XPost: rec.arts.books.tolkien   
   From: mr@sandman.net   
      
   In article ,   
    Steve Morrison  wrote:   
      
   > Did Aragorn trust the Rohirrim not to let Sauron have their horses,   
   > or didn't he? At the Council of Elrond he says this, in respons to   
   > the rumor Gandalf had heard from Gwaihir:   
   >   
   >   'Then he must be a noble beast indeed,' said Aragorn; 'and it   
   >   grieves me more than many tidings that might seem worse to learn   
   >   that Sauron levies such tribute. It was not so when last I was in   
   >   that land.'   
   >   'Nor is it now, I will swear,' said Boromir. 'It is a lie that   
   >   comes from the Enemy. I know the Men of Rohan, true and valiant,   
   >   our allies, dwelling still in the lands that we gave them long   
   >   ago.'   
   >   'The shadow of Mordor lies on distant lands,' answered Aragorn.   
   >   'Saruman has fallen under it. Rohan is beset. Who knows what you   
   >   will find there, if ever you return?'   
   >   'Not this at least,' said Boromir, 'that they will buy their lives   
   >   with horses. They love their horses next to their kin. And not   
   >   without reason, for the horses of the Riddermark come from the   
   >   fields of the North, far from the Shadow, and their race, as that   
   >   of their masters, is descended from the free days of old.'   
   >   
   > But in "The Riders of Rohan", just before he, Legolas and Gimli meet   
   > the Rohirrim for the first time, we get this:   
   >   
   >   'But Gandalf spoke of a rumour that they pay tribute to Mordor,'   
   >   said Gimli.   
   >   'I believe it no more than did Boromir,' answered Aragorn.   
   >   
   > Why his about-face on the matter?   
      
   What am I missing here? Aragorn voices a concern about Rohan paying   
   tribute to Mordor in the form of horses, and Boromir strongly argues   
   that that is not possible given the Rohan relation to their horses.   
      
   Later, when Gimli voices the same concern, Aragorn changed his mind and   
   argues against this idea - and then specifically points out what   
   probably persuaded him; Boromir.   
      
      
      
   Now, one could easily argue that Aragorn would know more about Rohan's   
   relation to their horses than would Boromir so what may seem odd here is   
   that:   
      
   1. Aragorn would even contemplate that Rohan pays tribute in the form of   
   horses.   
      
   2. Boromir is more versed in the ways of Rohan than Aragorn (who   
   actually fought side by side with Thengel some 40 years earlier).   
      
      
      
      
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