AUTHOR'S NOTES -


CHAPTER 13: ACTIONS AND REACTIONS

A Elbereth Gilthoniel
o menal palan-diriel,
le nallon sí di’nguruthos!
A tiro nin, Fanuiolos!’
The Two Towers, The Choices of Master Samwise. “And then his tongue was loosed and he cried aloud in a language which he did not know
A Elbereth Gilthoniel
o menal palan-diriel,
le nallon sí di’nguruthos!
A tiro nin, Fanuiolos!’

And with that he staggered to his feet and was Samwise the hobbit, Hamfast’s son, again.”


‘That’s beautiful,’ said Rosie. ‘What does it mean?’

‘O! Queen who kindled star on star,’ answered Frodo, his voice almost too quiet for Sam to catch, ‘white-robed from heaven gazing far, here overwhelmed in dread of death... ‘ Frodo’s voice shook and Sam saw his hand move out of sight and guessed he had reached for the star-gem. ‘...I cry: Oh guard me Elbereth.’
This is Tolkien’s translation.

‘Well, you’ve wasted more’n a year, so why wait longer?’ she said promptly, and Sam choked.

‘Wasted! I wouldn’t call it that,’ he said in indignation, and then he saw she was laughing at him.
The Return of the King, The Grey Haven: “‘But now I have spoken, and she says: “Well, you’ve wasted a year, so why wait longer?” “Wasted?” I says. “I wouldn’t call it that.””

She sighed happily. ‘Can we make it a double wedding, with Tom and Mari? It’ll keep the cost down for our families, and I think it would be fun. I know that’s less than a fortnight away, so say if it’s too soon.’
The Return of the King, The Grey Haven: “Sam Gamgee married Rosie Cotton in the Spring of 1420...” In Appendix B the date is given as the 1st of May 1420.