hacercnerq

    Fuu, abobql gryy uvz jub cynlf Obebzve va gur svyz…

    • pocketmouse says:

      Qbrf ur abg xabj jub cynlf Obebzve? Bzt, gung znxrf rirelguvat rira orggre!

    • ljrTR says:

      Gur zber V jngpu gur SBGE zbivr, gur zber V nccerpvngr Frna Orna'f terng cresbeznapr! Terng pnfgvat birenyy va gubfr svyzf, nz V evtug?

      • flootzavut says:

        SO right 😀

      • TheFormerAstronomer says:

        Absolutely right 🙂

        Zl bayl pnfgvat crrir jnf Frna Nfgva'f npprag, juvpu jnf whfg nyy jebat.

        • flootzavut says:

          Really? Gb zr ur fbhaqrq yvxr ur pnzr sebz nebhaq jurer V yvir juvpu nyjnlf frrzrq nobhg evtug…

          • TheFormerAstronomer says:

            Unun, V fhfcrpg gung vg zvtug or gung ur onfvpnyyl jrag sbe Trarevp Eheny Jrfgpbhagel, juvpu gb zr fbhaqrq jebat orpnhfr ur fubhyq'ir tbar sbe n zber zvqynaqf npprag (juvpu vf jurer V'z sebz…)

        • Erik says:

          Zl ovt pnfgvat crrir jnf Uhtb Jrnivat nf Ryebaq. Abg gung ur qvq n onq wbo, ohg… svefg, ur jnf gbb fgrea sbe gur ebyr, juvpu zhfg fubj gur jrypbzvat fvqr gung znqr guvf “Gur Ynfg Ubzryl Ubhfr” va gur Uboovg.

          Naq frpbaqyl, vg jnf gbb fbba nsgre gur Zngevk. “Zvfgre Onttvaf. Lbh unir orra yvivat gjb yvirf: znfgre bs Ont Raq naq Evatornere. Bar bs gurfr yvirf unf n shgher, naq bar bs gurz qbrf abg.” V pbhyq abg xrrc gur wbxrf bhg bs zl oenva gur svefg gvzr V fnj SbgE.

      • eregyrn says:

        Very, very right.

    • eregyrn says:

      V xabj gung ur'f fcbvyrq sbe n srj bs gur pnfg, ohg qrsvavgryl ABG sbe Obebzve. Naq gur snpg gung ur VFA'G fcbvyrq sbe Obebzve, naq unfa'g lrg orra, vf cebonoyl gur zbfg sbeghangr cvrpr bs yhpx ur'f unq, ernyyl. V pna'g guvax bs nabgure cvrpr bs pnfgvat gung znxrf nf zhpu qvssrerapr gb gur rkcrpgngvbaf bar zvtug unir ernqvat gur obbxf.

    • AmandaNekesa says:

      V xabj!! V pbhyqa'g oryvrir ur cvpxrq hc ba Nentbea/Nejra, naq gur snpg gung Tnynqevry vf Nejra'f tenaqzbgure, ohg abg Obebzve'f fgenatr punatr va qrzrnabe gbjneqf Sebqb & gur Evat! Ur vf fbbbbb hacercnerq, naq V pna'g uryc ohg teva rivyyl.

  17. rabidsamfan says:

    I also love Sam's gift. Magic fertilizer! Well, maybe not exactly that — a portable blessing from Galadriel that's meant just for a gardener? How perfect is that?

    • Becky_J_ says:

      What I love the most about Sam's gift is that it means that even though Lorien might disappear, a little piece of it will live on wherever Sam plants it. He is preserving some of the greatest beauty Middle Earth will ever see! And people thing gardening is a mediocre profession! PSH.

  18. ljrTR says:

    Lorien must have been very special to the Professor too since he spent 3 chapters here.
    I love the description of Galadriel's light – “May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.”

  19. Saphling says:

    The characters' decision to delay making any decisions always kind of amused me. "We don't know which way we're going, either east or west, so….. let's go south as far as we can before deciding which way to go!" >_>

  20. knut_knut says:

    I complained all Friday about having to wait until Monday to fangirl flail over Galadriel, AND THEN I MISSED IT ANYWAY! I am the worst

    I love how the fellowship has no idea what to do- I think it makes their journey more hopeless and realistic. The enemy’s plans and movements are completely unknown to them, so they’re forced to do something and do it quick, but they’re pretty much making it up along the way. EVERYTHING IS HOPELESS AND I LOVE IT.

    unir lbh rire frra n zbivr gung “raqrq” yvxr svsgrra gvzrf?
    BU ZL TBQ, LBH NER FB HACERCNERQ SBE ZBIVR!EBGX

  21. Atrus says:

    Unir lbh rire frra n zbivr gung “raqrq” yvxr svsgrra gvzrf?
    Phr rirelbar nobir: lrf, lrf jr qvq.

    Nyfb, Obebzve vf npgvat fgenatr nobhg gur Evat? V pna’g ernyyl gryy jung Gbyxvra vf uvagvat ng, ubarfgyl.
    Bu pbzr ba, Znex vf whfg gebyyvat hf abj! 😀

    Gimli's gift is so very romantic (in a chivalrous way, like a token) and even more poignant than he knows.
    Tnynqevry'f cbjre vf unygvat gvzr va Ybevra, xrrcvat gur cynpr gur jnl vg jnf va gur cnfg, yvxr n zrzbel; fvzvyneyl, Tvzyv'f pensg jvyy cerfreir Tnynqevry'f unve va pelfgny, fgbccvat vgf gvzr naq gheavat vg vagb n zrzbel. Yvxr znal guvatf va Gbyxvra naq YbgE, gur shgher ersyrpgf gur cnfg, bayl qvzvavfurq. *sniffle*

  22. Darth_Ember says:

    In keeping with the sad mood of leaving Lorien, let's have a video I meant to post ages ago. We got the song ages before this, but I was keeping it until the background image of the vid was no longer spoilery – and since that is the Moria door design, I had to wait a bit… and then forgot until now.
    The fall of Gil-galad:
    [youtube k8FYjyvsd00 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8FYjyvsd00 youtube]

  23. DavidZAarons says:

    This isn't relevant to today's chapter, but another user suggested I repost this so more people could see:

    A few days ago, Mark read the chapter where Bilbo sings a song to Frodo and remarked on it. I decided to sit down and compose/record my own version of it, as I'm an amateur musician and always liked that song as well.

