CHAPTER 24: SECRETS AND SURPRISES
Sam was another wise hobbit who had the earth under his feet and clay under his fingers; there was wisdom in his bones and both his eyes were open.
The Fellowship of the Ring, In the House of Tom Bombadil: “...but he made no secret that he owed his recent knowledge to Farmer Maggot, whom he seemed to regard as a person of more importance than they had imagined. ‘There’s earth under his old feet, and clay on his fingers; wisdom in his bones, and both his eyes are open.’”
This has always struck me as a good description of Sam, as well. For instance, he is the only one of the four hobbits who sees through Old Man Willow’s wiles. The Fellowship of the Ring, The Old Forest: “Sam sat down and scratched his head, and yawned like a cavern. He was worried. The afternoon was getting late, and he thought this sudden sleepiness uncanny. ‘There’s more behind this than sun and warm air,’ he muttered to himself. ‘I don’t like this great big tree, I don’t trust it. Hark at it, singing about sleep now! This won’t do at all!’
He pulled himself to his feet and staggered off to see what had become of the ponies.”
A hedgehog ran across the path in front of them, and they laughed at the comical sight. With its fast-moving short legs and the skirt of coarse hairs along its flanks, it looked as though it was gliding over the ground. At the sound of their laughter, the small creature froze and curled into a tight ball. Thick spiky bristles poked out in all directions. Sam carefully scooped it up, so it lay on his calloused palm. There was no sign of face or legs. He gently stroked the bristles back from the head in a slow rhythm, and gradually the hedgehog began to uncurl. Frodo looked with delight at the long questing snout, the small bright eyes and the pads of the long feet. He touched one of the feet, and Sam’s magic was broken. The animal curled back around Frodo’s finger, and he had to pull it free.
Chica Chubb/Iolanthe once said to me that only British writers had real hedgehogs at the bottom of the garden, so this one was written into the story just for her.
