In this post, I will examine uncommon words used in Chapters 9 and 10 of Book Two of The Fellowship of the Ring.
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Mead: (archaic) meadow
Tolkien used the word mead as an archaic synonym for meadow.
After leaving Lothlorien, the Fellowship sailed boats down a river.
Here and there through opening Frodo could catch sudden glimpses of rolling meads, and far beyond them hills in the sunset, and away on the edge of sight a dark line, where marched the southernmost ranks of the Misty Mountains. (Book Two, Chapter 9)
Frodo observed rolling meadows, hills, and the Misty Mountains as he sailed down the river with his fellow travelers.
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Wold: (British English) an elevated area of open land
Downs: (British English) Grass-covered hills, typically composed of chalk
Fen: a low and marshy or frequently flooded area of land
Tussock: A small area of grass that is thicker or longer than the surrounding grass
The adventurers sailed past an uneventful landscape, deep in thought.
The Brown Lands rose into bleak wolds, over which flowed a chill air from the East. On the other side the meads had become rolling downs of withered grass amidst a land of fen and tussock.
Frodo shivered, thinking of the lawns and fountains, the clear sun and gentle rains of Lothlorien. There was little speech and no laughter in any of the boats. Each member of the Company was busy with his own thoughts. (Book Two, Chapter 9)
Open lands bordered one side of the river. On the other side, meadows gave way to rolling hills of shriveled grass, surrounded by marshy land and thick grass.
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Dusk: The darker stage of twilight
Listless: Lacking energy or enthusiasm
One night, something caught Sam’s attention.
As dusk drew down on the fourth day, he was looking back over the bowed heads of Frodo and Aragorn and the following boats; he was drowsy and longed for camp and the feel of earth under his toes.
Suddenly something caught his sight: at first he stared at it listlessly, then he sat up and rubbed his eyes; but when he looked again he could not see it any more. (Book Two, Chapter 9)
After sunset, Sam saw something in the night. He stared at it drowsily, and it quickly disappeared.
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Eyot: (British English) A small island, especially in a river or lake
The adventurers stopped to sleep for the night.
That night they camped on a small eyot close to the western bank. Sam lay rolled in blankets beside Frodo. ‘I had a funny dream an hour or two before we stopped, Mr. Frodo,’ he said. ‘Or maybe it wasn’t a dream. Funny it was anyway.’ (Book Two, Chapter 9)
The Fellowship spent the night on a small island close to the western bank of the river.
Sam and Frodo discussed Sam’s glimpse in the dark, and they agreed Gollum was likely following them.
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Plash: Splash
Sam woke Frodo to tell him that he had heard suspicious noises in the night.
In the dead hours Frodo came out of a deep dark sleep to find Sam shaking him. ‘It’s a shame to wake you,’ whispered Sam, ‘but that’s what you said. There’s nothing to tell, or not much. I thought I heard some soft plashing and a sniffing noise, a while back; but you hear a lot of such queer sounds by a river at night.’ (Book Two, Chapter 9)
Sam heard splashing and sniffing, which meant Gollum might be nearby.
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Sloe: The small, round, sour, bluish-purple berries that grow on blackthorn shrubs and trees
Bramble: A prickly vine or shrub
Creepers: Small, viny plants that grow close to the ground
After a night’s sleep, the adventurers set off again on their river voyage.
The next day the country on either side began to change rapidly. The banks began to rise and grow stony.
Soon they were passing through a hilly rocky land, and on both shores there were steep slopes buried in deep brakes of thorn and sloe, tangled with brambles and creepers.
Behind them stood low crumbling cliffs, and chimneys of grey weathered stone dark with ivy; and beyond these again there rose high ridges crowned with wind-writhen firs. They were drawing near to the grey hill-country of Emyn Muil, the southern march of Wilderland. (Book Two, Chapter 9)
Both sides of the river featured land covered by thorns and prickly plants. Vines and small, round, blue berries covered the landscape.
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Rowan: A plant, which can be a tree or a shrub, with red berries and white flowers that is also known as a ‘mountain ash.’
Frodo left his companions to consider, on his own, which direction he wished to travel with the Ruling Ring.
After a while, the other members of the Fellowship began to worry. They scattered and searched for Frodo, who hadn’t yet returned.
Aragorn sprang swiftly away and went in pursuit of Sam. Just as he reached the little lawn among the rowans he overtook him, toiling uphill, panting and calling: Frodo!
'Come with me, Sam!' he said. 'None of us should be alone. There is mischief about. I feel it. I am going to the top, to the Seat of Amon Hen, to see what may be seen. And look! It is as my heart guessed, Frodo went this way. Follow me, and keep your eyes open!' He sped up the path. (Book Two, Chapter 10)
Aragorn ran after Sam. Aragorn caught up with him in an open area among the trees.
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Spoilt: Spoiled
Frodo made up his mind to leave for Mordor on his own. He wanted to spare his friends the dangerous road that lie ahead.
But Sam caught up with Frodo before Frodo could leave. Sam convinced Frodo to let Sam go with him.
‘So all my plan is spoilt!’ said Frodo. ‘It is no good trying to escape you. But I’m glad, Sam. I cannot tell you how glad. Come along! It is plain that we were meant to go together. We will go, and may the others find a safe road! Strider will look after them. I don’t suppose we shall see them again.’
‘Yet we may, Mr. Frodo. We may,’ said Sam. (Book Two, Chapter 10)
Frodo proclaimed that Sam
had ruined Frodo’s plan to leave on his own. Frodo told Sam how glad he was that Sam was going to travel with him.
Frodo, aware of the perilous path before them, said he didn’t believe he or Sam would see the other members of the Fellowship again.
Sam was more hopeful than Frodo. Sam replied they might live to see their friends again.
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