question about Frodo's weaponry

Dan Leach wrote:

>> What sword did Frodo use at Weathertop? Tom gave all of the hobbits
>> daggers of Westernesse, presumably all of the same ilk (ie - they
>> should all be able to hurt the WK as Merry's did). So then, do we
>> assume Frodo had some other sword that he stabbed the Witch-King with
>> at Weathertop (or is it stated he did)? If not...

> As far as i remember, Tolkien stated once that Frodo in fact missed the
> nazgul with his stroke. I might be wrong though

Near the beginning of "Flight to the Ford", Aragorn states that probably
the sword cut only into the cloak of the Nazgûl, because otherwise it
would have perished.

--
Linards Ticmanis
 >> Stay informed about: question about Frodo's weaponry 

stevehim DeleteThis @yahoo.com wrote:
> What sword did Frodo use at Weathertop? Tom gave all of the hobbits
> daggers of Westernesse, presumably all of the same ilk (ie - they
> should all be able to hurt the WK as Merry's did). So then, do we
> assume Frodo had some other sword that he stabbed the Witch-King with
> at Weathertop (or is it stated he did)? If not...

I assume you are wondering why the blade did not (a) hurt the Witchking and
(b) dissolve?

The answer is in this quote:

Strider at last returned.

"Look!" he cried; and stooping he lifted from the ground a black cloak that
had lain there hidden by the darkness. A foot above the lower hem there was
a slash. "This was the stroke of Frodo's sword," he said. "The only hurt
that it did to his enemy, I fear; for it is unharmed, but all blades perish
that pierce that dreadful King. More deadly to him was the name of
Elbereth."

-- LoTR: Flight to the Ford

Frodos blade never touched the Withking.

--
Kristian Damm Jensen
 >> Stay informed about: question about Frodo's weaponry 

The verdict is in. I'm a moron. D'oh!
 >> Stay informed about: question about Frodo's weaponry 

Bill O'Meally wrote:
> stevehim DeleteThis @yahoo.com wrote:
> > The verdict is in. I'm a moron. D'oh!
>
> There was a relatively recent thread begun by Steuard about the
> importance of the Barrow blades, and gives new insight as to what a
> threat Tolkien considered them to be to the Nazgul.
>
> Google "Anti-Nazgul Blades" in RABT.
>
> --
> Bill
>
> "Wise fool"
> Gandalf, THE TWO TOWERS
> -- The Wise will remove 'se' to reply; the Foolish will not--


Wow. Thank you very much. That was most interesting (though of course
you've just given me a ton more to read as I look down the list of
other results). Thank you though.

peace,

steve
 >> Stay informed about: question about Frodo's weaponry 

stevehim DeleteThis @yahoo.com wrote:
> The verdict is in. I'm a moron. D'oh!

There was a relatively recent thread begun by Steuard about the
importance of the Barrow blades, and gives new insight as to what a
threat Tolkien considered them to be to the Nazgul.

Google "Anti-Nazgul Blades" in RABT.

--
Bill

"Wise fool"
Gandalf, THE TWO TOWERS
-- The Wise will remove 'se' to reply; the Foolish will not--
 >> Stay informed about: question about Frodo's weaponry 

Except I'm not sure the original question was answered. IIRC, the
swords from the Barrow-downs were given to Sam, Merry, and Pippin, but
not to Frodo. Maybe I'm wrong about that, but I'm pretty sure about it.
Frodo gets Sting from Bilbo at Rivendell, but this is after the
confrontation at Weathertop. So what did he hit the Nazgul with at
Weathertop?

--Andrew
 >> Stay informed about: question about Frodo's weaponry 

Andrew Kirschner wrote:
> Except I'm not sure the original question was answered. IIRC, the
> swords from the Barrow-downs were given to Sam, Merry, and Pippin, but
> not to Frodo. Maybe I'm wrong about that, but I'm pretty sure about it.
> Frodo gets Sting from Bilbo at Rivendell, but this is after the
> confrontation at Weathertop. So what did he hit the Nazgul with at
> Weathertop?

He is given one.. It is broken in the confrontation with the Nazgul
at the Ford.

Michelle
Flutist
 >> Stay informed about: question about Frodo's weaponry 

Andrew Kirschner wrote:
> Except I'm not sure the original question was answered. IIRC, the
> swords from the Barrow-downs were given to Sam, Merry, and Pippin,
> but not to Frodo.

Why do you say that?

"For each of the hobbits [Tom] chose a dagger, long, leaf-shaped, and
keen..." FotR 'Fog on the Barrow-Downs'

"Each" would refer to all four of the Hobbits. Nowhere does it say that
Frodo refused to take the blade offered.
--
Bill

"Wise fool"
Gandalf, THE TWO TOWERS
-- The Wise will remove 'se' to reply; the Foolish will not--
 >> Stay informed about: question about Frodo's weaponry