The White Rider

From Tolkien Gateway
This article is about the chapter from The Two Towers. For the scene from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, see The White Rider (scene).
Peter Xavier Price - The White Rider.jpg
The White Rider
Chapter of The Two Towers
Number5
Synopsis
EventAragorn, Gimli, and Legolas meet Gandalf after his transformation.
Date1 March 3019
LocationFangorn Forest
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The White Rider is the fifth chapter of the first book in The Two Towers.

Summary[edit | edit source]

The story now returns to the three travelers hunting for their lost companions. They found a leaf from Lórien and crumbs of food in the grass, as well as pieces of cut cord. They also found an Orc knife. They followed the Hobbit footprints up to Treebeard's rock wall and when they climbed up to the top they once more saw an old man who had appeared earlier.

The old man came to them and reveals himself to be Gandalf. He told them that the old man they had seen earlier had not been him but Saruman. He also told them that their missing Hobbit friends have gone with the Ents to Isengard, to fight Saruman. He told Aragorn that he must go to their aid.

He told them what had happened when he had fallen into the abyss with the Balrog Durin's Bane. Gandalf had held on to the enemy's heel and the Balrog had taken him up to the highest peak from where Gandalf had flung the Balrog to its death. Gwaihir, who had been sent by Lady Galadriel, had found Gandalf there. He had been taken to Lothlórien, where he had been clad in white and healed. Lady Galadriel's messages of caution were given to the three and they set off.

The White Rider (Gandalf) then summoned Shadowfax, his horse, which he had taken from Théoden along with two others. Gandalf set Gimli on his own horse and they rode off toward the halls of Théoden, Éomer's king.

Composition[edit | edit source]

The chapter was probably completed by the early summer of 1942.[1]

References