AUTHOR'S NOTES -


CHAPTER 25: THE ROAD TO THE GREY HAVENS
The only difference was that then he had wondered if he would ever see the Shire again; now he knew he would not.
The Fellowship of the Ring, Three is Company: “... they were now in the Tookland and bending south-eastwards they made for the Green Hill Country. As they began to climb its first slopes they looked back and saw the lamps of Hobbiton far off twinkling in the gentle valley of the water... Frodo turned and waved a hand in farewell. ‘I wonder if I shall ever look down into that valley again,’ he said quietly.”

‘But it’s still very comforting to think of all those hobbits safe in their homes.’
An echo of Fellowship of the Ring, The Shadow of the past: “‘I feel as long as the Shire lies behind me, safe and comfortable, I shall find wandering more bearable...’”

It was a few days later that Frodo called Sam into his study. ‘It will be Bilbo’s birthday very soon,’ he said, as he held the door open.

Sam looked at him in surprise. ‘Well, yes, of course,’ he said. ‘And yours, my love.’ Frodo shut the door, but showed no sign of sitting. Sam shifted his weight uneasily; he had been waiting day by day for Frodo to announce his departure, and he was getting anxious. Frodo fidgeted with a pen on his desk, and then met Sam’s gaze.

‘He will pass the Old Took: he will be a hundred and thirty-one,’ he said quietly.

‘So he will!’ exclaimed Sam. ‘What with everything else, I’d forgotten. He’s a marvel! It’s a pity we can’t be with him.’

‘Well, Sam,’ said Frodo carefully, as though he were holding himself in check. He paused, and Sam’s chest tightened in anticipation of what was coming. This was surely it. Frodo cleared his throat, and his next words confirmed Sam’s suspicions. ‘Will you ask Rosie if she can spare you?’ he said. ‘So that you can come with me part of the way? I’m not going to ask you to go far,’ he hurried on, as though Sam were going to object, ‘or be away for a long time, and it’s not necessary that you should. Tell Rosie you won’t be away more than a fortnight; and that you’ll come back here quite safe.’
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “Little Elanor was nearly six months old, and 1421 had passed to its autumn, when Frodo called Sam into his study.

‘It will be Bilbo’s birthday on Thursday, Sam,’ he said. ‘And he will pass the Old Took: he will be a hundred and thirty-one!’

‘So he will!’ said Sam. ‘He’s a marvel!’

‘Well, Sam,’ said Frodo, “I want you to see Rose and find out if she can spare you, so that you and I can go off together. you can’t go far or for a long time now, of course,’he said a little wistfully.

‘Well, not very well, Mr. Frodo.’

‘Of course not. But never mind. You can see me on my way. Tell Rose you won’t be away very long, not more than a fortnight; and you’ll come back quite safe.’”

‘Elrond told me to look for him in the woods of the Shire in autumn. Before we left Rivendell, he told me.’
The Return of the King, Many Partings: “As Frodo stood upon the threshold, Elrond wished him a fair journey and blessed him, and he said:
‘I think, Frodo, that maybe you will not need to come back, unless you come very soon. For about this time of the year, when the leaves are gold before they fall, look for Bilbo in the woods of the Shire. I shall be with him.’

These words no one else heard, and Frodo kept them to himself.”

‘Oh, Frodo! I want to go all the way with you to Rivendell, and see Mr. Bilbo again,’ said Sam sadly. Frodo lowered his gaze and remained silent. ‘I want to come with you nîn meleth. I should never have married Rosie. You’re right. I do feel like I’m torn in two.’ ...
‘My poor Sam!,’ said Frodo gently. ‘It will feel like that, I am afraid. But you cannot come with me, and you will be healed. I believe that, and it makes the leaving easier. You were meant to be solid and whole, and you will be.’
Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “‘I wish I could go all the way with you to Rivendell, Mr. Frodo, and see Mr. Bilbo,’ said Sam. ‘And yet the only place I really want to be is here. I am that torn in two.’

‘Poor Sam! It will feel like that, I am afraid,’ said Frodo. ‘But you will be healed. You were meant to be solid and whole, and you will be.’”

In the next day or two, Frodo went through his papers and his writings with Sam, and he handed over his keys....

