Black Riders at Crickhollow

[Sporozc09]

This is pretty late in coming, but I was just listening to Episode 62: Breaking and Entering, and I couldn't help but wonder how we know what the Black Riders did at Crickhollow, specifically the "Open in the name of Mordor!" quote and the fact that it took 2 attempts to break the door in. Based on the text, Fatty Bolger was long gone by that point, and the Nazgul fled almost immediately thereafter. Given the frame narrative that LotR is a translation of the Red Book written by Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam, where did the detailed account of the Black Rider's actions at Crickhollow come from? No one was there to witness it, and I can't imagine them giving an interview to describe it, even if there had been opportunity for it.

 

[Anthony Lawther]

"while based on real events, some events have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes"

 

[Beech27]

When I was much younger, my explanation for this was that, as a ring-bearer, Frodo developed substantial skill at writing Nazgul dialogue and inferring their mental/spiritual state, actions, etc. It's still one of those "not canon at all and yet canon to me" things. I think all fiction benefits from some level of private inference on matters such as these, and LOTR has many great opportunities.

 

[Ardent Crayon]

Could’ve been some curious Bucklander out for a stroll who came across the action as it happened. Could also have been deduced from reports of survivors of earlier Nazgul raids, in Gondor for instance.

 

[Halstein]

"while based on real events, some events have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes"

Which was done as a matter of course by medieval and ancient historians.

 

[Gorhendad The Old]

Security camera footage.

 

[Matt DeForrest]

It is even more difficult to determine who managed to interview them to get their reactions as they rode out of the Shire.