What I’m actually asking but didn’t know how to fit into the title is this: By the end of the book, who knew about Frodo’s failure to accomplish the quest and destroy the ring? Did he just rattle off the whole story to anyone who asked about his missing finger? Or was Sam the only person aware of what really occurred? I think this was probably the case, and this situation added to his guilt and PTSD.
Considering the the “Tale of Frodo the Nine-Fingered” was sung at the coronation, I strongly believe the tale was well known. We also know it was recorded in the Red Book of Westmarch.
Well the point of the book is that its actually a memoir of those invovled, so he obviously related the story there.
“I tell you, Gandalf, it was a dreadful moment. There I stood, on the very edge of the Crack of Doom. I held up the Ring, and cried out, “I have come. By Elbereth the Fair, I renounce Sauron and all his works! May his evil perish from the world!” And then I hucked the ring in.”
“Really? That easily? You just…”
“Yep, just like that. Well, those may have not been my exact words; but something to that effect, more or less. Sam was there. Wasn’t that what I said, Sam?”
“Er… I… er… don’t rightly remember, Master Frodo.”
“Yes, well. Anyway, in it went. Sploosh, blub blub melty melty. Then we ran like mad buggers.”
“I see. And what about Gollum?”
“Gollum? Oh, he, er… fell.”
“Fell?”
“Yes, he was… so excited… that the Ring was destroyed, that he… er… started dancing, and he, erm, tripped.”
“He tripped?”
“Yes. Into the lava. Poor fellow. Best thing for him, really. I mean, you saw him. Eurrgh.”
“Yes… and what happened to your finger, Frodo?”
“My… my finger?”
“Yes, your finger. Your ring finger.”
“Oh, that finger. Well… erm, you see… what happened was, er… the truth is… Sam ate it.”
“WHAT?!”
“Oh yes. It, er, happened when we were crossing the Plains of Gorgoroth. Dreadful conditions, no food for days… My fault really; I nodded off during watch and he just, he ate it. In his sleep. I don’t blame him for it at all. Isn’t that right, Sam?”
“…”
“Sam? I’m asking you, bearing in mind our respective social positions, and the fact that you are a paid servant of the Baggins family who stands to benefit enormously when we return home… is that or is that not what happened?”
(inaudible mumble)
“Good lad. Well, there you are then, Gandalf. I think that explains everything. Mind you, I’d prefer it if the whole ‘finger-eating’ episode didn’t get spread about too widely. Sam’s a good chap and I’d hate to hear people speaking ill of him. If anyone asks about the finger, we can just say one of the Eagles bit it off, okay?”
Terrifel, as usual you have me laughing.
Bravo, Bravo!
And it sounded something like this!
(minstrel’s song begins at 4:30, with “slightly” revised lyrics)
I think it went a little something like this:
http://www.lordsoftherhymes.com/mp3/9-Fingered%20Frodo.mp3 (Direct link to mp3).
Even if people knew that Gollum had bitten the finger & ring off together, they might not have known about Frodo’s failure. They probably assumed it was an unfortunate event, and had Gollum not shown up, Frodo would have put the ring back in. Possibly if they really thought about it they might have wondered why he was wearing it, but then they’d also have to know the history of the ring and why you wouldn’t expect someone to be wearing it.
I liked that, they even snuck in a quick shout out to Ghân-Buri-Ghân.
At first I thought it was a mock, but they had way to many details to be anything but a loving goof.
Who was that?
Skopo, I can honestly say the only good thing about that awful version was when South Park threw in a very sly mock of it in the Lemmiwinks episode. (Death Camp of Tolerance)
Group called Lords of the Rhymes. They’ve got the details down pretty good.
I got to see them live a few years ago (around the time of the Academy Awards) and it was pretty fun.
Frodo didn’t fail. Quest 1 was to get the ring to Rivendell. Quest 2 was to bear the ring to Mount Doom. Look through the entire book and you’ll never see any of the Wise[sup]TM[/sup] charge him with destroying the ring, and you’ll never see him promise to do so.
As to who knew that he ultimately could not destroy the Ring himself, I’m not sure if the book tells us. It’s probable the Wise[sup]TM[/sup] and Frodo’s close companions knew and understood.
As mentioned above, anyone who worked on or read the Red Book would known, since Frodo himself wrote that part. But there is no reason Frodo couldn’t have told Joe Gondorian or Tom Hobbit that he was just about to throw it in when Gollum jumped him from behind and bit off his finger.
:D:D:D:D
I am sending this to my LOTR-mad friends.