    Go easy; this was done in an hour in my livingroom with a Guitar Hero microphone, haha. My voice isn't at its best, but here's what I came up with:
    http://soundcloud.com/accendilux/david-zaine-aaro

  24. Saphling says:

    V unq sbetbggra whfg ubj urnivyl gur Fpbhevat bs gur Fuver vf sberfunqbjrq. Ryebaq jnagf gb fraq Zreel naq Cvccva onpx gb cebgrpg gur Fuver, Fnz frrf gur punatrf va gur Fuver va Tnynqevry'f zveebe, Tnynqevry jneaf bs vg naq tvirf Fnz n tvsg gb uryc svk vg jura ur trgf ubzr… V arire pnhtug nyy gung jura V svefg ernq guvf obbx!

    • Dreamflower says:

      V xabj V qvqa'g jura V ernq vg gur svefg gvzr– V jnf hggreyl qrinfgngrq jura bhe uboovgf pnzr ubzr naq sbhaq guvatf nf gurl jrer! V jnf dhvgr natel nobhg vg.

      V guvax vg'f fbzrguvat zbfg svefg-gvzr ernqref qba'g cvpx hc ba: yvxr Sebqb naq gur bguref, jr jnag gb "fnir" gur Fuver, gb guvax bs vg nf hafcbvyrq naq jnvgvat sbe gurve erghea.

  25. Dreamflower says:

    Wow, Mark! I am so glad that you picked up so quickly on the fact that Arwen is Galadriel's granddaughter! Took me a couple of re-readings to understand that bit! (Of course the collateral is that Galadriel and Celeborn are Elrond's in-laws! So much fanfic fodder! )

    Galadriel's farewell song is so beautiful! I've heard many musical settings for that. But JRRT himself thought of it as sort of like Gregorian chant. He collaborated with Donald Swann to put a number of the songs from LotR to music, and approved most of Mr. Swann's melodies, but did not care for the one chosen for "Namarie!" He came out with a sort of Gregorian chant version himself, which is what Mr. Swann used! (The songbook is called The Road Goes Ever On and has lots of wonderful linguistic notes. (But there are spoilers for some songs later in the story, so best left until you are finished with the rest of the story.)

    A friend of mine wrote a beautiful fanfic about the crafting of the cloaks given to the Fellowship as they leave:

    Eight Elven Cloaks by Virtuella http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?…

    • settledforhistory says:

      So that aswers Mark's question "How do any them procreate?".
      My question is now: Where is Celebrían, Arwen's mother? Is she dead, lost? Is there something like Elve-divorce?
      So many questions and fortunately still more than 2 books to go.

      • Atrus says:

        Spoilers (stolen from Wikipedia): Va G.N. 2509, ba n gevc sebz Eviraqryy gb Yóevra, Pryroeína jnf jnlynvq ol Bepf va gur Erqubea Cnff ba Pnenquenf va gur Zvfgl Zbhagnvaf. Fur jnf pncgherq naq gbezragrq naq erprvirq n cbvfbarq jbhaq. Fur jnf erfphrq ol ure fbaf naq urnyrq ol Ryebaq, ohg "nsgre srne naq gbezrag" fur pbhyq ab ybatre svaq wbl va Zvqqyr-rnegu, fb fur cnffrq gb gur Terl Uniraf naq bire gur Frn va gur sbyybjvat lrne.

      • Dreamflower says:

        Gurer jnf n oevrs zragvba bs Pryroevna jura rirelbar jnf va Eviraqryy, jurer vg zragvbaf ure "gbezrag ol bepf".

        Jung unccrarq jnf nobhg 500 lrnef orsber guvf fgbel bcraf, Pryroevna jnf pncgherq ol bepf va gur Zvfgl Zbhagnvaf jura fur jnf ba ure jnl gb ivfvg ure cneragf (be jnf fur ba gur jnl ubzr nsgre gur ivfvg? V qba'g erpnyy.) Nalubj fur jnf gbegherq naq uryq pncgvir hagvy fur jnf erfphrq ol ure fbaf Ryynqna naq Ryebuve. Fur jnf nyvir, ohg fur arire dhvgr erpbirerq sebz ure genhzn.

        Nf n erfhyg, fur fnvyrq npebff gur Frn gb Ryiraubzr va Inyvabe, jurer fur pbhyq or urnyrq. Fb, fur'f fgvyy nyvir, ohg bhg bs ure snzvyl'f ernpu, nf gung'f n bar jnl gevc.

      • Saphling says:

        Gurve zbgure'f gbezrag ng gur unaqf bs gur bepf vf nyfb zragvbarq jul ure naq Ryebaq'f fbaf ner fb bsgra bhg ba reenagel, uhagvat bepf.

    • It is hilarious to me that Donald Swann wrote music for LotR. Donald Swann! Of Flanders and Swann! The Hippopotamus Song! The Gnu! Have Some Madeira, M'Dear! We're Terribly House and Garden at No. 7B!

      It's very incongruous, is what I think I am getting at here.

      • Dreamflower says:

        I know. Even on THIS side of the pond, we are familiar with "Mud, mud, glorious mud…"

        But the melodies he came up with, I think are very nice. There's a lot of embellishment for some of them that I don't think is necessary, but the tunes for "The Road Goes Ever On" "Upon the Hearth", "I Sit Beside the Fire and Think" and a couple of others I won't mention as they are spoilery, are very nice tunes.

        At any rate, JRRT liked all but one of them– and that's the one for Namarie, which Mr. Swann changed to the one JRRT came up with himself.

  26. Suzannezibar says:

    Bxnl, fb guvf vf ernyyl avg-cvpxl, OHG, qbrf nalbar ryfr ernyyl ernyyl ungr gung cneg va gur Rkgraqrq Rqvgvba bs SBGE jura Fnz trgf gur ebcr naq ur npgf nyy qvfnccbvagrq orpnhfr ur qbrfa'g trg gur pbby qnttnef Zreel naq Cvccva tbg? PBZR BA, LBH THLF. LBH UNIR PBZCYRGRYL. ZVFFRQ. GUR CBVAG.

    /enag.

    Also Mark, you have now discovered the Most Epic-est of Bromances! \o/

    • rabidsamfan says:

      V jnf qvfnccbvagrq — lbh pbhyq nyzbfg fnl ubeevsvrq, naq ol gura V nyernql XARJ gung gurl jrer fxvccvat gur Fpbhevat, ohg pbzr ba, Fnz orvat n tneqrare vf fb rffragvny gb uvf crefbanyvgl. Gurl pbhyq unir znqr vg fyvqr guebhtu. (Naq jbefr, rkprcg sbe gung bar ovg, gur ebcr unf ab hfrf. Fnzr qbrfa'g rira xrrc vg gb gvr uvzfrys naq Sebqb gbtrgure nf gurl pyvzo gur fgnvef!)

      *sigh* Another reason, as if I needed one, that Mark should read the book before watching the movies.

