Who's your favourite hobbit...

[Folwren]

I vote for Samwise!! Why? Goodness, if any of you had any sense you'd figure out why.

Sam has just about all the good qualities that the other hobbits have - he's humorous, brave, honest, selfless, and completely down to earth. He's an excellent poet, and he loved his Gaffer! So, mormegil, I totally agree with your first post concerning Sam. (Except, maybe Bilbo wasn't a senile old coot...)

Originally posted by the guy who be short:
Grr...

Bilbo wasn't always a coot you know. He was young for far longer than the average person (or hobbit)! And Sam probably went senile too... yeah... and did he get to the Und(r)ying Lands? No, didn't think so.

Conclusion: Bilbo Adventurer>Samwise Halfwit

...Sam certainly wasn't a Halfwit.

By the bye, he did make it to the Undying Lands, according to the Appendice.

[the guy who be short]

Actually, Sam did go, after the death of Rosie, it's in the appendices.

Ah, but you didn't read the question properly! Undrying Lands, said I.

In any case, Bilbo got there first.

Sam certainly wasn't a Halfwit

This is in the Appendices too. Sam is apparently Old English for Half, thus Half-wise.

He can't even think of a respectable riddle. I mean what kind of question is "what have I got in my pockets?"?

He's inventive and innovative.

Then he lies to Gandalf.

Everybody lies to Gandalf, poor sod.

oh ya a thief too.

Professional burglar, if you please!

Now that the defence is sorted, the attack may begin.

Samwise is detestable. He symbolises hypocrisy in its strongest form. He rises from a peasant class family to become a member of the nobility. And then what does he do for the peasantly? Nothing! *spits*

And obsessed with cooking like he is... you can't trust hobbits with such bad cuisine.

[mormegil]

Professional burglar, if you please!

Professional burglar indeed! A thief is still a thief no matter the name he gives himself.

Samwise is detestable. He symbolises hypocrisy in its strongest form. He rises from a peasant class family to become a member of the nobility. And then what does he do for the peasantly? Nothing! *spits*

Oh I must have been mistaken in my judgment of character. I thought that giving away all but on grain of his blessed soil so that the shire could grow beautiful again was altruistic. But seemingly it was to further his political career.

Let's not forget that Sam never desired the spot light whereas Bilbo seemed rather obessed with being the center of attention. Writing verse about Elrond's family in front of him and then having the nerve to recite it. Doing that whole party thing so he could be remembered. Seems a bit arrogant to me.

[the guy who be short]

Professional burglar indeed! A thief is still a thief no matter the name he gives himself.

So to steal from an evil dragon is... wrong? The Arkenstone cannot be seen as theft, of course, being stolen to avert a needless war.

Oh I must have been mistaken in my judgment of character. I thought that giving away all but on grain of his blessed soil so that the shire could grow beautiful again was altruistic. But seemingly it was to further his political career.

How do you think he became Mayor seven times in a row? Bah. It's all about politics.

Let's not forget that Sam never desired the spot light whereas Bilbo seemed rather obessed with being the center of attention. Writing verse about Elrond's family in front of him and then having the nerve to recite it. Doing that whole party thing so he could be remembered. Seems a bit arrogant to me.

Bilbo was enigmatic, a wonderful trait. and Sam, not desiring the spotlight? Mr Pay-attention-to-me!-I-have-thirteen-children? Mr Running-off-to-adventure-abandoning-his-gaffer? Mr Mayor-seven-times-in-a-row-so-invite-me-to-your-parties?

[mormegil]

Soon, TGWBS, I worry that you will start calling little Biblo your precious.

Biblo view's are far too simplistic (ie elves singing tra-la-la-lally). Remember that the account we have of his deeds are from his own pen. Of course he will slant them to make him look favorable. "No I didn't steal the Arkenstone I merely tried to prevent war".

He saw a pitiable creature and what did he do? He took the thing it desired most and deprived that creature of it. I am of course speaking of Throin and the Dragon. Let's not forget what he did to Gollum too. I see a disturbing pattern here.

He kept the accursed ring for himself until he found out how personally dangerous it was and what did he do with it? Gave it to his heir and said here's my problem you deal with it!

And in defense of Sam wanting attention you know you are grasping at straws. He was only mayor because he knew he could help the peasant class.

Edit: intentional misspelling of Biblo's name

[Orominuialwen]

++ Sam

Sorry, I couldn't resist! But seriously, he's loyal, humble, funny, a good cook, a family man, a good poet/songwriter, what more could you want?

Edit: intentional misspelling of Biblo's name

Heh, my best friend's last name is Bible, and just the other day she got a piece of junk mail with her name misspelled as Biblo!

[mark12_30]

Originally Posted by mormegil

Biblo view's are far too simplistic (ie elves singing tra-la-la-lally).

Don't mess with my Tra-La-La-Lally here down in the valley Ha Ha.

Best drinking song this side of Edoras.

[Folwren]

It's a jolly good thing this is all under the humor section, or I'd think you guys were serious! As it is, I'm having a hard enough time as it is to keep from getting possitively furious with at least TGWBS.

Originally posted by the guy who be short
Bilbo was enigmatic, a wonderful trait. and Sam, not desiring the spotlight? Mr Pay-attention-to-me!-I-have-thirteen-children? Mr Running-off-to-adventure-abandoning-his-gaffer? Mr Mayor-seven-times-in-a-row-so-invite-me-to-your-parties?

For you to even suppose that Samwise was selfish or hypocritical is horrifyingly unbelievable. Sam didn't want to go off with Frodo, Gandalf made him! Gandalf knew that Sam wouldn't want it - he even called it a punishment to teach him not to eavesdrop and to shut him up properly. He couldn't take his Gaffer with him - it woulda killed him.

And chap doesn't make himself Mayor, either. The people vote for him. Ding-dong!

And as for having thirteen children...that was just as much Rosie's choice as Sam's. A woman doesn't go off and have more than a dozen kids just so that her husband can be in the spotlight.

Samwise is detestable. He symbolises hypocrisy in its strongest form. He rises from a peasant class family to become a member of the nobility. And then what does he do for the peasantly? Nothing!

He certainly did NOT forget the peasants! He spread his gift all over the Shire! He rebuilt the Bag shot Row after the Ruffians had destroyed it and he cleaned up the entire land! He helped with it, mind you, he didn't tell others to do it and sit back to watch.

Sam Gamgee was the humblest, sweetest of all hobbits, and though Bilbo is great in his own way, I don't think he holds a light to Sam's over all character in the books.