The Two Towers // Book 3, Chapter 8 // The Road to Isengard

A transitional chapter, this takes a big deep breath right smack dab in the middle of everything. 

And this just popped out at me, but I think friendship features prominently. Not in a gushy touchy-feely way, but in the deep, Jonathan and David, have your back, shoulder to shoulder, proactively think and notice things and go the tough extra mile sort of way.

We have Gimli and Legolas at the beginning of course. And then when we get to the Fords of Isen, Theoden is getting discouraged and heartsore and this interchange happens with Gandalf:

"Look!' said Gandalf. 'Friends have labored here.' And they saw that in the midst of the eyot a mound was piled, ringed with stones, and set about with many spears. 'Here lie all the Men of the Mark that fell near this place,' said Gandalf. 'Here let them rest!' said Eomer. 'And when their spears have rotted and rusted, long still may their mound stand and guard the Fords of Isen!' 'Is this your work also, Gandalf, my friend?' said Theoden. 'You accomplished much in an evening and a night!"

I know 'friend' can just be a colloquial expression, but it's definitely a moment that means a lot to Theoden so I think we should take note.

And finally we have the beginning of our reunion with the hobbits (I love that Theoden has heard of them!), hearkening back to the long chase of our three mighty hunters. 

Other miscellaneous point -- earlier, I love how Gandalf laughs 'long and merrily'.

And then I'd forgotten the riddle he quotes:

"Ere iron was found or tree was hewn, 

When young was mountain under moon;

Ere ring was made, or wrought was woe,

It walked the forests long ago."

Did anyone else find the mention of the ring there interesting?

 

Quotes:

• "I have lived to see strange days."
• "You are not without allies, even if you know them not."
• "A strong place and wonderful was Isengard, and long it had been beautiful; and there great lords had dwelt... But Saruman had slowly shaped it to his shifting purposes, and made it better, as he thought, being deceived -- for all those arts and subtle devices, for which he forsook his former wisdom, and which fondly he imagined were his own, came but from Mordor..." (pretty plain speaking there on Professor Tolkien's part)
• And it's too much to quote at length, but of course I LOVE all the hobbit-y bit at the end so much xD <333
  

 

For thought:

• Which would be first on your adventure-with-a-friend itinerary: the glittering caverns of Helm's Deep or the Forest of Fangorn? :)