The Lord of the Rings: The Passing of the Grey Company (Part Two)

The Tale

The night is old when they come at last to the Hornburg [the name of the actual fortress at Helm’s Deep]. They will stay there a while to rest and make plans. Merry sleeps until he is woken up by Legolas and Gimli; it is nearly noon. Legolas calls the hobbit ‘Master Sluggard’; everyone else is up and getting ready. Gimli wants to give Merry a tour of the battlefield (only three nights ago!) where he and Legolas ‘played a game that I won by a single orc.’ He suggests that they see the Glittering Caves, but Legolas says they have no time: ‘Do not spoil the wonder with haste!’ They’ll return if there are days of peace again. Now they will be eating soon and setting out again.

Merry yawns, feeling dismal. He hasn’t got nearly enough sleep and he misses Pippin and everyone seems busy except him. He asks where Aragorn is. Legolas says he is in a high chamber in the Burg, with only his kinsman Halbarad with him, taking thought. Some dark care seems burdening him.

Gimli says this Grey Company seem a strange folk, strong and lordly, yet grim and weathered, like Aragorn himself, and silent. But courteous when they do talk, rejoins Legolas. And have you noticed Elladan and Elrohir, the sons of Elrond? Fair and gallant as Elven-lords.

Merry asks why they have come, and Gimli replies that a summons came to them through Rivendell, though now they’re not sure who sent it. The dwarf guesses Gandalf, but Legolas says it must have been Galadriel. She spoke (through Gandalf) of the riding of the Grey Company from the North.

Gimli agrees; she read the hearts and desires of many. Why didn’t they wish for their own kinsfolk to come and help them in the war? Legolas looks away toward Mirkwood and the Lonely Mountain, troubled. He does not think any would come. They don’t need to march to war, war already marches on them.

The three walk together a while, touring the scene of the battle. They come to a high spot on Helm’s Dike and look from there. They can see the Death Down, black and stony, where the Huorns buried all the dead orcs. A lot of repairs seem to be going on quietly in the valley, some being done by the chastened Dunlending men. It is like the uneasy peace after a great storm.

When they return to the Burg for the midday meal, Theoden calls Merry to his side. This place is little like his hall at Meduseld, but he wants the hobbit to eat and talk with him while they can; it might be a long time before they have another chance.

Merry is surprised and delighted by the king’s kindness, and tells the old man that he has been feeling useless, though he would like to help in any way he could. Theoden says that he knows it, and that he has had a mountain-pony prepared for his transport. It will do well on the paths through the hills that they must take, and Merry shall ride as his esquire, if he will. He asks Eomer if they have any gear for the hobbit?

Eomer says they have no armor or swords here that will fit him, though they might find a light helm. Merry says that he has a sword, and draws his Barrow-blade from its old black scabbard. Filled suddenly with love for Theoden, he offers his sword and his service to the old king. Theoden gladly accepts it, ‘and laying his long old hands upon the brown hair of the hobbit, he blessed him.’ Merry arises an esquire of Rohan in the King’s household. Theoden bids him take up his sword and bear it unto good fortune.

‘As a father you shall be to me,’ said Merry.

‘For a little while,’ said Theoden.

They talk a while as they eat together, until Eomer says they are close to the hour of departure. Shall he call Aragorn? He has not eaten yet. The king says let him be summoned; they will go ahead down to the Gate. There they find a great company of Riders getting ready to go; they are leaving only a small garrison at the fortress. Already a thousand Riders have left earlier, and another five hundred will ride with the king. The Rangers stand a little apart, ready to go, grim silent and grey, unadorned except for a silver badge pinning their cloaks. They have brought Aragorn’s own horse, Roheryn, from the North.

Theoden mounts Snowmane, his own horse, and Merry rides beside him on Stybba, the pony supplied for him. Presently Eomer returns with Aragon, Halbarad (still carrying the close-furled black staff), Elladan and Elrohir (so alike as to be hardly told apart), and Legolas and Gimli. But Merry can only look at Aragorn in dismay. A strange change has come over him, as if he has aged many years in one night, and he is grim, grey-faced, and weary.

Aragorn asks Theoden how long it will take him to get to Dunharrow, and Eomer replies that it will take them three days. Three days Aragorn murmurs, and the muster of Rohan will only be beginning. He now sees what he must do. He must leave with the Grey Company, and ride openly and direct, no longer hiding in the hills. He must take the Paths of the Dead.

Theoden trembles at the name; if there are indeed such paths, they start at Dunharrow. Eomer fears that if Aragorn does indeed take that road, they will never draw swords together again. Aragorn answers that he will take that road, and that they may meet again anyway, though all the hosts of Mordor stand between them.

Theoden doesn’t like the sound of things but says Aragorn must do as he must; the king himself rides another way. Aragorn tells him to ride to great renown. He is leaving Merry in his care: better hands than there were the last time they parted. But he asks Gimli and Legolas to hunt with him a while longer. Merry is puzzled and depressed at the leavetaking and misses the cheerful Pippin more than ever.

Theoden, Merry, and Eomer ride off with the host, and Aragorn watches their passing.  Aragorn turns to Halbarad and tells him there go three that he loves, and the smallest not the least. Merry goes to what end he does not know but if he did he would go nonetheless. Halbarad says that the Shirefolk are a worthy people, although they little guess how the Rangers have protected them.

‘And now our fates are woven together,’ said Aragorn. ‘And, yet, alas! Here we must part. Well, I must eat a little, and then we must also hasten away. Come, Legolas and Gimli! I must speak with you as I eat!’

Bits and Bobs

Sluggard: A lazy, sleepy, slow-moving person; like a slug.

Sword-thain: Esquire, squire; armed and pledged servant.

Weapontake: In context, the mustering of the army and the passing out of arms from a ‘weapon hoard’; most people (like farmers) would not have personal weapons of war.

Stybba: from Old English ’stump’ or ‘stub’; ‘Stubby’

Roheryn: ‘Horse of the Lady’; Arwen’s gift to Aragorn.

Gimli and Legolas are full of talk of the battle, and Gimli is still eager about the Glittering Caves. Legolas guesses (and it turns out he is right) that their homes are already under attack by the forces of Mordor. The captive Dunlendings are making ‘war reparations’ in a most literal way before being sent back home.

Merry is depressed and lonely, but he is inspired by the kindness and interest of Theoden to pledge his fealty to the old man. This is an interesting parallel to Pippin’s offer of service to Denethor, but while that was inspired by pride, Merry’s is inspired by ‘sudden love.’ It is also less formal but no less deeply felt, and no complex oaths of service are required of him.

The silver badge shaped like a star used by the Rangers may be a symbol of the House of Isildur, and recalls the badge worn by Aragorn while he was in secret service to Gondor, and by which he came by the name Thorongil, ‘the Eagle of the Star.’ The Rangers have long guarded the Shire, unacknowledged by the Hobbits, laboring in service to keep their lands free and untroubled. Halbarad says he does not grudge this.

Aragorn recalls Merry’s capture by the orcs and how he, Legolas, and Gimli were the Three Hunters; he asks them to ‘hunt’ with him a while longer. There is much fear and uneasiness among the Rohirrim at the name of Dunharrow (‘the heathen fane {temple} on the hill’) and the Paths of the Dead. Such a name of ill-omen is yet to be explained.