Derry Dol, Indeed

[The Saucepan Man]

The problem with trying to shoehorn Bombadil into an explicable, seamlessly logical place in the mythology is that it can’t be done.

Yes, essentially I agree with you on this Mr U. But there is an argument (which was expressed, as I recall, in the "Bombadil as reader" article) to the effect that Tolkien, in describing Tom as an enigma, was laying down a challenge to his readers. Since one definition of "enigma" is "riddle" and riddles have solutions, so the argument runs, Tolkien has, in the question of the nature of Tom's existence, deliberately set us a riddle to solve. This argument posits that there is a solution and the clues are there in his writings if only we can find them.

Of course, "enigma" is also defined as "paradox" and a paradox is an inconsistency, something which is not explicable by reference to its surroundings, so the argument does not necessarily work on every level. But it does nevertheless have a certain appeal to me - and to many others judging by the amount of bandwidth devoted to this question on this forum (and no doubt many others). [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]