      • AmandaNekesa says:

        Lrnu, V guvax gurl zrnag gb rzcunfvmr gur snpg gung, bhg bs gur uboovgf, ur'f gur zbfg obyq, fgbhgurnegrq bs gur uboovgf, jura vg pbzrf gb svtugvat sbe gur Fuver naq Zvqqyr-rnegu. Ohg fgvyy, ur'f xvaq bs yvxr, "guvf tvsg vf abg arneyl nf hfrshy be qrfvenoyr nf n avpr, fuval qnttre."

        V qb jnag gb cbvag bhg gung va gur RR bs GGG Sebqb naq Fnz QB hfr gur ebcr, va Rzla Zhvy, naq gurl gnxr vg jvgu gurz nsgrejneqf. Fnz ghtf ba gur ebcr naq gur xabg pbzrf ybbfr.

    • TheFormerAstronomer says:

      Yes. Yes I do :@

    • ljrTR says:

      Nf zhpu nf V ybir gur svyzf, gurer ner ZNAL guvatf yvxr guvf gung V qvqa'g yvxr va gurz.

  27. GollumPanties says:

    You don’t even know how many feelings I have about these reviews. I’m seriously spazzing about all the things you’ve picked up on and all the things that are going to come as a total surprise.

    I share your stanning of Galadriel. She is a major badass and one of my absolute favorite characters. ^^

    • monkeybutter says:

      Please don't use the word "spaz." It's ableist and against the site rules.

      • Erik says:

        I understand the intent, and I’m not pushing against it at all. But can you recommend a good, pithy, single-word substitute for the sense of “I have gotten so excited that I’ve lost control of myself”? I’ve been racking my vocabulary for an alternate word, and not coming up with one.

        English, you fail me!

        • glyneth says:

          Wigging out?

        • eregyrn says:

          I think a lot of folks in fandom are using "flailing"? Specifically, "kermit-flailing" gets used a lot, to suggest the excited arm-waving and YAAAAYYYYYY!!! characteristic of Kermit the Frog's intros on the Muppet Show (see: YouTube).

          • Saphling says:

            <img src="http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/71920949/1241432&quot; alt="YAAAAY!"/>

            It's so very emotive. o/

          • Erik says:

            Unfortunately, “flailing” is already in my professional vocabulary as a particular type of Failure Mode, so the connotations are all wrong in my head.

            I’ll try to stick with “wigging out” for spasmodic squee-gasms.

            • eregyrn says:

              Hmm. I'm not unfamiliar with the use of "flailing" as an expression of Failure Mode, so I can certainly see what you mean.

              I guess for me, which sense it is being used for has always been obvious from the rest of the context, and thus, neither connotation (positive or negative) has uppermost place in my mind.

              Plus, the "kermit-flail" context is fairly unambiguously positive. Perhaps that explains why people started using it. (Or, they just really, really like Kermit. Because, who doesn't?)

      • GollumPanties says:

        Oh. Sorry, I read the rules, but I never made a connection between the term any ableist pejorative sense. It has only ever been in my vocabulary as a “flailing/shaking and crying” term.

  28. monkeybutter says:

    I wholeheartedly approve of your boat names. Alternative names for Boat #2: Merry and the Rock-Throwers, or IF YOU TWO DON’T CALM DOWN, I’M GONNA TURN THIS BOAT AROUND. The boat groupings are flawless, especially the Legolas and Gimli pairing. I love how quickly they’ve become friends, and how they show their bond by lamenting the loss of Lorien together. And it’s a melancholy moment; Galadriel telling Sam “For our Spring and our Summer are gone by, and they will never be seen on earth again save in memory” made my stomach flip. (And I love what you say about Galadriel’s gift to Sam representing hope.) The Fellowship doesn’t know what path they’re going to take to destroy the ring, or even which ones are going to take which path. The only certainty, as this chapter and the last one told us, is that Middle-Earth is changing, and they’re on their own now. I definitely see what you mean about this seeming like the real beginning of their journey.

    Bu, naq V jbhyq tvir nalguvat gb urne Pryrobea pnyy Obebzve “fjrrg fhzzre puvyq” jura ur nqivfrf uvz gb urrq byq jvirf’ gnyrf.

    • Jenny_M says:

      Behind the scenes movie stuff: Wbua Eulf Qnivrf' fgbel nobhg Beynaqb naq gur pncfvmvat obng arire snvyf gb znxr zr crr zlfrys jvgu ynhtugre. Ur'f fb NHFGRER nobhg vg!

    • nanceoir says:

      BZT, lbhe ynfg pbzzrag unf nobhg svsgrra ynlref bs uvynevgl gb vg.

    • Becky_J_ says:

      I am laughing FOREVER at the thought of Boromir and Merry and Pippin in that small boat and the shenanigans that will ensue.

      "CHILDREN. Seriously. Stop rocking the boat, or I will throw both of you in and you can deal with whatever this water has in store!" Because lets face it…. every single body of water we have so far encountered has contained something.

      Also…. "Stop throwing the damn rocks in the water, haven't we discovered two times already that rock throwing ends in near death experiences??"

  29. alfgifu says:

    Rightio, this is going to be my first attempt to embed a youtube video, so please excuse me if it all goes haywire:

    [youtube zbF88CUeyYQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbF88CUeyYQ youtube]

    Legolas, Lothlorien and Galadriel from the Lord of the Rings musical (the London cast). Also featured: flying elves! I think they're supposed to be moving up and down through a canopy, but it's very… stylised. And beautiful. One of the things I really liked in the musical was that the elves had a very distinctive and different way of dressing.

    • alfgifu says:

      Oh look, it worked. That's exciting. It's like discovering a new power. The power of youtube!

      Here is Galadriel's parting song from the same musical (without the video, as I'm fairly sure it would be spoilery, but the words are just from the perspective of this chapter so this version is safe):

      [youtube mX45a1wMmN8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX45a1wMmN8 youtube]

      • Geolojazz says:

        I'm having one of 'those' days today, and this is really helping lift my spirits. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    • Becky_J_ says:

      OH my god. LORD OF THE RINGS MUSICAL. Why didn't I know this existed?? These are two of my favorite things, bound together in one! Thank you for posting these, they are beautiful!

      • Geolojazz says:

        It had a really hard time of it if I remember correctly…hmm, time to look it up on Wikipedia before it goes black tomorrow…

        There we go, wikipedia'ed up. Sounds like it was flawed (as any attempt to do LotR in only 3 hours… 😉 but there were some great people involved (AR Rahman!!!!!). Also, to shorten it, they removed all of Ebuna. Vapyhqvat Rbjla naq nyy ure njrfbzrarff. I totally understand, but sigh.

        Has anyone here seen it? The music samples above are gorgeous!

        Also, Ebuna. That's waaay too distinctive in Rot13.

