Are Hobbits Different Colors?

[DIOTB]

on the way up to Shelob's Lair, they stop to rest. It says, "Sams dark hand in Frodo's light hand." Is this because Sam was dirty and Frodo was sick?

[Gothmog]

Before the crossing of the mountains the Hobbits had already become divided into three somewhat different breeds: Harfoots, Stoors, and Fallohides. The Harfoots were borwner of skin, smaller, and shorter, and they were beardless and bootless; their hands and feet were neat and nimble; and they preferred highlands and hillsides. The Stoors were broader, heavier in build; their feet and hands were larger, and they preferred flat lands and riversides. The Fallohides were fairer of skin and also of hair, and they were taller and slimmer than the others; they were lovers of trees and of woodlands.


This is from The Fellowship of the Ring: Concerning Hobbits

It shows that there is a variation in the colouring of Hobbits, In The Stairs of Cirith Ungol it says:

And so Gollum found them hours later, when he returned, crawling and creeping down the path out of the gloom ahead. Sam sat propped against the stome, his head dropping sideways and his breathing heavy. In his lap lay Frodo's head, drowned deep in sleep; upon his white forehead lay one of Sam's brown hands,

[J'ohn]

I agree, Gothmog...

Originally, there were three divisions of hobbits, the Harfoots (the smallest in build), the Fallonhides (taller and slimmer) and the Stoors (broader and heavier). Eventually, all of those passed into Eriador and mixed up, but it is gathered that at least some differences existed among families.

The Gamgee and Baggins families lived quite apart... the Bagginses lived primarily at Hobbiton of the Westfarthing, while the Gamgees lived at a small village of the Shire called Gamwich (I think). It's not impobable that the Bagginses had fairer skin...

Although the descriptions in that chapter of the Two Towers are written more likely to contrast Sam with the "nobler" Frodo...

SBS:)

[Cian]

In The Hobbit Hobbits are said to have clever brown fingers. Tolkien would expand on the colouration of course, as already given by Gothmog.

[Rushlight]

I recall the three divisions of hobbits, but in my mind I always pictured Sam being a little darker because he spent more time outdoors gardening. And I'm reasonably sure they didn't have sunscreen in Middle Earth, although I'm sure he could have done with a good coating of SPF 30 every day.

Rushlight
(former sun worshipper who now knows better):cool:

[gaffer]

although everything you guys posted about the three strains of hobbits and their characteristics are obviously true, i just took that quote to emphasize frodo's weakness at that time, as illustrated by his pale skin. just my interpretation

[LotR_Girl]

Here's my opinion:
We know Frodo was sick and sick ppl usually 'loose' their natural color...ya know wha I mean. So, he was pale, which U can say he had 'light' hand.
And Sam was gardener and he worked very hard *I think* and he wasn't sick.

[Lindir]

In the description Gandalf gave Barliman Butterbur he said among other things that Frodo was fairer than most, so he is obviously fair skinned from the start.

[LotR_Girl]

Yes, but I think Tolkien wanted to describe how sick Frodo was.

[henzo33]

Frodo was no where close to being sick when the significance of Gandalf describing his complexion to Barliman Butterbur was necessary. If we all remember Frodo's physical appearance was never the same after the the Ringwraith stabbed him at the confrontation on Weathertop which came after their meeting ith Butterbur at the Prancing Pony.

[legendz28]

I agree, I think that certain hobbits were dark skinned. Unfortunately that isn't protrayed in the movie at all. I don't think Sam just had a tan, I think he was just dark skinned. They do say Frodo was fair skinned, and they also say elves are fair skinned. And at one point in the book when Sam is watching Frodo sleep, Sam thinks to himself that Frodo has an almost elven look to him. So Frodo must have been pretty light skinned naturally, not just because he was sick.

[JanitorofAngmar]

I would imagine that the next step would be to discuss just how dark-skinned Sam was.

I have heard specultation that the combination of servitude and name "Sam" related to the obvious...

I always thought of Sam as more olive in skin colour.

Heck, he was a gardener right. I'm sure he was sporting a pretty good tan himself from just being outside too.

[Cian]

Samwise is from Old English meaning "half-wit, half-wise" (and represents his 'real' name Banazîr of the same meaning).