I would imagine 'white' so as to be distinguishable from the other, grey oliphaunts. Frodo apparently recognizes Gandalf as an unusual person, deserving of an unusual mount. Even more interesting, he recognizes Gandalf as the leader of Middle-earth's opposition to Sauron - higher than Aragorn, though the latter is designated king.
__________________
'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth.. .'
|