Glorfindel at the Ford

Kate Neville

Well-Known Member
Let us consider the actions of Glorfindel leading up to the crossing of the Ford. It was on September 24 that Frodo met Gildor Inglorion of the House of Finrod in the Shire. At that point, Gildor would have learned that Gandalf was missing, Nazgul were in the Shire and Frodo was planning to go too Rivendell with Sam. Only Sam.

Gildor sent out the word to Those Who Matter, including Aragorn, who says on September 29th that he heard from Gildor when he returned to the area ’many days ago,’ which puts it probably September 25th. Since then, Aragorn has been watching the East Road out of the Shire.

Glorfindel left Rivendell on October 9, which means that word got to Elrond late on the 7th or early on the 8th. Elrond sends out those with the power to withstand the Nine to the North, West, and South. All those sent would have expected to have to either rescue Frodo from the Nine or to find him (hopefully with Aragorn) and get him to Rivendell ASAP while being pursueded by the Nine on horseback (Gandalf did not get to Rivendell until the 18th, so they would not have known that he drew off 4 of the Riders). We never find out who the other two were — possibly Erestor, or the sons of Elrond, or Glorfindel’s twin sister Glorfinduilas (who was Idril’s BFF and Eärendil’s nanny in Gondolin).

Nevertheless, all those sent out would have to have been prepared to deal with the Nine chasing them right up to the Ford. I posit that in the small hollow masked by a few stunted trees was set a cache of torches prepared for this very moment, to be used by whoever found Frodo. Even Aragorn knows that fire is the best weapon against the Nine. And Glorfindel was the one who prophesied how the Witch King would die.

Either that, or it’s a regular store, kept for anyone returning to Rivendell after dark, so that they can light their way across the ford and along the badly marked path to the Last Homely House.
 
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