Frodo picked up the big book with plain red leather covers that was so familiar to Sam, and handed it over. Sam flipped through it; its tall pages were now almost filled. At the beginning there were many leaves covered with Bilbo’s thin wandering hand, but most of it was written in Frodo’s firm flowing script that Sam delighted in. It was divided into chapters, but the last chapter was unfinished, and after that were some blank pages. Sam read a few pages at random, and looked at Frodo with an eyebrow raised in question.
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “Inthe next day or two, Frodo went through his papers and his writings with Sam, and he handed over his keys. There was a big book with plain red leather covers; its tall pages were now almost filled. At the beginning there were many leaves covered with Bilbo’s thin wandering hand, but most of it was written in Frodo’s firm flowing script that Sam delighted in. It was divided into chapters, but Chapter 80 was unfinished, and after that were some blank leaves.”

Frodo turned the pages back to the front, where there were many titles in Bilbo’s hand, all crossed out. Sam read what Frodo had written below:

THE DOWNFALL
OF THE
LORD OF THE RINGS
AND THE
RETURN OF THE KING

The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: The title page had many titles on it, crossed out one after another... Here Bilbo’s hand ended and Frodo had written:

THE DOWNFALL
OF THE
LORD OF THE RINGS
AND THE
RETURN OF THE KING

Sam turned back to the last page and studied it. ‘Why, you’ve nearly finished it!’ he said. ‘I knew you’d kept at it, but it was nowhere near this done when I last looked.’

‘I have quite finished,’ said Frodo. ‘The last pages are for you.’ He kissed Sam and took the book to lay it aside. They pressed together, unable to believe that the end was so near.
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “‘Why, you have nearly finished it, Mr. Frodo!’ Sam exclaimed. ‘Well, you have kept at it, I must say.’

‘I have quite finished, Sam,’ said Frodo. ‘The last pages are for you.’”

The twenty-first day of Halimath dawned, and they rose in a dream.
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “On September the twenty-first they set out together...”

He took a deep breath, wiped his face and walked out of Bag End into a fair golden morning.
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “It was a fair golden morning, and Sam did not ask where they were going: he thought he could guess.”

‘Are you going to find treasure and jools?’ he asked, his eyes as large as saucers.
The Fellowship of the Ring, A Long-expected Party: “‘There’s a tidy bit of money tucked away up there , I hear tell... chests of gold and silver, and jools, by what I’ve heard.’”

Sam looked down at him. ‘No,’ he said quietly. ‘No, we aren’t. I’m going to lose my treasure.’
History of MIddle-earth, vol. 9, Sauron Defeated, The Epilogue: “‘I think it was very sad for [Celeborn], and for you, dear Sam-dad.’ Her hand felt for his, and his brown hand clasped her slender fingers. ‘For your treasure went, too. I am glad Frodo of the Ring saw me, but I wish I could remember seeing him.’”

They rode through Bywater and then crossed the East Road, heading south across country towards the Green Hills and the Stock Road. They didn’t hurry, and made frequent stops. Sam was happy with that. He rode by Frodo’s side, and they talked of what they could see around them, not what they were feeling.

The first night, they camped in the Green Hills by a small stream.
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “They took the Stock Road over the hills and went towards the Woody End, and let their ponies walk at their leisure. They camped in the Green Hills.”

The afternoon was wearing away as they rode gently down into the beginning of the trees. One, standing close to the road with great black roots curving up out of the grass, caught Sam’s eye. ‘Why, if that isn’t the very tree you hid behind when the Black Rider first showed up, Frodo,’ he said, pointing to the left. ‘It seems like a dream now.’
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “...they rode gently down into the beginning of the trees as afternoon was wearing away.

‘If that isn’t the very tree you hid behind when the black Rider first showed up, Mr. Frodo,’ said Sam, pointing to the left. ‘It seems like a dream now.’”

It was evening, and the stars were glimmering in the eastern sky as they passed the ruined oak and turned and went on down the hill between the hazel thickets. Sam was silent, deep in his memories. Presently he became aware that Frodo was singing softly to himself, singing the old walking-song, but the words were not quite the same.

Frodo and Sam halted and sat silent in the soft shadows, until they saw a shimmer as the travellers came towards them.

There was Gildor and many fair Elven folk; and there to Sam’s wonder rode Galadriel as well as Elrond.
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: The above passage is almost entirely the lovely words of Tolkien. The only change is that the original text finishes with: “and there to Sam’s wonder rode Elrond and Galadriel.” The change was because - in All That I Had - Sam already knows Elrond will meet Frodo.

