The Witch-King and the Barrow-Downs - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

ainur · 09-29-2003, 06:37 PM

I'm at work and don't have my books with me right now so I can't provide any quotes. In Unfinished Tales, "The Quest of Erebor" as well as in the timeline in the appendices to Return of the King, it says that the Witch King entered the Barrow Downs on (I think) Sept. 23 or 24(approximately--as I said, I don't have my books with me) to awaken the Wights and stir up the evil things of the Old Forest to be on the look-out. (I've always felt this is why Tom Bombadil kept the hobbits busy in his house telling stories for a day while Goldberry 'did her washing'--he would have known that the Witch King was still on the Downs.)
Back on subject. Yes, the witch king still had control over the Barrow Wights, as much as he ever did, as much as Sauron had control over him.

The real question is how? The Barrow-Wights were all once men. Not even the Valar can with-hold the gift of Iluvatar. So how could the Witch-King keep the Prince of Cardolan et al trapped in a Barrow for thousands of years?

[ September 29, 2003: Message edited by: ainur ]

09-29-2003, 06:37 PM	#6
ainur Haunting Spirit Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Minneapolis MN Posts: 72	I'm at work and don't have my books with me right now so I can't provide any quotes. In Unfinished Tales, "The Quest of Erebor" as well as in the timeline in the appendices to Return of the King, it says that the Witch King entered the Barrow Downs on (I think) Sept. 23 or 24(approximately--as I said, I don't have my books with me) to awaken the Wights and stir up the evil things of the Old Forest to be on the look-out. (I've always felt this is why Tom Bombadil kept the hobbits busy in his house telling stories for a day while Goldberry 'did her washing'--he would have known that the Witch King was still on the Downs.) Back on subject. Yes, the witch king still had control over the Barrow Wights, as much as he ever did, as much as Sauron had control over him. The real question is how? The Barrow-Wights were all once men. Not even the Valar can with-hold the gift of Iluvatar. So how could the Witch-King keep the Prince of Cardolan et al trapped in a Barrow for thousands of years? [ September 29, 2003: Message edited by: ainur ] __________________ Yet all the while I sit and think of times there were before, I listen for returning feet and voices at the door.