The Lord of the Rings: Flotsam and Jetsam (Part One)

 

The Tale

Gandalf and Theoden’s company ride off eastward along the curve of the ruined walls of Isengard. Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas (the Three Hunters) stay behind to talk to Merry and Pippin and find out all that has happened to them since they parted. Gimli says all their news would go better after a meal. Pippin agrees and suggests they retire to Saruman’s nearby guardhouse. Gimli grumbles ‘I will not go into any orc-house nor touch Orcs’ meat or anything that they have mauled.’ Merry explains that Saruman had many other servants than Orcs; he wasn’t so fallen in wisdom as to completely trust them. He had Men to guard his gates, his most faithful servants perhaps, and they had good provisions.

‘The hobbits led the way; and they passed under the arch and came to a wide door upon the left, at the top of a stair. It opened direct into a large chamber with … a hearth and a chimney at one side…light came in now through the broken roof.’

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli sit down at a long table while the hobbits go to a nearby storeroom and bring back dishes and food. ‘This is not orc-stuff, but man-food.’ There’s bread (though three or four days old), wine, beer, salted pork, bacon, butter, and honey. The three sit down to eat and Merry and Pippin join them, ‘to keep our guests company.’ Legolas laughs at their courtesy and says they’d probably be feasting again, whether they had company or not.

Pippin asks, and why not? They’ve had enough foul fare amongst the Orcs and little enough after that. Aragorn remarks it seems it did them little harm. Gimli notices their hair is twice as thick and curly and they’ve grown noticeably taller! Merry explains that Treebeard gave them nourishing Ent-draughts, but they’ve felt the need for something more solid. Legolas says if they’ve drunk the legendary waters of the Ents then they probably have grown taller. 

Aragorn says he’s heard many tales about Fangorn, but never been there. What are Ents like? Pippin fumbles around a bit trying to describe them, but then says they’ve already seen some, apparently, and will probably actually meet some soon. Then they can make up their own minds.

Gimli says he wants to hear their story from the beginning but Merry proclaims they must finish their meal off with a good pipe. The hobbits went scavenging this morning and found two barrels of pipeweed, that turned out to Longbottom Leaf, all the way from the Shire! Apparently, Saruman imported this dainty for himself. Gimli mourns his lost pipe, but when Pippin produces a spare one, the dwarf declares that the hobbit has not only paid off the expense for his tracking, but he has also left Gimli deep in his debt.

Legolas says he is going out into the open air, and the others join him. They sit on a pile of rubble by the open gate. The mists are clearing and the valley before them growing clearer. Aragorn says they should sit there and just talk a while; he is feeling a great weariness such he has seldom known. ‘He wrapped his grey cloak about him, hiding his mail-shirt, and stretched out his long legs. Then he lay back and sent from his lips a thin stream of smoke.’

‘Look!’ said Pippin. ‘Strider the Ranger has come back!’

‘He has never been away,’ said Aragorn. ‘I am Strider and Dunadan too, and I belong to both Gondor and the North.’

Bits and Bobs

Flotsam refers to goods from a sunken vessel that have floated to the surface of the sea, or any floating cargo that is cast overboard. In maritime law, flotsam pertains to goods that are floating on the surface of the water as the result of a wreck or accident. One who discovers flotsam is allowed to claim it unless someone else establishes their ownership of it.

Jetsam designates any cargo that is intentionally discarded from a ship or wreckage. Legally jetsam also floats, although floating is not part of the etymological meaning. Generally, "jettisoning" connotes the action of throwing goods overboard to lighten the load of the ship if it is in danger of sinking. Per maritime law, one who discovers these artifacts is not required to return them to their rightful owner except in the case where the latter makes a legally abiding claim.

Generally speaking, ‘flotsam’ floats after a wreck, and ‘jetsam’ has been jettisoned on purpose. However, "flotsam may be claimed by the original owner, whereas jetsam may be claimed as property of whoever discovers it". And, of course, Merry and Pippin have been claiming what they need from the wreckage after the flooding of Isengard.

We are given the first intimations that there have been hidden dealings between Saruman and some agent in the Shire. And whereas the feeling of drinking an Ent-draught has been described, we actually get to hear the observed effect on the hobbits growth.