  30. Thiamalonee says:

    “It seems Boromir is leading the way for a bit, as they’ve chosen to follow the west side to head to Minas Tirith.” I read this chapter really fast, so maybe I misread, but I thought they hadn’t yet decided which side of the river to follow? Thus, the boats to delay the decision?

    • Mauve_Avenger says:

      Yup. Right now they're just staying on the western side of the river because it's supposed to be safer, which is probably how Mark got confused.

  31. Rheinman says:

    Legolas' new bow is strung with elf hair? Um, eww.

    Cram sounds about as appetizing as it probably tastes. I can see it used as an explitive "Oh, cram! Not cram for dinner again!"

    Ybir vg va gur zbivr gung Zreel naq Cvccva fghss gurzfryirf fvyyl jvgu gur yrzonf naq ner gura gbyq n yvggyr avooyr jvyy ynfg gurz sbe qnlf.

    Boromir's gift puzzles me. I can't see how it will be useful to him. Everyone else gets something practical or meaningful. It may just be a really spiffy belt.

    • ljrTR says:

      Boromir could attach a knife or other tools or weapons to his belt. I don't see it as a bad gift.

    • stefb4 says:

      Because Boromir's pants have been slipping off the entire journey.

      Wait.

    • Green Dragon says:

      "Legolas' new bow is strung with elf hair? Um, eww."

      Rjjj, znlor, ohg vg zhfg or n cerggl onqnff ovg bs rys-unve. V zrna, Yrtbynf hfrf gur obj yngre gb oevat qbja gur sylvat fgrrq bs n Anmthy. Cerggl qnza avpr cvrpr bs unve. Vs gurl unq hfrq zl unve, gur fcyvg raqf jbhyq unir fcryyrq qvfnfgre sbe gur ragver Pbzcnal.

      And I love, love, love that Gimli asks for just a single strand of Galadriel's hair, that he may treasure it and make it an heirloom, a pledge of goodwill between the Mountain and the Wood until the end of days. Romantic, indeed! And, thinking about it, I still have the hairs from my daughter's first haircut safe in a keepsake box. Not that I'd ever use it to string a bow, you understand, but it *is* a keepsake. Besides, all these immortal elves running about with their immortal hair, it had to just be a matter of time before someone thought of stringing a bow with it. Or a harp. Or a hammock.

    • eregyrn says:

      Ba erernqf, vg frevbhfyl bppheerq gb zr gung gur tvsg gb Obebzve vf gur tvsg lbh trg sbe gur thl jub lbh xabj vf tbvat gb qvr va gur arkg pbhcyr bs puncgref. Juvpu, lbh xabj… pbafvqrevat Tnynqevry'f hfr bs ure zveebe, unf gb znxr lbh jbaqre. "Anu, lbh qba'g arrq nalguvat hfrshy be flzobyvp, vg'q bayl or jnfgrq ba lbh."

      Nygubhtu, ernyyl, jnl gb zvff na bccbeghavgl gb tvir uvz fbzrguvat gung Nentbea be gur bguref pbhyq fnyintr sebz uvf obql naq gura hfr. Be vf gung gbb zbeovq?

    • atheistsisters says:

      You guys! Stop, stop, I can't breathe after reading all those jokes!

      "Ybir vg va gur zbivr gung Zreel naq Cvccva fghss gurzfryirf fvyyl jvgu gur yrzonf naq ner gura gbyq n yvggyr avooyr jvyy ynfg gurz sbe qnlf."

      One of my favorite parts, maybe because I would do the exact same thing!

  32. Stephen_M says:

    On the upside while the fellowship may not know what they're doing they DO have Aragorn with them, the world champion in "Making this up as I go along" four years running.

    One thing that always strikes me with this chapter is the finality of it all. Not just for the Fellowship starting the next stage in their journey but also for the land of Lorien itself. As Galadriel herself said in the last chapter, no matter what happens the elves know this is the twilight of their home and, win or loose, it will inevitably fade.

  33. ljrTR says:

    Yep the Fellowship is aware that they have only bad choices & don't know exactly what to do. Makes this section so much more tension-filled

  34. Leah-san says:

    EPIC BROMANCE IS EPIC. I also love their conversations.

  35. flootzavut says:

    lrnu V ernyyl rawbl gur yvggyr ovg bs uhzbhe bire uboovg nccrgvgrf :Q

  36. Kickpuncher says:

    Boat #1, aka Excellent Party Time Adventure: Aragorn, Frodo, and Sam. Boat #2, aka MOST SERIOUS OF ALL SERIOUSNESS: Boromir, Merry, and Pippin. Boat #3, aka EPIC BROMANCE BFF: Legolas and Boromir.

    Man, that Boromir is one busy guy.

  37. Kristen says:

    I hope that someone has made you promise NOT to watch the first of the Peter Jackson movies until you have read at least the first couple chapters of The Two Towers. This is VERY important!

  38. Opal says:

    A little apropos of Gimli's gift (Unfinished Tales spoilers):

    Pbafvqrevat gur snpg, gung onpx va Inyvabe ure hapyr Srnabe(!) bs nyy crbcyr ercrngrqyl nfxrq sbe n ybpx bs Tnynqevry'f unve naq gung fur ershfrq uvz abg bayl bapr ohg guevpr, vg'f ab jbaqre rirelbar frrzf n yvggyr fubpxrq ng Tvzyv'f erdhrfg. V thrff ur whfg jnfa'g nf cbyvgr nf Tvzyv! Naq gb guvax gung Srnabe znl unir orra vafcverq ol gur fnlvatf nobhg ure unve gb perngr gur Fvyznevy – vg fher vf n fcrpvny tvsg sbe gur yhpxl qjnes.

  39. tigerpetals says:

    Elves are depressing. So, according to Frodo's last description of the Lady at the feast, they're like watching a supernova from Earth.

    How many cases of malnourishment would not occur if we had lembas.

    I guess it's not spoilery to say that Frodo was naming Varda back on Weathertop. Feel free to edit me if it is, but I don't think so. Again with the spoilery end. Now Sam won't get the chance to learn about their ropes, since I assume he wouldn't go back without Frodo.

    [youtube YzEjHd54reI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzEjHd54reI youtube]

  40. tigerpetals says:

    [youtube E6XnzglBjxc&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6XnzglBjxc&feature=related youtube]

  41. threerings13 says:

    The first song that Galadriel sings in this chapter is my favorite song from the book. Not really because of the words, but because when I first read it at age 11, I spontaneously stopped and sang it aloud. I still to this day remember the exactly tune and notes I came up with then, and have the song memorized. Honestly, it's not like it's the best song in the world, but it's minor key and sad and I love it. Especially since it's pretty much the only song I've ever invented.

    Of course, when I was 11 and 12 I used to find romantic places to go and sing this song so I could feel dramatic, but you know, I'm mostly over that.

