LotR -- Book 1 - Chapter 07 - In the House of Tom Bombadil

[William Cloud Hicklin]

So, In the House of Tom Bombadil. Never a favourite of mine, but a harmless, short chapter that has a couple of intriguing elements. I always loved the Narrator's description of Tom's stories about the lost kingdoms of Arnor and how time passed them by.

I do think that that is a wonderful passage, both for Tolkien's language, almost poetic, and that, especially for a new reader, one is along with Frodo for the first time given the feel of the immense ancientry of the world outside the cozy Shire. The Shadow of the Past talks about ancient things, but doesn't really convey the gulf of time like this chapter does.