‘See, Sam,’ said Frodo quietly, ‘they are wearing their Elven rings openly now.’ Sam nodded; he could see the flash of blue as Elrond raised his hand, and the single white stone set in Galadriel’s ring flickering like a frosty star. ‘Vilya and Nenya,’ said Frodo. Suddenly he gave a small cry of delight. Sam followed his gaze, and there was Bilbo himself, riding slowly behind on a small grey pony; he seemed to be nodding in sleep.
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “...and upon Elrond’s finger was a ring of gold with a great blue stone, Vilya, mightiest of the Three... on [Galadriel’s] finger was Nenya, the ring wrought of mithril, that bore a white stone flickering like a frosty star. Riding slowly behind on a small grey pony, and seeming to nod in his sleep, was Bilbo himself.”

Elrond greeted them gravely and graciously, and Galadriel smiled upon them. ‘Well, Master Samwise,’ she said, ‘I hear and see that you have used my gift well. The Shire shall now be more than ever blessed and beloved.’ Sam bowed, but found nothing to say...

Bilbo woke up then and opened his eyes. ‘Hullo, Frodo!’ he said. ‘Happy birthday, my dear boy. Well, I have passed the Old Took today! So that’s settled. And now I think I am quite ready to go on another journey. Are you coming?’
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: The above is once again Tolkien’s words with the exception of Bilbo wishing Frodo a happy birthday. That seemed to me a sad omission on Bilbo’s part.

‘Yes, I am coming,’ said Frodo. ‘The Ring-bearers should go together.’

‘Where are you going, Frodo?’ cried Sam in distress, as at last he understood what was happening.

‘To the Havens, Sam,’ said Frodo.

‘And I can’t come.’ It was a flat statement.
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: "'Yes, I am coming,’ said Frodo. ‘The Ring-bearers should go together.’

‘Where are you going,Master?’ cried Sam, though at last he understood what was happening.

‘To the Havens Sam,’ said Frodo.

‘And I can’t come?’”

Light and high beauty that had come into his life so long ago that it almost seemed he had never been without it.
The Return of the King, The Land of Shadow: “There peeping among the cloud wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, cold and clear, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty forever beyond its reach.”

‘No, Sam. Not yet, anyway. Not further than the Havens. Though you too were a Ring-bearer, if only for a little while, and I believe your time may come. Do not be too sad, meleth anim. You cannot always be torn in two. You will have to be one and whole, for many years. You have so much to enjoy and to be, and to do.’
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “‘No, Sam. Not yet, anyway. Not further than the Havens. Though you too were a Ring-bearer, if only for a little while. Your time may come. Do not be too sad, Sam. You cannot always be torn in two. You will have to be one and whole, for many years. You have so much to enjoy and to be, and to do.’”

‘But,’ whispered Sam, as the tears, that were never far away, started in his eyes, ‘I always thought you would enjoy the Shire, too, for years and years, after all that you’ve done. Then you were so ill, and I knew you couldn’t stay, but I hoped and hoped you might return to me. But this journey... this journey has no return!’
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “‘But,’ said Sam, and tears started in his eyes, ‘I thought you were going to enjoy the Shire, too, for years and years, after all you have done.’”

‘No, Sam, there is no return. For a while, I thought I could enjoy the Shire, too, but I have been too deeply hurt. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, my dearest Sam. When things are in danger, someone has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.’ He tightened his hand on Sam’s arm. ‘You are my heir, Sam. All that I had, and might have had, I leave to you.’
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “‘So I thought too, once. But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam. When things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them. But you are my heir: all that I had and might have had I leave to you.’”

Frodo ran his hands up over Sam’s chest and gripped his shoulders. He lifted his face to look into Sam’s eyes, and his words mirrored Sam’s thoughts. ‘Dear Sam,’ he said gently. ‘You have Rosie and Elanor, and you have always taken the hard choice to do what is right. I need you to take care of them, of Elanor especially; they need you. And there will be others. You will have your Frodo-lad, and Rosie-lass. There will be your own small Merry and Pippin, to give you as much trouble as the originals. And Goldilocks and Hamfast and Daisy, perhaps more that I cannot see.’ His gaze holding Sam’s was intense. ‘You will be blessed, Sam. I believe that, and I can bear this parting if I know you have this life that I have been denied. You will be my caretaker. You will carry my memory in the Shire, and hold my love in trust. I will never be truly gone from you, meleth anim. Not while you have a memory of me to hold to... Your hands and your wits will be needed everywhere, Sam,’ he said, kissing him gently. ‘You will be the Mayor, as long as you want to be, and the most famous gardener in history; and I hope you will read things out of the Red Book, and keep alive the memory of the age that is gone, so that people will remember the Great Danger and so love their beloved land all the more. Oh, Sam! I know it’s hard for you to believe now, but you will be as busy and as happy as anyone can be, as long as your part of the story goes on.’