  42. rabidsamfan says:

    So, it was a long weekend, and being an impatient soul I decided to put in my DVDs for Fellowship, and i realized that gurl fubj gur vagrevbe bs gur Penpxf bs Qbbz jura Ryebaq vf gryyvat Tnaqnys nobhg Vfvyqhe. Lrf, vg'f zragvbarq va Sryybjfuvc, ohg jr qba'g trg n qrfpevcgvba hagvy Sebqb naq Fnz trg gurer va EbgX.

    *waves One True novel banner again*

    (Okay, so I have a selfish reason… It's so much more fun to read Mark''s reactions to things when he hasn't been spoiled. :D)

    • ljrTR says:

      Oh I agree entirely ! One Novel in 6 (or 3) books to be finished BEFORE seeing the movies.
      and it's so much fun reading along with an unspoiled Tolkien virgin! Mark's reactions are what I come here for (tho I must say I'm enjoyed the comments.)

      • rabidsamfan says:

        He's great fun to "watch", isn't he? Probably because it makes me look at the material in a whole new light.

        Seriously though, I think that I may have spotted the potential spoiler which goes the farthest into the story. Heck, that's all the way over in RotK!

      • notemily says:

        vg'f fb zhpu sha ernqvat nybat jvgu na hafcbvyrq Gbyxvra ivetva!

        YBY zl zvaq vzzrqvngryl jrag gb "Oevat gurz gb zr nyvir… naq ha-fcbvyrq."

        BZT fbzrbar arrqf gb znxr n tvs bs gung yvrx evtug abj

  43. tanbarkie says:

    "Npghnyyl…bxnl, V’z gelvat gb guvax bs n tbbq rknzcyr naq V’z pbzvat hc rzcgl, ohg unir lbh rire frra n zbivr gung 'raqrq' yvxr svsgrra gvzrf?"

    UNIR V RIRE

    Nyy gur ybyf, gurl ner zvar.

  44. tigerpetals says:

    I cannot take verbal directions. I need things written, and preferably in map form.

    Guh, that moment between Gimli and Galadriel.

    "Npghnyyl…bxnl, V’z gelvat gb guvax bs n tbbq rknzcyr naq V’z pbzvat hc rzcgl, ohg unir lbh rire frra n zbivr gung “raqrq” yvxr svsgrra gvzrf?"

    Lrf. Erghea bs gur Xvat. Abg gung V zvaqrq.

  45. Geolojazz says:

    This is my fave lembas recipe, from Green Books. I have no clue what a hand of Buddha is, and I just cooked it like a thin brownie on a cookie sheet. They were quite lovely. 🙂

    What Tolkien says about Lembas
    -They contain honey
    -they are light-colored on the inside and light brown crust
    -they are thin and regular-shaped.

    Some other things we can guess.
    They contain the fruit and maybe the flower-water of the Mallorn tree. I substituted oranges, although kumquats or a hand of Buddha fruit might be better.
    They probably had some kind of finely ground light-colored nut in them. I used almonds.
    They contained some kind of nourishing flour. I used semolina flour, which is a more primitive flour, and also more nourishing.
    Galadriel probably used some kind of grinder to refine the ingredients. I used a blender.

    The recipe:
    3 eggs
    1 cup honey (preferably wild honey)
    1 tablespoon grated orange peel or three kumquats or one large finger of a hand of Buddha.
    2 teaspoons orange flower water (optional)
    3 oz blanched almonds
    1/4 cup melted butter
    2-1/4 cups semolina flour
    1/2 teaspoon salt

    Place eggs, honey, orange peel or other fruit, orange flower water, and almonds in blender. Blend on high for 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of the flour. Blend for 1 minute. Scrape into a bowl and add remaining flour and salt. Whisk or stir until well blended. Bake lembas on a pizzelle or krumkake iron 15 seconds each or until lightly brown. You may substitute a waffle iron but add a teaspoon of baking powder. The texture will not be quite accurate in a waffle iron. (I spread them on a cookie sheet then sliced them into bars afterwards, worked pretty good)

    Anyone have another recipe they've tried?

  46. Anzel89 says:

    "Npghnyyl…bxnl, V’z gelvat gb guvax bs n tbbq rknzcyr naq V’z pbzvat hc rzcgl, ohg unir lbh rire frra n zbivr gung “raqrq” yvxr svsgrra gvzrf?"

    – XD V ybir gung Znex vf cflpuvp fbzrgvzrf!!!

    "Gung’f abg gb fnl gung Obebzve, Nentbea, Yrtbynf, be Tvzyv nera’g xabjyrqtrnoyr, gung gurl qba’g cbffrff vasbezngvba gung jvyy uryc gurz ba gurve dhrfg gb qrfgebl gur Evat. V guvax jr’yy trg gur punapr gb frr nyy sbhe bs gurz uryc bhg gur Pbzcnal va gur shgher."

    – B OBL! Znex vf fb abg cercnerq sbe gur arkg srj puncgref.

    "Nyfb, Obebzve vf npgvat fgenatr nobhg gur Evat? V pna’g ernyyl gryy jung Gbyxvra vf uvagvat ng, ubarfgyl."

    – OBEBZVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁

    • ljrTR says:

      Gur cneg bs 'Oberq bs gur Evatf' jurer gurl qrfpevor Obebzve vf uvynevbhf. Ab zvfgnxvat uvf vagragvbaf gurer.

  47. Ryan Lohner says:

    On the subject of movies with a bunch of endings: anyone seen Steamboy? It's an extremely fun film with perhaps the best 2D animation I've ever seen, but man does it not want to end. You get the feeling during the whole climax that the director was reliving his childhood smashing his toy cars together, and didn't want to stop until he was absolutely sure it couldn't get any more epic.

    • Zoli says:

      I have seen it. I don't remember a whole lot– I had a hard time keeping track of the plot and the characters and anything at all, really. I do remember that it was delicious delicious eye candy with all kinds of pretty action scenes.

  48. acityofdoors says:

    I love the way that elven 'magic' is just their technology for want of a better word. If you were to show a hobbit a computer monitor they'd be 'Holy moly, that's magic!' and we'd be 'What? LOL no, it's just a computer monitor.' the same way the elves are about their cloaks.

    Also, I totally want one of those cloaks. And a lembas bread making machine!

  49. redheadedgirl says:

    The leavetaking of the Elves is like a Minnesota Goodbye. It starts in the living room, and meanders on through the rest of the house while everyone who is leaving sorts out their coats, and then goes on out the door to the driveway, where it ends only when the person who's house it is takes his hand off the car door. A true Minnesota Goodbye can last a good hour. My grandfather was a champion at it.

