This Saturday, Hall of Fire returns to the Fellowship of The Ring as the hobbits — momentarily free of the Black Riders — finally arrive at Frodo’s new home in Crickhollow.
“Now we had better get home ourselves,” said Merry. “There’s something funny about all this, I see; but it must wait till we get in.”
FoTR Book 1, Chapter 5: A Conspiracy Unmasked
As the Hobbits arrive at Crickhollow, we learns that Buckland, though still inhabited by Hobbits, is very different from most of the Shire. More threatening; less safe. Bucklanders even go so far as to lock their doors at night.
What do we make of these differences?
Frodo realises the time has come to divulge his secrets and tell his friends he must leave The Shire. But Merry is already well-aware, and does not mean to let Frodo go alone — even if it means venturing into the Old Forest.
What is it that makes Frodo’s companions more adventurous than most Hobbits? Are they brave to want to go with Frodo, or, as he says, do they simply not understand well enough that Frodo is “flying from deadly peril into deadly peril”?
And what does Frodo’s strange dream portend?
Join us at 6pm ET this Saturday (December 9) when we’ll explore all these questions and more as we discuss A Conspiracy Unmasked!
Leaving the Shire by Ted Nasmith.
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