A long time ago, in a Middle-earth far, far away...

» arizonan - MAGIC, AND THE LACK THEREOF

One of the most common elements of "fairy tales" or folklore is magic, or some element of the supernatural. I believe that this is because we live in a world in which magic does not really exist, and the supernatural plays no major role in our day-to-day existence. Because there is no magic in real life, we create it in our imaginations.

The inhabitants of Middle-Earth lived in a completely different type of world. Magic really did exist for them, and every one of them knew it, even if they had not seen it for themselves. In other words, they didn't need to invent tall tales (at least not to the extent that we do) because they were living one.

Also, a good story teller (and Tolkien was a great one) knows how much detail to include, and how much is too much. The best fiction only includes details that are essential to the story, or at least enhance the story in some significant way.

Of course, it's a matter of opinion whether or not something significantly enhances the story. Should Tolkien have included more tall tales? Apparently he didn't think so. I'm inclined to agree with him. I'm content to use my own imagination for a lot of the details of Middle-Earth; too much of it in a book generally makes for boring reading. Again, it's a matter of opinion.

-- posted by arizonan

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» Findegil - A Forgotten Bit of Folklore

Just to enhance Michael Martinez' article on folklore in Middle-earth, there is one clear example of an historic event being changed into myth that wasn't mentioned in the article. Here it is in full:

"The second disappearance of Mr. Bilbo Baggins was discussed in Hobbiton, and indeed all over the Shire, for a year and a day, and was remembered much longer than that. It became a fireside-story for young hobbits; and eventually Mad Baggins, who used to vanish with a bang and a flash and reappear with bags of jewels and gold, became a favourite character of legend and lived on long after all the true events were forgotten."
-- "The Fellowship of the Ring," Chapter 2, "The Shadow of the Past," in the first paragraph.

-- posted by Findegil

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