Read LotR Aloud post

[dreamflower]

Here is my voice post for read_lotr_aloud. Sorry for the delay in posting it, but I had a problem finding a quiet time to make the recording this time!



Text behind the cut:

It seemed to grow larger as it lay for a moment on his big brown-skinned hand. Then suddenly he put it to his eye and laughed. For a second the hobbits had a vision, both comical and alarming, of his bright blue eye gleaming through a circle of gold. Then Tom put the Ring round the end of his little finger and held it up to the candlelight. For a moment the hobbits noticed nothing strange about this. Then they gasped. There was no sign of Tom disappearing!

Tom laughed again, and then he spun the Ring in the air – and it vanished with a flash. Frodo gave a cry – and Tom leaned forward and handed it back to him with a smile.

Frodo looked at it closely, and rather suspiciously (like one who has lent a trinket to a juggler). It was the same Ring, or looked the same and weighed the same: for that Ring had always seemed to Frodo to weigh strangely heavy in the hand. But something prompted him to make sure. He was perhaps a trifle annoyed with Tom for seeming to make so light of what even Gandalf thought so perilously important. He waited for an opportunity, when the talk was going again, and Tom was telling an absurd story about badgers and their queer ways – then he slipped the Ring on.

Merry turned towards him to say something and gave a start, and checked an exclamation. Frodo was delighted (in a way): it was his own ring all right, for Merry was staring blankly at his chair, and obviously could not see him. He got up and crept quietly away from the fireside towards the outer door.

'Hey there!' cried Tom, glancing towards him with a most seeing look in his shining eyes. 'Hey! Come Frodo, there! Where be you a-going? Old Tom Bombadil's not as blind as that yet. Take off your golden ring! Your hand's more fair without it. Come back! Leave your game and sit down beside me! We must talk a while more, and think about the morning. Tom must teach the right road, and keep your feet from wandering.'

Frodo laughed (trying to feel pleased), and taking off the Ring he came and sat down again. Tom now told them that he reckoned the Sun would shine tomorrow, and it would be a glad morning, and setting out would be hopeful. But they would do well to start early; for weather in that country was a thing that even Tom could not be sure of for long, and it would change sometimes quicker than he could change his jacket. 'I am no weather-master,' he said; 'nor is aught that goes on two legs.'

By his advice they decided to make nearly due North from his house, over the western and lower slopes of the Downs: they might hope in that way to strike the East Road in a day's journey, and avoid the Barrows. He told them not to be afraid – but to mind their own business.

'Keep to the green grass. Don't you go a-meddling with old stone or cold Wights or prying in their houses, unless you be strong folk with hearts that never falter!' He said this more than once; and he advised them to pass barrows by on the west-side, if they chanced to stray near one. Then he taught them a rhyme to sing, if they should by ill-luck fall into any danger or difficulty the next day.

Ho! Tom Bombadil, Tom Bombadillo!

By water, wood and hill, by the reed and willow,

By fire, sun and moon, harken now and hear us!

Come, Tom Bombadil, for our need is near us!

When they had sung this altogether after him, he clapped them each on the shoulder with a laugh, and taking candles led them back to their bedroom.

Comments

[addie71.livejournal.com]

Nice singing!

I remember the first time I read this how amazed I was that the ring didn't make Tom disappear when he put it on.

[grey-wonderer.livejournal.com]

Oh I do like this part. I like what Tom says about Frodo's hand being fairer without the RING and I also like the fact that Frodo is a bit put out because of the way the RING seems not to surprise Tom at all.
Lovely singing by the way.

[baranduin.livejournal.com]

I love your Tom and his singing!

[shirebound]

Nicely done! This is such a strange and magical part of the story.

[lbilover.livejournal.com]

I remember being so shocked the first time I read this and Tom not only didn't disappear, but could see Frodo! I'm with GW- I love what Tom says about Frodo's hand being fairer without the Ring. The Ring may not affect him, but he can clearly perceive its evil. Wonderful singing, too! And somehow, after all his cautions, you just know something is going to happen the next day!

Thanks so much for taking part once again! :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/tweedle_/]

Wonderful! I had to do that song for Chapter 8 and glad I didn't try singing! You did such a good job. Very very well done. :)

[arcadiaego.livejournal.com]

This is one of my favourite parts of the whole book. It says so much about the ring's subtle power over Frodo, and I love the glimpse of the entirely different kind of power that Tom represents. I very much enjoyed your reading!

[belleferret.livejournal.com]

Nicely read and sung! But how startling for Frodo when Tom treats the Ring like a trinket, and is unaffected by it!

[dreamflower]

Me too! It made me a little suspicious of Tom!

And I'm glad my singing was OK!

[dreamflower]

I like what Tom says to Frodo as well. I have to confess, the very first time I read FotR, I was as suspicious as Frodo when this happened! But now I realize all kinds of things that this little incident means.

[dreamflower]

Thank you! *grin*

[dreamflower]

"Strange and magical" indeed! Tom is such an enigma!

[dreamflower]

Yes, as soon as Tom gives all those warnings, you know right away that the hobbits are going to get into trouble and need that rhyme!

[dreamflower]

I don't think I sing all that well, but I do *like* singing, and I like hearing the songs in the story! Music was so important in Middle-earth!

[dreamflower]

It does say a lot, doesn't it? It's a bit of very subtle foreshadowing!

And thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[dreamflower]

I know! The first time I read it, over forty years ago, it made me very suspicious of Tom! But that was soon changed, when I read the next chapter!