The Return of the King, The Grey Haven: “‘And also you have Rose, and Elanor; and Frodo-lad will come, and Rosie-lass, and Merry, and Goldilocks and Pippin, and perhaps more that I cannot see. Your hands and your wits will be needed everywhere. You will be Mayor, of course, as long as you want to be, and the most famous gardener in history; and you will read things out of the Red Book, and keep alive the memory of the age that is gone, so that people will remember the Great Danger, and so love their beloved land even more. And that will keep you as busy and as happy as anyone can be, as long as your part of the Story goes on.’”

‘Samwise Gamgee, you have chosen well,’ he said, ‘and I count you blessed, because your loss you suffer of your own free will, and you might have chosen otherwise. The least reward you shall have is that the memory of your love shall remain ever clear and unstained in your heart.’
I have transposed words from Legolas to Elrond here. The Fellowship of the Rings, Farewell to Lórien: “‘But I count you blessed, Gimli son of Glóin: for your loss you suffer of your own free will, and you might have chosen otherwise. But you have not forsaken you companions, and the least reward that you shall have is that the memory of Lothlórien shall remain ever clear and unstained in your heart...’”

‘Now Mr. Bilbo, sir,’ said Sam. ‘You know as you shouldn’t go claiming the blame, any more’n you should go claiming to have started it, and you know what Gandalf had to say about that.’
The Fellowship of the Ring, The Council of Elrond: “‘Of course, my dear Bilbo,’ said Gandalf. ‘If you had really started this affair, you might be expected to finish it. But you know well enough now that starting is too great a claim for any, and that only a small part is played in great deeds by any hero...’”

‘Come now; ride with me, my love,’ he said. They turned their ponies and rode back the way they had come along the Stock Road. The Elves were no more than a swift shimmer under trees as they rode Westward with the moon, and in their midst rode Frodo, Sam and Bilbo. The hobbits were filled with sadness, but Sam felt as though the sadness was yet blessed, being unstained by any bitterness.

They rode all night, through the midst of the Shire, stopping as the first light of dawn lifted over the horizon behind them.
The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “Then Elrond and Galadriel rode on; for the Third Age was over, and the Days of the Rings were passed, and an end was come to the story and song of those times. With them went many Elves of the High Kindred who would no longer stay in Middle-earth; and among them, filled with a sadness that was yet blessed and without bitterness, rode Sam, and Frodo, and Bilbo, and the Elves delighted to honour them.

Though they rode through the midst of the Shire all night, none saw them pass, save the wild creatures; or here and there some wanderer in the dark who saw a swift shimmer under the trees, or a light and shadow flowing through the grass as the Moon went westward.”

‘But I’d have liked to have seen Sandyman’s face with all this great company honouring you.’
See passage above: “and the Elves delighted to honour them.”


It took them a week to reach the Grey Havens.
Tolkien gives us no sense of time for this journey, nor for Sam, Merry and Pippin’s return. The Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “...They rode through the Shire all night... and when they had passed from the Shire, going about the south skirts of the White Downs, they came to the Far Downs, and to the Towers, and looked on the distant Sea; so they rode down at last to Mithlond, to the Grey Havens in the long firth of Lune.”
However, Return of the King, Appendix B tells us:
“September 22. They meet the Last Riding of the Keepers of the Rings in Woody End.
September 29. They come to the Grey Havens, Frodo and Bilbo depart over the sea with the Three Keepers.
October 6. Samwise returns to Bag End.”

Halting by the Towers, they could see the sea in the distance, grey in the light of dawn. ‘It goes on forever,’ whispered Sam.
Return of the King, The Grey Havens: “...they came to the Far Downs, and to the Towers, and looked on the distant Sea...”
but The Fellowship of the Ring, The Prologue: “Three Elf towers of immemorial age were still to be seen on the Tower Hills beyond the western marches... the Hobbits of the Westfarthing said that one could see the sea from the top of that tower, but no Hobbit had ever been known to climb it.”

I decided to let them see the sea from the Tower Hills, as the first quote seems to indicate.

Frodo touched his arm. ‘It has been calling me for a long time, Sam. Don’t believe Shire superstition: the sea is not a token of death.’
The Return of the King, Many Partings: “Yes something of everything, Sam, except the sea.’ Frodo had answered; and he repeated it now to himself: ‘Except the Sea.’
The Fellowship of the Ring, The Prologue: “And as the days of the Shire lengthened they spoke less and less with the Elves, and grew afraid of them; and the Sea became a word of fear among them, and a token of death, and they turned their faces from the hills in the west.”