    When I was home in Minnesota for Christmas, I was visiting some friends up in Duluth, and kept trying to leave because I needed to drive back down to the Twin Cities, and they kept going on, and finaly I was like "FUCK THE RULES I love you both and your Minnesota Goodbye is perfection but I NEED TO GO." and my friend's mom was like "Okay, BUT HERE HAVE SOME COOKIES FOR THE ROAD."

    It's like that.

    • devilscrayon says:

      I was totally going to say the SAME THING. It's a classic Midwestern Goodbye!

    • rabidsamfan says:

      Maybe it's all the Scandahoovians, because my family is just like that, despite leaving Minnesota for Montana and Colorado and beyond.

      Although if your friend's mom was giving you Lembas for the road that is amazingly cool.

      • redheadedgirl says:

        Christmas cookies, so…. kind of!

        I've been reading a CultureShock book about Sweden, and a lot of the traits and commonalities one finds in Swedes is also true of the Minnesotans I grew up with (cuz….we're descended from Swedes) and I was like "MY PEOPLE!" And a long long LONG goodbye is part of it.

        • rabidsamfan says:

          Norwegians in my family, but you can see the same persistence of custom. I've gone to a third cousin twice removed's house for a very first visit and felt right at home.

  50. stefb4 says:

    Goodbye–here's some cool Elvish garments and boats and food. No wait, you have to feast with us before we say goodbye forever. NO WAIT WE HAVE SPECIAL GIFTS FOR YOU. Now Goodbye. WAIT LOL JK YOU CAN NEVER LEAVE.

    Jeez guys, you know the Fellowship has Important Things to do. They don't have all the time in the world like Elves.

  51. wildered_dream says:

    "Boat #1, aka Excellent Party Time Adventure: Aragorn, Frodo, and Sam. Boat #2, aka MOST SERIOUS OF ALL SERIOUSNESS: Boromir, Merry, and Pippin. Boat #3, aka EPIC BROMANCE BFF: Legolas and Boromir."

    Holy smokes, Boromir cloned himself?

  52. Tauriel_ says:

    Pna V whfg cerqvpg gung V guvax Fnz jvyy fheivir ol gur raq bs gur abiry?

    Ununun, Znex, fb abg cercnerq. Abg bayl Fnz fheivirf hagvy gur raq, ur npghnyyl trgf gur ynfg jbeqf! 😀

    • Sinnive says:

      Va snpg, V guvax Znex jvyy or fhecevfrq ng ubj znal bs gur znva punenpgref npghnyyl fheivir gur nqiragher: rvtug bhg bs avar, nygubhtu ol gur raq bs gur jrrx, vg jvyy frrz yvxr ng yrnfg gjb cre obbx qvr. Nygubhtu gurer vf n ybg bs qlvat nyy nebhaq, gubfr punenpgref gur ernqre ernyyl trgf nggnpurq gb fheivir hagvy gur ynfg puncgre. Gur bayl rkprcgvba vf Obebzve, naq ur vf cebonoyl gur yrnfg ybirq zrzore bs gur sryybjfuvc. Jryy, naq znlor Guébqra, ohg gung qbrf abg pbzr nf n ovt fhecevfr.

      • ljrTR says:

        I jbaqre vs gur obbxf jbhyq unir orra rira orrgre vs Gbyxvra unq orra zber jvyyvat gb xvyy bss znva punenpgref.

        • Sinnive says:

          V qbag'g guvax fb. V guvax vg vf bsgra ertneqrq nf n gbxra bs n tbbq jevgre gung ur be fur vf jvyyvat gb xvyy bss (nyzbfg) nalobql, naq V pna frr jul gung vf.

          Ohg nf ybat nf vg qbrfa'g trg gbb vzcynhfvoyr gung "rirelobql" fheivirf, naq nf ybat nf gur ernqre vf abg gbb pregnva nobhg vg, naq nf ybat nf gurer vf rabhtu fhssrevat bs gur znva punenpgref – jryy, va guvf pnfr V nz cerggl gunaxshy gung V nz fcnerq gur rzbgvbany vzcnpg bs, fnl, Fnz qlvat. Vg vf fhfcrafrshy rabhtu nf vg vf.

        • eregyrn says:

          Gung znl or n znggre bs crefbany gnfgr. Zl vzzrqvngr ernpgvba vf: Ab, V qba'g guvax gurl jbhyq unir orra "orggre". V vagrafryl qvfyvxr gur vqrn gung "xvyyvat bss punenpgref" = "zber ernyvfgvp" be "terngre fgnxrf" be "orggre", naq vaqrrq, V guvax Gbyxvra'f jbex fgnaqf nf n erohxr gb gubfr jub nethr va snibe bs gung cbvag bs ivrj ertneqvat jbexf yvxr TEEZ'f. (Jubfr obbxf V jbhyq abg pbagvahr ernqvat nsgre gur svefg.)

          V erfcrpg gung gurer ner crbcyr jub ernyyl rawbl jbexf gung znxr gurz srry yvxr ab punenpgre vf fnsr, be gung srngher qrngu nf n erny pbafrdhrapr gung vf sryg ol znal. V whfg guvax vg'f tbvat bireobneq gb fnl gung vg znxrf nal tvira jbex "orggre" guna jbexf va juvpu gurer vfa'g nf zhpu qrngu. Cyhf V'q yvxr vg vs gur ivrjcbvag bs ernqref jub QBA'G rawbl vg jnf erfcrpgrq zber.

          Svanyyl, lbh pbhyq ybbx ng vg sebz nabgure crefcrpgvir naq fnl gung vafgrnq bs xvyyvat bss znal bs gur prageny punenpgref, Gbyxvra vafgrnq nvzf sbe uvture fgnxrf — "xvyyvat", nf vg jrer, na ragver Ntr, naq gur jnl bs yvsr bs znal. Gur vqrn gung rira ivpgbel sbe bhe urebrf zhfg vaibyir gur qvzvavfuzrag bs nyy gur zntvp bs gur Ryirf naq gurve gvzr va Zvqqyr Rnegu whfg oybjf zr njnl, naq vf n ovt rabhtu guvat sbe zr gb or zbheavat, ol gur raq bs gur obbxf.

          • Rheinman says:

            V gbgnyyl nterr nobhg TEEZ. V haqrefgnaq gung va gur ybat eha, rirelobql qvrf naq gung vs lbh jnag n gehyl npphengr zvqrniny fgbel, gurer'f tbaan or ybgf bs qrngu, ohg V whfg pbhyqa'g fgnl vairfgrq nsgre nyzbfg rirlbar lbh trg vagbqhprq gb va gur svefg abiry naq fgneg gb pner nobhg jung unccraf gb gurz trgf xvyyrq bss. Gbb zhpu bs n pencfnpx jbeyq sbe zr.

