The Middle Earth Popularity Cup

[Tuor in Gondolin]

I've heard Gandalf beats Hobbits. Or Eats. Probably both.

Actually, that's a misreported rumor. It's said in Mordor that Gandalf was
a "headhunter" for Smaug, sending him nice scrumptious hobbits under
the pretext of being treasure hunters until one of them, to Gandalf's astonishment, actually helped killed the worm!

note: Saruman objected to Gandalf's actions (on ethical grounds) and was known
to send messengers to try rescue hobbits from danger and bring them
safely to Orthanc.

[A Little Green]

Originally Posted by Groin

Anyway, I think Gandalf sayed it best in the comparision between him and Bombadil when he said: "He is a moss gathere, and I am a stone doomed to rolling."

Yes, that's fitting - and when I read that passage, I'm immediately much more fascinated by the moss-gatherer. We have seen many of those rolling stones, but moss-gatherers not nearly as much.

++ Bombadil

I love the sense of mystery about him, the way no one knows what he is or where and when he came from. Yeah, Gandalf is cool and all that and I like him a lot, but he doesn't have the same intrigue as Tom. He's a trifle too hero for my taste. No can do, folks - Ol' Gandalf just doesn't interest me as much as Tom does.