Gandalf's favourite Hobbit

[Diamond18]

Hmmm...well, the thing he liked about Bilbo was the spark of Tookishness in him, but Pippin had too much Tookishness for his tastes. I read that in Unfinished Tales.

Something to note is that he reacts favoribly to Merry at times when he would have snapped at Pippin.

For instance, compare these three passages:

"What are you going to do then?" asked Pippin, undaunted by the wizard's bristling brows.

"Knock on the doors with your head, Peregirn Took," said Gandalf. "But if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little patience from foolish questions, I will seek for the opening words."

Merry: "...One has a chance of putting a question a second time. Are we riding far tonight?"

Gandalf laughed. "A most unquenchable hobbit! All Wizards should have a hobbit or two in their care—to teach them the meaning of the word, and to correct them. I beg your pardon. But I have given thought to even the simple matters. We will ride for a few hours, gently, until we come to the end of the valley. Tomorrow we will ride faster..." [This is followed by a whole nother paragraph, as he gives Merry a very long and patient answer.]

"But I should like to know—" Pippin began.

"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?"

So, whether or not Gandalf had a favorite, there is proof that he favored Merry over Pippin. I haven't forgiven him yet. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]