            Nabgure frevrf gung vf urnil ba gur "rirelbar vf va qnatre naq nalbar pna qvr" vf gur Qrelav abiryf ol Xngurevar Xhegm. Ohg V guvax fur qbrf n orggre wbo bs vg guna TEEZ. Gurer ner fbzr gehyl gentvp qrnguf nybat gur jnl, ohg abg fb zhpu gung gur cebgntbavfgf (jryy, zbfg bs gurz) qba'g znxr vg gb gur raq.

            Whfg zl $0.02, ohg V yvxr orpbzzvat vairfgrq va gur fgbel naq gur punenpgref, gung vf jung znxrf gur fgbel zrzbenoyr gb zr naq znxrf zr jnag gb ernq vg bire naq bire ntnva, yvxr YBGE.

          • Tauriel_ says:

            THIS.

        • Tauriel_ says:

          Vs lbh jnag qrngu, qbbz, qbbz naq qrngu, naq qbbzrq onggyrf gb gur qrngu, ernq gur Fvyznevyyvba. Gur punenpgref qvr ol qbmraf va nyzbfg rirel puncgre – naq ol gur gvzr vg'f bire bayl n unaqshy bs anzrq punenpgref erznva… :p

  53. stefb4 says:

    Aragorn: Winging It Since the Third Age

  54. Appachu says:

    Meant to post this yesterday, when Mark got to Galadriel, but things happened and I wasn't able to. So one day late, the LotR musical's depiction of Galadriel and Lothlorien. I'm also posting a longer version in the reply, which has Legolas singing in the beginning but no visual.

    [youtube k796JtCVa7k&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k796JtCVa7k&feature=related youtube]

  55. Jenny_M says:

    With regards to things coming up in the next couple of days:

    Lbh xabj, sbe nyy bhe pbaprea nobhg nibvqvat fcbvyref, gur GVGYR BS GUR YNFG PUNCGRE vf yvxr…gur ovttrfg fcbvyre rire. "Gur Oernxvat bs gur Sryybjfuvc." PBZR BA, GBYXVRA. TVIR HF N YVGGYR FHFCRAFR! (Nygubhtu "Gur Qrcnegher bs Obebzve" vf avpr naq gevpxfl.)

    Phr fnqsnpr!

    • Becky_J_ says:

      Frevbhfyl, V jnf tbvat gb nfx uvz vs ur ernqf gur arkg puncgre gvgyrf, orpnhfr fbzr bs gurz ner fhcre fcbvyl! Ur vf ernqvat ba n Xvaqyr, evtug? V qba'g unir bar, ohg V guvax gung zvtug uryc uvz ng yrnfg xrrc vg frperg orpnhfr ur'f abg syvccvat gur cntrf nurnq be nalguvat (juvpu V qb va zl obbx gb frr ubj ybat gur puncgref ner).

      Gbyxvra: Fcbvyvat uvf bja obbxf fvapr 1916 😀

    • Ryan Lohner says:

      Cyhf "Gur Qrcnegher bs Obebzve."

      Naq Gbyxvra uvzfrys pbafvqrerq "Gur Erghea bs gur Xvat" gb or gbb zhpu bs n fcbvyre, cersreevat "Gur Jne bs gur Evat." Ohg fnqyl, gur choyvfure bireebqr uvz. Ng yrnfg ur tbg onpx ng nyy bs hf ol tvivat obbx gjb n pbzcyrgryl rfbgrevp gvgyr gung ab bar haqrefgnaqf.

    • eregyrn says:

      V oryvrir gung bar bs gur guvatf V pna pyrneyl erzrzore sebz zl svefg ernqvat bs gur obbxf vf gur qernq gung V sryg ng gung puncgre gvgyr! Gur Oernxvat bs gur Sryybjfuvc? BZT!!!!!

      Naq va n qvssrerag jnl, nf gur cbfgre nobir abgrf, whfg xabjvat gur gvgyr bs EBGX unq zr nyy JBB-UBB ybat orsber V ernq vg.

  56. arctic_hare says:

    My last upload for FOTR! :'( This one is a lovely rendition of the swan-ship of Lorien, and is by a talented artist named Maura Boldi.

    <img src="http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/3592/007yqk.th.jpg&quot; border="0"/>

    "I mean, if the characters aren’t even prepared for this shit, that means I am on another astral plane of unpreparedness."

    Oh, you have no idea. MWAHAHAHA.

    This chapter is made of sad for me. They're leaving Lothlorien, and Galadriel, and might not see either ever again. WAAAAAAH NO ILU GALADRIEL. I'm so happy to see you loving her so much too, Mark! SO HAPPY. Still, so much sad in this chapter. What the hell is that line about Lothlorien's spring and summer never being seen again on earth except in memory??? That is incredibly depressing. I don't want to think of a beautiful place like that fading away forever TOLKIEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME.

    Plus they don't know what they're doing or where they're going now that Gandalf is gone. That can't be good. 🙁 And Boromir is acting weird, what's up with that?

    YBY Znex vf fb hacercnerq. Ur'yy guvax gung puncgre gvgyr zrnaf Obebzve vf whfg yrnivat, ohg ab.

    I am really happy about their gifts, though, and the friendship that's developed between Legolas and Gimli, and most of all that you are loving this story so much. <3 EEEEEE. 😀

    Ynhtuvat fb uneq ng Znex'f "n zbivr gung raqrq svsgrra gvzrf" pbzzrag. V pna'g. Gung vf gbb shaal.

  57. Tauriel_ says:

    Can I just say I absolutely LOVE how Gimli fell in (platonic) love with Galadriel? <3 <3 <3 It's just… I can't. So sweet. Probably even sweeter than his best-friends-forever friendship with Legolas.

    Also, the irony (rot13'd for Silmarillion spoilers): Sënabe, jub jnf gur zbfg cbjreshy bs nyy Abyqbe, orttrq Tnynqevry gb tvir uvz n fvatyr unve GUERR GVZRF va Inyvabe, ohg fur ershfrq uvz. Naq abj fur jvyyvatyl tvirf GUERR unvef gb n sevttva' Qjnes! Zna, Sënabe vf tbvat gb or fb cvffrq jura Tnynqevry (naq yngre Tvzyv jvgu Yrtbynf) pbzrf gb Inyvabe. 😀 V pna gbgnyyl frr Tnynqevry naq Tvzyv gebyyvat Sënabe naq ynhtuvat ng uvz. 😀

    • Sindragosa says:

      Fgbar qbrf abg srne gur sver.

      Frevbhfyl V ernq n snagnfgvp fubeg sna svp gung raqr jvgu gung yvar. Pna'e svaq vg abj nynf.

    • notemily says:

      yby V arire xarj nobhg gung fgbel, naq gung vqrn vf uvynevbhf gb zr. Jul qvq fur ershfr uvz?

