The Hobbit Hole III - Journey to the Cross-roads!

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!

Journey to the Cross-roads
The Two Towers Edition

Come on! Come in! -if you would like to have some seedcakes and a pint and relax a while. (If it is a special occasion, we still have a few bottles of the old wineyards left!)

Our first thread ( New Zealander builds Hobbit hole ) reached 4,100 posts, and we thought that was big. Our second thread (The New Hobbit Hole ) held us for over 48,000 posts, and we loved it dearly. We talked about moving to a new thread for the last 38,000 posts, but we are really slow to muster! Finally, the time has come. Tomorrow (at 12:01 am, to be precise!) The Two Towers comes out, and we start a new chapter.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

We need Gandalf to fling open a window, or something.

[HairOfTheDog]

Thus Gandalf softly sang, and then suddenly he changed. Casting his tattered cloak aside, he stood up and leaned no longer on his staff; and he spoke in a clear cold voice. 'The wise speak only of what they know, Gríma son of Gálmód. A witless worm have you become. Therefore be silent, and keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a serving-man till the lightning falls.' He raised his staff. There was a roll of thunder. The sunlight was blotted out from the eastern windows; the whole hall became suddenly dark as night. The fire faded to sullen embers. Only Gandalf could be seen, standing white and tall before the blackened hearth.

In the gloom they heard the hiss of Wormtongue's voice: 'Did I not counsel you, lord, to forbid his staff? That fool, Háma, has betrayed us!' There was a flash as if lightning had cloven the roof. Then all was silent. Wormtongue sprawled on his face.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Doesn't Gandalf get to fling open a window somewhere? Maybe I'm thinking of when he heals Theoden...

[HairOfTheDog]

Hmmmm... So it is the flinging open of a window that you want to see... At your service! Let me look...

Well, not a window, but talk of blowing doors down!

...He went on with his tea. The knock was repeated, much louder, but he took no notice. Suddenly the wizard’s head appeared at the window.

‘If you don’t let me in, Frodo, I shall blow your door right down your hole and out through the hill,’ he said.

How 'bout this?:

...He went to the window and drew aside the curtains and the shutters. Sunlight streamed back again into the room. Sam passed along the path outside whistling. ‘And now,’ said the wizard, turning back to Frodo, ‘the decision lies with you. But I will always help you.’ He laid his hand on Frodo’s shoulder. ‘I will help you bear this burden, as long as It is yours to bear. But we must do something, soon. The Enemy is moving.’

AHHH! - Maybe this is it! Points to a window!

...'Now Théoden son of Thengel, will you hearken to me?' said Gandalf. 'Do you ask for help?' He lifted his staff and pointed to a high window. There the darkness seemed to clear, and through the opening could be seen, high and far, a patch of shining sky. 'Not all is dark. Take courage, Lord of the Mark; for better help you will not find. No counsel have I to give to those that despair. Yet counsel I could give, and words I could speak to you. Will you hear them? They are not for all ears. I bid you come out before your doors and look abroad. Too long have you sat in shadows and trusted to twisted tales and crooked promptings.'

Slowly Théoden left his chair. A faint light grew in the hall again. The woman hastened to the king's side, taking his arm, and with faltering steps the old man came down from the dais and paced softly through the hall. Wormtongue remained lying on the floor. They came to the doors and Gandalf knocked.

'Open!' he cried. 'The Lord of the Mark comes forth!'

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Maybe this is it! Points to a window!

That was it! That was the scene I was thinking of...

And yet, now that I read it, it doesn't seem strong enough to deal with the White House press corps... maybe they need their doors blown down instead.

Thank you for looking it up, though!

[HairOfTheDog]

For a story that seems like it takes place mostly outside, one finds many references to "windows" in a search.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Hmm... does that mean that even when action is taking place inside, the characters are looking outside?

There may be a deep metaphorical point to be made there.

Maybe not.

[HairOfTheDog]

Sometimes something is deep, sometimes it is a big hole. All depends on mood of the muse!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

I think my muse has already started the weekend...

[HairOfTheDog]

That's good. It is important that muses vacation frequently. Too much week and not enough weekend is hard on a muse!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

I wish my muse had taken me along! I'm stuck at work for another hour, and no one else is here... they all took the afternoon off to go to an off-site "team-building" session (playing pool and throwing darts in some joint.) Since I'm just a slimeball contractor, I wasn't invited!

(sniff)

[JenB]

I guess my muse never gets out, then.

Wow, it's Friday. Of course, we've had lovely weather all week and now it's going to get cold again... drat... the weather's been so stupid even the visiting bands at the concert the other night teased us about it.

And my books didn't come yet. And my notes haven't come for school yet, and I need to do a million things this weekend.... oh well, I don't really feel as bad as I sound. It is, after all, Friday.

[HairOfTheDog]

Oh Bear! That is the saddest thing I have ever heard!

You will always have us.

[HairOfTheDog]

Very true Jen.... Sounds like you have to wine and dine your muse a bit. you seem unamused.

[JenB]

It's just I have three chapters of assembly programming material to memorize. For a test on Wednesday. And a seven-page paper to write for Monday, and proof that I've done work in my independent study by Wednesday, also stuff about grad school... ugh.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Heh, honestly, I'd rather be here. Not having to attend idiotic "team-building" sessions is one of the things I like about being a contractor. I was just being dramatic earlier.

Rose and I have been exchanging email... we're going to the movies to see "The Core" tonight. I expect we'll have a great time... nothing so fun as laughing at stupid end-of-the-world movies!

[JenB]

Yeah, I want to see that. Also a friend of mine says I have to see "Spirited Away" now that it's in wide release. It's a Japanese children's film but apparently really good.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Hmm, I wasn't familiar with "Spirited Away", but a quick check shows that it's playing in four theaters here in Austin.

The movies I'm really waiting for come out in May... "Xmen 2" and "The Matrix 2". Hope we get to see some previews of one or both of them tonight!

[JenB]

Oohhh, yeah... Wolverine is almost as hot as Aragorn.... *gryn*

[HairOfTheDog]

I just got up to open the door because I heard Logan barking to come in the house, they way he used to when he was through with his rounds... one short bark. Got up and opened the door without thinking. Did that just happen or not?