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Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc
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Originally Posted by Bethberry
Aragorn's words are general enough at the Council of Elrond, yet his reference to "the one fat man" suggests the Innkeeper of the Prancing Pony, who has shown us (in passages I haven't quoted) how little he understands or appreciates Strider. I could be wrong, of course, but it seems to me that no fell creature of the Barrow Downs nor troll of the wilds could strike the uncanny fear into the hearts of men (and hobbits) that the Black Riders do; nor could they be the foes which freeze Butterbur 's heart.
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I of course also don't think that a troll could strike the fear into the hearts of men - though I think the BWs could pretty well, what makes you think they would not? People are scared only by tales about the hills they live in, and all this cold grasping hearts of the hobbits... well, surely you can read for yourself and see what impression it makes.
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My sentence was a comparison, that the
uncanny fear of the Black Riders was
greater than any fear of the Barrow Wights (see the bolding I've added here); I didn't say that the wights could not inspire fear. It's a matter of degree.
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Originally Posted by Legate
Anyway, I certainly don't think that Aragorn would be speaking about Black Riders on the Council, because if he says:
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"Strider" I am to one fat man who lives within a day's march of foes that would freeze his heart or lay his little town in ruin, if he were not guarded ceaselessly.
That certainly does not refer to the Black Riders. The "foes" are there obviously permanently (see the words used: "lives" and "ceaselessly", that would not be used for riders who have been around there for a few days).
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The verb "lives" refers to "one fat man who lives", not to the foes. I think--and of course anyone is free to disagree--that Aragorn is here describing his life to Boromir and staking his claim as heir to Isildur. He speaks generally of his life, although the recent events at the Prancing Pony--where Butterbur clearly was greatly disturbed by news of the Riders--have influenced his thoughts. He is pointing out that he has had a harder time of it than Boromir in Gondor, receiving little thanks--and we've just seen how poorly Butterbur thinks of Strider.
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Originally Posted by Legate
It actually, after seeing this, really makes me think more and more of the Barrow-Wights. Although like I said before, it just somehow does not go well with the impression I have of them being the "homely folk" staying in their tombs and haunting passing visitors. Also I already expressed my doubts when it comes to the power of the Rangers to stop them from invading civilised lands, if they chose to.
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I too have a similar sense that the wights don't travel far beyond their barrows. But it's Tom who can control the wights, not Aragorn.