24. B1:C12 - Flight to the Ford - [LoTR Read Along]

The Nicks discuss embarrassing stories of when we were fools and couldn't remember what we did, Frodo's predicament, Glorfindel's shiny nature, slipping into the wraith world, a cavalry of waves, the geography, and history of this leg of the journey, and ending the first book on a cliffhanger.

Maps

Map of Middle-earth 

LoTRproject.com interactive map - Caution: spoilers for new readers!

What Happened Last Time?:

The company came together in the nick of time as Strider’s usefulness came through on the first night of their acquaintance. During the night at the Prancing Pony, Black Riders stole into the rooms set aside for the Hobbits, and brutally murdered their pillows, and in the words of Tommy Boy, “Woah, that was close.” After some trouble leaving town, Strider is able to get the company lost and out of sight of the Riders while making their way to Weathertop. Seven days, one funky lightning show, and a million bug bites later and they make it to Weathertop just in time for the Black Riders to ambush them and stab Frodo with a blade from Mordor. This is bad news.

Where Are We in the Narrative?:

Our Heroes have left home and hearth behind - beyond the Shire, beyond Bree - besides Bilbo, no other Hobbit in living memory has gone so far afield as these brave, foolhardy, unnatural hobbits. Joining in with a Ranger from the North - Strider, they inch closer to Rivendell while being chased by Black Riders of Mordor. Dark times have found the company, and they will likely need help to arrive safely at Rivendell, but help in the wild is very unlikely to be found.

Notes for this episode: 
FRODO:

• What happened at Weathertop?
• The Ring and his realization.
• The wound.
• • What does it feel like
  • Eventually, it all but heals up to just a white mark…???
• How does it affect him?
• • Strider comments that the Riders wounded him in such a fashion to make him unable to resist them.
  • shade/shadow over his eyes
  • The world looks pale
  • His friends look like shadows eventually
  • Shadows in his dreams
• Another dream

GEOGRAPHY:

• Wilderness of what once was Arnor/The Kingdoms of the North
• • Towers in the distance
  • No one lives here, not anymore
• Hoarwell (river number 1)
• • The bridge.
  • The jewel.
  • • Did it fall idly, or placed intentionally?  Either way, Strider is comforted.
• Trollshaws
• • Bilbo’s story!
  • Sam’s song.
  • • Talk about song…
    • • How do you read it?
      • Do you read it sing-song, or actually give it a made-up melody?
• The Bruinen (Loudwater) - The Ford (river number 2)

STRIDER:

• Leadership in question… Sam doesn't trust him after he disappears post-Weathertop battle.
• • How does he respond to this?
• What does he do to and with Frodo knowing that he was wounded by the Witch-king of Angmar?
• • How do the hobbits respond?
  • Athelas and its effects.

THE CHASE:

• Some Black Riders from behind
• Frodo hesitates - Glorfindel commands his horse to RUN!
• • Noro lim Asfaloth, noro lim!
• Some Black Riders ahead
• Frodo gets ahead and across the ford by the skin of his teeth
• The standoff
• The “cavalry of waves”
• • What does it mean?
  • Valar?
  • Intervention?

THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK:

• Our first cliffhanger…
• • How does this compare and contrast with the literature you’re used to reading?
  • How does it to the rest of the book we’ve read so far?
  • Another Tolkienism...

Notable Difference(s) from Films:

• Arwen instead of Glorfindel
• Hard to determine how much time is passed even though they say it’s two weeks in the movie

Locations/Distance Traveled/Distance apart:

• Wilderness of what once was Arnor
• The Hoarwell
• Trollshaws
• The Bruinen (Loudwater) - the Ford

New Characters:

• Glorfindel

What to Watch for in the Next Chapter:

• We end on a cliffhanger! Does Frodo survive?

Links

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Special thanks to our friend Harry Murrell for the use of his music. Listen to more and subscribe to his channel here.