Sam was not daunted, and he still eyed Strider dubiously. ‘How do we know you are the Strider that Gandalf speaks about?’ he demanded. 'You never mentioned Gandalf, till this letter came out. You might be a play-acting spy, for all I can see, trying to get us to go with you. You might have done in the real Strider and took his clothes. What have you to say to that?’
'That you are a stout fellow,’ answered Strider; 'but I am afraid my only answer to you, Sam Gamgee, is this. If I had killed the real Strider, I could kill you. And I should have killed you already without so much talk. If I was after the Ring, I could have it - NOW!’
He stood up, and seemed suddenly to grow taller. In his eyes gleamed a light, keen and commanding. Throwing back his cloak, he laid his hand on the hilt of a sword that had hung concealed by his side. They did not dare to move. Sam sat wide-mouthed staring at him dumbly.
'But I am the real Strider, fortunately,’ he said, looking down at them with his face softened by a sudden smile. 'I am Aragorn son of Arathorn; and if by life or death I can save you, I will.’
There was a long silence. At last Frodo spoke with hesitation. 'I believed that you were a friend before the letter came,’ he said, 'or at least I wished to. You have frightened me several times tonight, but never in the way that servants of the Enemy would, or so I imagine. I think one of his spies would - well, seem fairer and feel fouler, if you understand.’
'I see,’ laughed Strider. 'I look foul and feel fair. Is that it? All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost.’
'Did the verses apply to you then?’ asked Frodo. 'I could not make out what they were about. But how did you know that they were in Gandalf’s letter, if you have never seen it?’
'I did not know,’ he answered. 'But I am Aragorn, and those verses go with that name.’
–J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, “Strider”
I love this idea of Chewbacca effectively being Ben Solo’s “nanny” when he was a young boy. I’ve wanted to post this artwork by Jenny Dolfen for a long time, so better late than never!
I’ve been stitching this almost since I finished reading the silm, roughly three years ago. I guess you could guess my favourite character from this xD
It’s still not finished, I intend to do all the lower part of the original illustration by Jenny Dolfen. I mostly work on it in the summers, so it’s time of the year is coming again❤️
Thrice was Fingolfin with great blows to his knees beaten, thrice he rose still leaping up beneath the cloud aloft to hold star-shining, proud, his stricken shield, his sundered helm, that dark nor might could overwhelm. —The Lays of Beleriand
