The
Tale
They
ride along, but Legolas keeps looking from side to side, and would stop to
listen to the trees if Gimli would let him. They are the strangest trees the
elf has ever seen; he is sure that in time he could understand their voices.
Gimli thinks that he knows what they want, to crush and strangle all that goes
on two legs. Legolas guesses not. It is Orcs they hate and know little of Elves
or Men. He guesses that they are from the deep dales of Fangorn Forest.
Gimli
replies that they may be wonderful to the elf, but he has seen a greater
wonder. Men are strange! The caves of Helm’s Deep, the ‘holes’ they fly to in
the time of war and which he has just visited, are one of the marvels of the
Northern World! He waxes poetic about
their beauty, until it moves even Legolas. He tells the dwarf he hopes he may
see it again in time, but to tell none of his kinfolk, lest they destroy the
place with mining. But Gimli answers that he does not understand the hearts of Dwarves,
who would carefully ‘tend these glades of flowering stone.’
The
two make a bargain. If, when all else is done, Gimli will come with him to
Fangorn, Legolas will go with him to see the Glittering Caves. But for now,
they must leave both. As they come to the end of the trees, Legolas asks
Gandalf how far it is to Isengard.
About fifteen leagues (45 miles), the wizard replies. But they shall rest during the night. Gimli asks what they will find when they get there. Gandalf was there yesterday at nightfall, ‘but much may have happened since.’ But they might see something worth seeing there, even if they have to leave the Glittering Caves of Aglarond.
Bits
and Bobs
The name ‘Aglarond’ was snitched by a third-rate fantasy franchise, ‘Forgotten Realms’, and by an obscure Gothic/Doom Metal band from Mexico. It is said that Tolkien based it on Cheddar Cave in the UK.
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