The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Walk To Rivendell" aka "The Eowyn Challenge"

Lyta_Underhill · 12-30-2004, 07:40 PM

This thread seems to be a bit slow, but I thought I'd add something commemorating my trip through (or at least TO!) Shelob's Lair. I am at 1616 miles, which is just about where Frodo finds the opening on the left side of the tunnel to the lair of the great nasty spider herself! This would be a routine event on a regular walk, marked only by a number representing a milestone along the road to Mount Doom.

However, it seems that life imitates Quest in odd and disturbing ways indeed! In a metaphorical and almost literal way, I have been stung by a giant spider! (Thus taking Frodo's role in this walk where paths must diverge, although I had not yet made up my mind which road to take. It seems to have been ordained for me...). About a month ago, my husband and I were interviewed for our habit of keeping black widow spiders. An offhand comment followed that his mother, who lived close by, was herself a giant spider. When he told her that we had said this, she said, plainly and seriously, "I AM a giant spider."

Yesterday, the giant spider stung me and my husband by summarily announcing that we had 2 months to get out of our house--no reason or explanation and not a hint of warning. This was completely out of the blue, but I indeed feel rather stung and the Tower of Cirith Ungol lies somewhere in the darkness that I cannot see, and well, Mount Doom is not as clear a path as I had once thought...

Not to be depressing, but I thought the whole "giant spider" coincidence made it relevant to this particular discussion...I suppose I'll have to wait to see what happens and where I might be glimpsing the rest of my path. Anyone who has had a similar experience feel free to commiserate, although I imagine I'll be packing and won't be able to post as much as I had hoped!

Cheers!
Lyta (in the dark tunnel)

12-30-2004, 07:40 PM	#1377
Lyta_Underhill Haunted Halfling Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: an uncounted length of steps--floating between air molecules Posts: 841	In Shelob's Lair... This thread seems to be a bit slow, but I thought I'd add something commemorating my trip through (or at least TO!) Shelob's Lair. I am at 1616 miles, which is just about where Frodo finds the opening on the left side of the tunnel to the lair of the great nasty spider herself! This would be a routine event on a regular walk, marked only by a number representing a milestone along the road to Mount Doom. However, it seems that life imitates Quest in odd and disturbing ways indeed! In a metaphorical and almost literal way, I have been stung by a giant spider! (Thus taking Frodo's role in this walk where paths must diverge, although I had not yet made up my mind which road to take. It seems to have been ordained for me...). About a month ago, my husband and I were interviewed for our habit of keeping black widow spiders. An offhand comment followed that his mother, who lived close by, was herself a giant spider. When he told her that we had said this, she said, plainly and seriously, "I AM a giant spider." Yesterday, the giant spider stung me and my husband by summarily announcing that we had 2 months to get out of our house--no reason or explanation and not a hint of warning. This was completely out of the blue, but I indeed feel rather stung and the Tower of Cirith Ungol lies somewhere in the darkness that I cannot see, and well, Mount Doom is not as clear a path as I had once thought... Not to be depressing, but I thought the whole "giant spider" coincidence made it relevant to this particular discussion...I suppose I'll have to wait to see what happens and where I might be glimpsing the rest of my path. Anyone who has had a similar experience feel free to commiserate, although I imagine I'll be packing and won't be able to post as much as I had hoped! Cheers! Lyta (in the dark tunnel) __________________ “…she laid herself to rest upon Cerin Amroth; and there is her green grave, until the world is changed, and all the days of her life are utterly forgotten by men that come after, and elanor and niphredil bloom no more east of the Sea.”