      • Tauriel_ says:

        Fur jnf uvf unys-avrpr, orvat qnhtugre bs uvf unys-oebgure Svanesva. Gurer jnf arire zhpu ybir orgjrra Sënabe naq uvf unys-oebguref Svatbysva naq Svanesva, naq V fhccbfr fur gubhtug uvz gbb cebhq (juvpu ur, nqzvggrqyl, jnf) naq gbb shyy bs uvzfrys (juvpu ur nyfb jnf, ohg gura ntnva, gb or snve, ur JNF gur terngrfg pensgfzna naq bar bs gur zbfg cbjreshy Ryqne va gur jubyr Ryivfu uvfgbel).

  58. Geolojazz says:

    Um, wow.

  59. Harlock says:

    Mark if you ever plan on watching the movies after reading the books, I urge you to watch the Extended Edition, because SO many more scenes from the book are in there that didn't make it into the theatrical cut. The gift giving from this chapter for example or the giving of the waybread.

    Also about Celeborn and Galadriel, (since I believe this is never really explained nor relevant in the story of Lord of the Rings): I'm pretty sure he knows her well enough by now. I think they've been together for at least 8000 years by the time the fellowship came to Lothlorien 😉 Galadriel herself is at least 10000 years old, is older than the sun and the moon, and is granddaughter of the first king of one of the three elven races, so she's the absolute height of royalty among the elves in Middle Earth.

  60. Shannon says:

    I am curious if Celeborn himself knows of this other side, or how much he knows about the conditions of Lórien.

    Aw man, give the guy some credit! Celeborn is awesome, ok, and more than a husband

  61. Alice says:

    I couldn't wait for you to get at this chapter…So many things are just made of pure win here,like Gimli's infatuation with Galadriel or the awesome friendship that develops between him and Legolas.I was so happy that they could become closer despise the long history of mutual mistrust between the elves and dwarves. Also it was for me too a mind-blower the relationship between Arwen and Galadriel,and only after reading this I could better comprehend the elves immortality.And also I wondered why do the elves give me this bittersweet feeling about them.
    Also..some beautifull art 🙂
    1.by the Hildebrandt brothers and Rowena Morrill (LOL Celeborn is such a pimp! ^_^ )
    http://img-fan.theonering.net/~rolozo/images/hild
    http://img-fan.theonering.net/~rolozo/images/morr

    2.and secondly can anyone explain what the heck did Angus McPriders draw here?! So there are some dudes wounded(?) in front of Galadriel in Lorien apparently but this is definitely not from Silmarillion (she didn't have her mirror at that time) or from the Fellowship or the rest of the book…
    http://fantasy.mrugala.net/Angus%20Mc%20Priders/A

  62. Chris says:

    "Before they finally do leave, though, Lady Galadriel continues to win my heart and make me her #1 stan of all time."

    lol, that reference.

  63. "Npghnyyl…bxnl, V’z gelvat gb guvax bs n tbbq rknzcyr naq V’z pbzvat hc rzcgl, ohg unir lbh rire frra n zbivr gung “raqrq” yvxr svsgrra gvzrf? Gung’f jung gur ohyx bs puncgre rvtug vf: Tnynqevry naq Pryrobea fnl tbbqolr gb gur Pbzcnal, naq gura qb vg ntnva gjb cntrf yngre, gura qb vg ntnva, gura jura jr guvax gurl’er whfg bhg bs enatr gung gur Ryirf ner tbar sberire, gurer’f n srnfg. V xabj vg’f abg fhccbfrq gb or shaal, ohg V ynhturq."

    V ynhturq fb uneq ng guvf. Ur unf ab vqrn jung'f va fgber sbe uvz.

  64. Hotaru_hime says:

    Gimli getting three hairs made me want to cry. This dwarf who really really hates elves gets three hairs from Galadriel to set in stone and keep forever. Yes, kind of creepy, but it's not like Gimli has a chance of doing anything.
    It's something that I love about these novels. You can love something or someone and there isn't a sexual subtext, or any subtext at all. It shows and acknowledges that love exists in many forms and all of them are lovely.
    Ahhh, Aragorn. I love you.
    Oh Frodo~ a light in the darkness is your gift. Auuugh, I have to stop here or spoilers.

    • Zoli says:

      "Znl vg or n yvtug gb lbh va qnex cynprf, jura nyy bgure yvtugf tb bhg" <3

    • AmandaNekesa says:

      "It's something that I love about these novels. You can love something or someone and there isn't a sexual subtext, or any subtext at all. It shows and acknowledges that love exists in many forms and all of them are lovely."

      THIS. I get kind of frustrated when any close friendship automatically has to equate to a romantic relationship. It's one of my favorite aspects of Tolkien's characters: they develop genuinely platonic but extremely close relationships with one another, and it's incredibly touching and powerful. It just makes me want to hug each and every one of them. It's like Qbz Zbantuna says in this interview **casting spoilers**

  65. hazelwillow says:

    The song that brings me closest to Lothlorien is this one, "Lothlorien," by Enya…
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fissRZIw4c&fe

    Just listen to it with your eyes closed… the huge trees and the shimmering water underneath…

    It's from her album Shepherd Moons, and wasn't used in the movie, so not a spoiler for anything.

  66. flootzavut says:

    V NZ FB RKPVGRQ SBE GUR ARKG SRJ PUNCGREF!!!!!!!!!!! :-b

    Waiting with impatience…

    • Saphling says:

      Same here! *flaily*

      • flootzavut says:

        Flail is exactly the word, V unq n fdhvm ng jnf vg pbzvat naq jnf yvxr RKPVGR naq unir orra cerffvat erybnq rirel fb bsgra sbe gjb ubhef… YBY. I hope it's just a technical error again and Mark is OK. And hasn't, you know, keeled over from lack of preparedness, though I dare say tvira gur fhowrpg znggre gung jbhyq or jubyyl sbetvirnoyr ng guvf cbvag… 😮

  67. Geolojazz says:

    Interesting observation…wish I'd caught it in its day. Who knows, maybe it'll resurface someday!

    After hearing these yesterday, I went out and got the soundtrack. IT. IS. FANTASTIC.

    I also do a tiny bit of musical theatre performance…maybe I can get a few of these songs better known in select circles…

  68. flootzavut says:

    Oh yes 😀

  69. Smurphy says:

    That is beyond fascinating. Thank you so much!

    • flootzavut says:

      😀 :$ 😀

      I am a bit of a language nerd about these things, though I totally bow to Tauriel et al when it comes to Quenya and Sindarin. The appendix about it is totally fascinating, though it makes my brain hurt to read at the same time!

      • Smurphy says:

        I can never get past the hurting my brain part… lol. But yes. Tauriel's amazing. I am behind (BY LIKE A WEEK) so I havent been reading all the comments like I would normally do but I always read "Tauriel's Linguistic Corner".

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