Bill Ferny

From Tolkien Gateway

Bill Ferny spied on Frodo in Bree. He was noticed relaying details of the Hobbits' adventures at the Prancing Pony to one of the Nazgûl, this event witnessed by Meriadoc Brandybuck.

After the attempted murder of the four hobbits in the raid of the Prancing Pony Inn by the Nazgûl, the travellers had to buy a pony, since during the raid all the ponies and donkeys were let loose from the Inn's stable. Bill's pony - whom Sam afterwards also named Bill - was the only mount left available for sale in the town, so Strider and the hobbits had no choice but to buy this mistreated, miserable looking creature for 12 silver pennies (apparently a most unfair price). The Hobbits then left Bree with Strider, taking the main street. Bill Ferny jeered at Strider, who merely nodded in response. Sam, however, was not so reticent, hitting Ferny in the face with a quickly-thrown apple. Sam, who took a liking to the pony, later named it Bill the Pony.

When the four hobbits returned to the Shire in The Return of the King, Bill Ferny was the man guarding the locked gate at the Brandywine.

See Also