The Adventures of Tom Bombadil: A Review and Discussion

[Wraithguard]

I believe this is a work that is often appreciated but rarely discussed. From Bombadil goes Boating to The Last Ship it is a story that has entertained me ever since my earliest childhood. That is why I decided to dedicate this thread to a work that is often overlooked but never underappreciated. I was hoping to get a discussion of the great work of Tolkien out of this and honor it for what it is. Naturally I would want to start at the beginning, and work our way to the end, however, any discussion on whatever topic will work.Let us begin our discussion with Goldberry the River Daughter. How Tom meets her and what happens from there.

Goldberry seems to be a carefree spirit of nature. She drags Tom into the water by his beard and Tom, being ever so carefree and joyous, merely says, "You bring it back again, there's a pretty maiden". I have actually wondered for a time what exactly he meant by that statement.

[AraCelebEarwen]

This sounds interesting. I guess I'll have to read the book now? ;) Where could it be found? I like Goldberry and Tom, but didn't know there was a story about them! :o :rolleyes: :D

[Wraithguard]

I have no clue where exactly you can find it. It isn't all that long but it is very entertaining. It's not really a book. If you like I can post all the chapters here.

[AraCelebEarwen]

oh? That might make it easer to comment, for me and anyone else in here. :D Can you really do that?

[Wraithguard]

It will take me a while but...
1
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil

Old Tom Bombadil was a merry fellow;
bright blue his jacket was and his boots were yellow,
green were his girdle and his breeches all of leather;
he wore in his tall hat a swan-wing feather.
he lived up under Hill, where the Withywindle
ran from a grassy well down into the dingle.

Old Tom in the summertime walked about the meadows
gathering the buttercups, running after shadows,
tickling the bumblebees that buzzed among the flowers,
sitting by the waterside for hours upon hours.

There his beard dangled long down into the water:
up came Goldberry, the River-woman's daughter;
pulled Tom's hanging hair. In he went a-wallowing
under the water-lilies, bubbling and a-swallowing.

'Hey, Tom Bombadil! Whither are you going?'
said fair Goldberry, 'Bubbles you are blowing,
frightening the finny fish and the brown water-rat,
startling the dabchicks, and drowning your feather-hat!'

'You bring it back again, there's a pretty maiden!'
said Tom Bombadil. 'I do not care for wading.
Go down! Sleep again where the pools are shady
far below willow-roots, little water-lady.

Back to her mother's house in the deepest hollow
swam young Goldberry. But Tom, he would not follow;
on knotted willow-roots he sat in sunny weather,
drying his yellow boots and his draggled feather.

To be continued...

[AraCelebEarwen]

I think he means the hat...

That's cool! :D I'll enjoy reading it as I can. ;)

[Wraithguard]

Up woke the Willow-man, began upon his singing,
sang Tom fast asleep under branches swinging;
in a crack caught him tight: snick! it closed together
trapped Tom Bombadil, coat and hat and feather.

'Ha, Tom Bombadil! What be you a-thinking,
peeping inside my tree, watching me a-drinking
deep in my wooden house, tickling me with feather,
dripping wet down my face like a rainy weather?'

'You let me out again, Old Man Willow!
I am stiff lying here; they're no sort of pillow,
your hard crooked roots. Drink your river-water!
Go back asleep again like the River-daughter!'

Willow-man let him loose when he heard him speaking;
locked fast his wooden house, muttering and creaking,
whispering inside the tree. Outfrom willow-dingle
Tom went walking on up the Withywindle.
Under the forest-eaves he sat a while a-listening:
on the boughs piping birds were chirruping and whistling
Butterflies about his head went quivering and winking,
until grey clouds came up as the sun was sinking.

Then Tom hurried on. Rain began to shiver,
round rings spattering in the running river;
a wind blew, shaken leaves chilly drops were dripping;
into a sheltering hole Old Tom went skipping.

To Be Continued...

[AraCelebEarwen]

I knew Tolkien liked rhymes, but this is rather good! I hope others come to look, I really think they should! :p :D

[Wraithguard]

Out came Badger-brock with his snowy forehead
and his dark blinking eyes. In the hill he quarried
with his wife and many sons. By the coat they caught him,
pulled him inside their earth, down their tunnels brought him.

Inside their secret house, there they sat a-mumbling:
'Ho, Tom Bombadil! Where have you come tumbling,
bursting in the front-door? Badger-folk have caaught you.
You'll never find it out, the way that we have brought you.'

'Now, old Badger-brock, do you hear me talking?
You show me out at once! I must be a walking.
Show me to your back door under briar-roses;
then clean grimy paws, wipe your earthy noses!
Go back to sleep again on your straw pillow,
like fair Goldberry and Old Man Willow!'

Then all the Badger-folk said: 'We beg your pardon!'
They all showed Tom out again to their thorny garden,
went back up and hid themselves, a-shivering and a-shaking,
blocked up all their doors, earth together raking.

Rain had passed. The sky was clear, and in the summer-gloaming
Old Tom Bombadil laughed as he came homing,
unlocked his door again, and opened up a shutter.
In the kitchen round the lamp moths began to flutter;
Tom through the window saw waking stars come winking,
and the new slender moon early westward sinking.

Dark came under Hill. Tom, he lit a candle;
upstairs creaking went, turned the door-handle.
'Hoo, Tom Bombadil! Look what night has brought you!
I'm here behind the door. Now at last I've caught you!
You'd forgotten Barrow-wight dwelling in the old mound
up there on the hill-top with the ring of stones round.
He's got loose again. under earth he'll take you.
Poor Tom Bombadil, pale and cold he'll make you.

'Go out! Shut the door, and never come back after!
Take away gleaming eyes, take your hollow laughter!
Go back to grassy mound, on your stony pillow
lay down your bony head like Old Man Willow,
like young Goldberry, and Badger-folk in burrow!
Go back to buried gold and forgotten sorrow!"

Out fled Barrow-wight through the window leaping,
through the yard, over wall like a shadow sweeping,
up hill wailing went back to leaning stone-rings,
back under lonely mound, rattling his bone-rings.

To be continued...

[AraCelebEarwen]

wow. He's a tough little dude! Besting a Barrow-wight in his own home... :eek: :D This almost sounds like something Tolkien did in his, um... time-off ;) *hehe*