The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post

Findegil · 01-04-2007, 04:01 PM

It is easy to have the chrnology of this change if you have the "The Annotated hobbit":

1937: "Not the Gandalf who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures, anything from climbing trees to stowing away aboard the ships that sail to the Other Side? ..."

1966-Longmans/Unwin: "Not the Gandalf who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures? Anything from climbing trees to visiting elves - or sailing in ships, sailing to other shores! ..."

The reading in 1966-Ballentimes agress with that in 1966-Longmans/Unwin but mistakenly has a period , or full stop, instead of a question mark.

So the "lasses" were there from the start (as were the three remarkable, not adventures, daughters of Old Took, by the way).

In point of view the change is unnecessary as are so many of the 1966 Editions. They were mainly introduced to get the right to have new copyright on the book.

What we have to take into acount is the situation and the speaker. Bilbo tells Gandalf about his reputation. Gandalf ancouraged the interest of young Hobbits in the world out side the shire. That is a fact given by Gandalf himself in "The Quest of Erebor". Therefore it was quiet likley that he was held responsible for the "going into the wilde" that some young Took's did. Bilbo in neither passaged siad that Gandalf accompained these adventerous. "stowing away aboard the ships that sail to the Other Side" means therefore no more than a Hobbit going to Mithlond and stealing aboard a elvish ship as a blind passengar. But seeing the fact that even an adventures and educated Hobbit like Peregrin Took did nknow about Mithlond, it seems clear that Bilbo is spreading a roumor here like you could hear it in The Ivy Bush in Bywater. The soil for that romour are the only three facts that the Hobbits did know about Mithlond:
- There are Havens in the west of the Shire.
- These are Elvish Havens.
- The Elves sail ever and an one to the West.

Plus the rumour that some Hobbits have gone shiping.

So what Bilbo is reflecting in his speach with Gandalf is not a fact about Middle-earth but a Hobbit made fairy-tale.

Respectfully
Findegil

01-04-2007, 04:01 PM	#6
Findegil King's Writer Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,694	It is easy to have the chrnology of this change if you have the "The Annotated hobbit": 1937: "Not the Gandalf who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures, anything from climbing trees to stowing away aboard the ships that sail to the Other Side? ..." 1966-Longmans/Unwin: "Not the Gandalf who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures? Anything from climbing trees to visiting elves - or sailing in ships, sailing to other shores! ..." The reading in 1966-Ballentimes agress with that in 1966-Longmans/Unwin but mistakenly has a period , or full stop, instead of a question mark. So the "lasses" were there from the start (as were the three remarkable, not adventures, daughters of Old Took, by the way). In point of view the change is unnecessary as are so many of the 1966 Editions. They were mainly introduced to get the right to have new copyright on the book. What we have to take into acount is the situation and the speaker. Bilbo tells Gandalf about his reputation. Gandalf ancouraged the interest of young Hobbits in the world out side the shire. That is a fact given by Gandalf himself in "The Quest of Erebor". Therefore it was quiet likley that he was held responsible for the "going into the wilde" that some young Took's did. Bilbo in neither passaged siad that Gandalf accompained these adventerous. "stowing away aboard the ships that sail to the Other Side" means therefore no more than a Hobbit going to Mithlond and stealing aboard a elvish ship as a blind passengar. But seeing the fact that even an adventures and educated Hobbit like Peregrin Took did nknow about Mithlond, it seems clear that Bilbo is spreading a roumor here like you could hear it in The Ivy Bush in Bywater. The soil for that romour are the only three facts that the Hobbits did know about Mithlond: - There are Havens in the west of the Shire. - These are Elvish Havens. - The Elves sail ever and an one to the West. Plus the rumour that some Hobbits have gone shiping. So what Bilbo is reflecting in his speach with Gandalf is not a fact about Middle-earth but a Hobbit made fairy-tale. Respectfully Findegil