The Riders of Rohan

The name Riders of Rohan refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Riders of Rohan (disambiguation).

The Two Towers chapters
Book III The Departure of Boromir The Riders of Rohan The Uruk-hai Treebeard The White Rider The King of the Golden Hall Helm's Deep The Road to Isengard Flotsam and Jetsam The Voice of Saruman The Palantír
Book IV The Taming of Sméagol The Passage of the Marshes The Black Gate is Closed Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit The Window on the West The Forbidden Pool Journey to the Cross-Roads The Stairs of Cirith Ungol Shelob's Lair The Choices of Master Samwise

The Riders of Rohan is the second chapter of the third book in The Two Towers.

Summary

On their journey, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli came across a pile of slain Orcs and came to the conclusion that the Orcs had quarrelled among themselves. Still there was no sign of Merry and Pippin. Later, they found Hobbit footprints and a broach--clues that their captured friends had passed this way.

After many days of pursuit without sign of trail or hope, Aragorn saw riders coming their way. The riders were men of Rohan and their leader was Éomer. Éomer and his riders told the Aragorn and the others that they had already slain the Orcs but that there had no Hobbits with them. When Aragorn told Éomer that both Gandalf and Boromir were dead, Éomer was sorry. He told the hunters that the men of Rohan were no friends of either Sauron or Saruman, the wizard who had been aiding in the attack on Boromir's people. He offered the hunters horses, asking only that once their deed was accomplished, they returned to the war. It seemed that Éomer's uncle, King Théoden, did not want him to aid the travellers.

After bidding farewell to the men of Rohan, the three hunters again pursued their Hobbit friends. At night they rested under some trees in the Forest of Fangorn. Gimli, who was on guard at the time, saw an old, bent man but before they could discover who he was, he disappeared. The horses were gone as well. Gimli told the others that he thought the old man was Saruman, who had taken or scared away their horses. Their dim hope of catching their friends grew even fainter.