Tolkien's Notes: Trotter

"The "first germ" of the character that later evolved into Aragorn or Strider was a peculiar hobbit met by Bingo Bolger-Baggins (precursor of Frodo Baggins) at the inn of The Prancing Pony. His description and behaviour, however, was already quite close to the final story, with the difference that the hobbit wore wooden shoes, and was nicknamed Trotter for the "clitter-clap" sound that they produced. He was also accounted to be "one of the wild folk — rangers", and he played the same role in Frodo's journey to Rivendell as in The Lord of the Rings.[6]

Later Tolkien hesitated about the true identity of "Trotter" for a long time. One of his notes suggested that the Rangers should not be hobbits as originally planned, and that this would mean that Trotter was either a Man, or a hobbit who associated himself with the Rangers and was "very well known" (within the story).[7] The latter suggestion was linked to an early comment of Bingo: "I keep on feeling that I have seen him somewhere before".[8] Tolkien made a proposal that Trotter might be Bilbo Baggins himself, but rejected that idea.[7]

Another suggestion was that Trotter was "Fosco Took (Bilbo's first cousin), who vanished when a lad, owing to Gandalf".[7] This story was further elaborated, making Trotter a nephew of Bilbo, named Peregrin Boffin, and an elder cousin of Frodo. He was said to have run away after he came of age,[9] some twenty years before Bilbo's party, and had helped Gandalf in tracking Gollum later. A hint was also given as to why Trotter wore wooden shoes: he had been captured by the Dark Lord in Mordor and tortured, but saved by Gandalf; a note was added by Tolkien in the margin, saying that it would later be revealed that Trotter had wooden feet.[10]
The conception of Trotter being a hobbit was discarded with the following recommencing of writing; another short-lived idea was to make Trotter "a disguised elf − friend of Bilbo's in Rivendell,” and a scout from Rivendell who "pretends to be a ranger".[11]

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Geek notes. This is a small little picture and probably belongs in scraps, but it turned out so well for such a little thing I had to stick it up. Trotter is one of the most interesting characters there never was, and I just wondered what a warrior hobbit would look like. Probably partly inspired by inkthinkers picture of Belkar Bitterleaf, another (much different) warrior hobbit. [link]

Word to the wise: I've decided to try and be consistent for a while. My next six pictures or so will be focusing on Tolkien, and specifically the Dwarves of Tolkien and the awesome things they've done through the years. Anyone who can't stand Tolkien is encouraged to leave.