Bombadil: One of the Blue Wizards?

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

That's lovely (you can always encounter something in Tolkien that catches your eye differently...amazing) and makes me want to go and read this part through again for myself. And makes me think of certain folk songs, themselves based on folk tales, such as John Barleycorn - where the crop itself is personified. No doubting that Tolkien of course knew these songs and knew more than most about the old folktales, and genus loci.

I've recently been reading on folk and fairy tales--the collection actually mentions Tolkien's essay OFS!--and am intrigued about just how much Tolkien knew but the ideas are still percolating (or perhaps I should say brewing).

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

But anyway, I like to at least try to explain/understand, even if the urge to categorise is less strong for me These sprites of nature, and Tom himself, are all very fond of singing and chanting - and the world was created with Music. I have to think they have something to do with how the world was crafted, it's too nice an idea to ignore!

It seems to me to offer an explanation of why the Ring has no effect on Tom. He "was" before the world began and before Melkor brought evil/discord into the music, so quite possibly Tom has no concept of evil. He just can't recognise it or appreciate it or understand it. He is pure innocence.

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Amazing though...Tolkien's creation was a kind of Faerie, and within it, he created another Faerie...

Shhh! You must come and hear my paper. Or one of them at any rate.