Did Frodo and Gimli ever discuss the adventures of Bilbo and Glóin with each other?

Did Frodo and Gimli ever discuss the adventures of Bilbo and Glóin with each other?



Bilbo and Glóin journey to the Lonely Mountain together in The Hobbit, and share in many adventures including battling a dragon.



Considering that Bilbo recounted his adventures to Frodo, and presumably Gimli also heard the same stories from Glóin and the other dwarves that were on the same journey and lived in Erebor, they undoubtedly knew the names of everyone in Thorin's company.



Particularly as Gimli is often referred to as "son of Gloin" and Frodo has the same surname of "Baggins" as Bilbo, they would surely know of each other as the relations of the person who accompanied their father/uncle to the Lonely Mountain.



As they had their own journey together 60 years later, did they ever discuss the stories they knew of their father/uncle, and the fact that they knew each other well?





Gloin might recall the adventure, but not the dragon. The only people to battle Smaug were the residents of Esgaroth. I'm not sure any of Thorin's company even saw the dragon, apart from Bilbo.
– Qwerky
Aug 22 at 14:47





2 Answers
2



tldr; Gimli and Frodo, together, asked Gandalf about his memories of events



There is 'The Quest of Erebor', where Gandalf, in Minas Tirith, was recounting the events of The Hobbit from his perspective to Frodo, Pippin, Merry and Gimli. The opening line in Unfinished Tales is:



He [Gandalf] would say no more that day. But later we [Frodo, Pippin, Merry and Gimli] brought the matter again, and he told us the whole strange story;



the identification of the characters is in the notes by Christopher Tolkien. In an earlier version Gimli is recorded as speaking and commenting on the history



"It still sounds absurd," he said, "even now that all has turned out more than well. I knew Thorin, of course; and I wish I had been there, but I was away at the time of your first visit to us. And I was not allowed to go on the quest: too young, they said, though at sixty-two I thought myself fit for anything. Well, I am glad to have heard the full tale.



In this version I think Merry and Pippin were absent, with just Frodo and Gimli talking with Gandalf.



One could imagine that off-page there was some discussion between Frodo and Gimli, at least, at what they had just heard, or even discussion between them before Gandalf's tale.





Nice find! I should've thought of checking the Unfinished Tales...
– Edlothiad
Aug 22 at 5:04



It's never explicitly stated that Gimli and Frodo discussed the adventures, but,



Glóin and Frodo certainly did



Before the Council of Elrond, after Frodo's recovery, Frodo and Glóin spend a lengthy amount of time discussing the adventures, as well as the future of the members of that party, amongst other things. While discussion of the adventure is never explicitly given, we can infer from the lengthy conversation that other matters had been discussed.



You have had some very strange adventures, I hear,’ said Glóin. ‘I wonder greatly what brings four hobbits on so long a journey. Nothing like it has happened since Bilbo came with us. But perhaps I should not inquire too closely, since Elrond and Gandalf do not seem disposed to talk of this?’



‘I think we will not speak of it, at least not yet,’ said Frodo politely. He guessed that even in Elrond’s house the matter of the Ring was not one for casual talk; and in any case he wished to forget his troubles for a time. ‘But I am equally curious,’ he added, ‘to learn what brings so important a dwarf so far from the Lonely Mountain.’



Glóin looked at him. ‘If you have not heard, I think we will not speak yet of that either. Master Elrond will summon us all ere long, I believe, and then we shall all hear many things. But there is much else that may be told.’



Throughout the rest of the meal they talked together, but Frodo listened more than he spoke; for the news of the Shire, apart from the Ring, seemed small and far-away and unimportant, while Glóin had much to tell of events in the northern regions of Wilderland. Frodo learned that Grimbeorn the Old, son of Beorn, was now the lord of many sturdy men, and to their land between the Mountains and Mirkwood neither orc nor wolf dared to go.



[...]



‘And what of your own people?’ asked Frodo.



‘There is much to tell, good and bad,’ said Glóin; ‘yet it is mostly good: we have so far been fortunate, though we do not escape the shadow of these times. If you really wish to hear of us, I will tell you tidings gladly. But stop me when you are weary! Dwarves’ tongues run on when speaking of their handiwork, they say.’



And with that Glóin embarked on a long account of the doings of the Dwarf-kingdom. He was delighted to have found so polite a listener; for Frodo showed no sign of weariness and made no attempt to change the subject, though actually he soon got rather lost among the strange names of people and places that he had never heard of before. He was interested, however, to hear that Dáin was still King under the Mountain, and was now old (having passed his two hundred and fiftieth year), venerable, and fabulously rich. Of the ten companions who had survived the Battle of Five Armies seven were still with him: Dwalin, Glóin, Dori, Nori, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur. Bombur was now so fat that he could not move himself from his couch to his chair at table, and it took six young dwarves to lift him.
Book 2, Chapter I: Many Meetings



In later chapters, any mentions of Glóin are merely to describe Gimli as his son, as opposed to discussions between Gimli and Frodo about Glóin and Bilbo. There was, however, plenty of time at Rivendell for such conversations to have taken place, and it is very possible they had.





The closest may when Gandalf says to the party (Gimli included) that Bilbo was given a mithril coat by Thorin. Frodo remains silent during the interchange, but is present. Later, when Frodo is revealed to be wearing it, Gimli tells Frodo he has never seen one so fair, and asks if it is the same one of Bilbo's, but again, Frodo stays quiet - so, technically....they never exchange words.
– NKCampbell
Aug 21 at 14:28







By clicking "Post Your Answer", you acknowledge that you have read our updated terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy, and that your continued use of the website is subject to these policies.

Popular posts from this blog

𛂒𛀶,𛀽𛀑𛂀𛃧𛂓𛀙𛃆𛃑𛃷𛂟𛁡𛀢𛀟𛁤𛂽𛁕𛁪𛂟𛂯,𛁞𛂧𛀴𛁄𛁠𛁼𛂿𛀤 𛂘,𛁺𛂾𛃭𛃭𛃵𛀺,𛂣𛃍𛂖𛃶 𛀸𛃀𛂖𛁶𛁏𛁚 𛂢𛂞 𛁰𛂆𛀔,𛁸𛀽𛁓𛃋𛂇𛃧𛀧𛃣𛂐𛃇,𛂂𛃻𛃲𛁬𛃞𛀧𛃃𛀅 𛂭𛁠𛁡𛃇𛀷𛃓𛁥,𛁙𛁘𛁞𛃸𛁸𛃣𛁜,𛂛,𛃿,𛁯𛂘𛂌𛃛𛁱𛃌𛂈𛂇 𛁊𛃲,𛀕𛃴𛀜 𛀶𛂆𛀶𛃟𛂉𛀣,𛂐𛁞𛁾 𛁷𛂑𛁳𛂯𛀬𛃅,𛃶𛁼

Edmonton

Crossroads (UK TV series)