During their journey with Gildor's company, "Pippin soon began to feel sleepy, and staggered once or twice" and "Sam walked along at Frodo's side, as if in a dream". When they arrive at the little clearing above Woodhall, "The Elves sat on the grass and spoke together in soft voices; they seemed to take no further notice of the hobbits. Frodo and his companions wrapped themselves in cloaks and blankets, and drowsiness stole over them. ... Pippin fell asleep". Hmm... drowsiness and sleep when encountering Elves in the woods?
Then, as certain stars appear, "The Elves all burst into song. Suddenly under the trees a fire sprang up with a red light." At last report, the Elves were sitting on the grass in the clearing and talking. Who gathered the wood for the fire, or kindled it? "Pippin sat up and rubbed his eyes. ... There is a fire in the hall, and food for hungry guests, said an Elf." What hall? There is a hall in these woods above a village called Woodhall? And where does all food, drink, torches, bread, cups, plates, berries, and apples come from? It was not likely brought by Gildor's company, travelling afoot. I thought Elf travel-food was lembas, at least for some Elves. All the feast seems to have all appeared as if by magic, just at the time when the Elves all burst into song.
This reminds me of Galadriel's song. "I sang of leaves, of leaves of gold, and leaves of gold their grew: Of wind I sang, a wind there came and in the branches blew". Some Elves seem to be able to create what they sing about, at least sometimes or in some places. "But if of ships I now should sing, what ship would come to me, What ship would bear me ever back across so wide a sea?"
I think this Elf-camp above the village of Woodhall is a magical place, and likely the village got is name because of it's proximity to the spot. Gildor spoke of it as his company's destination for the night when they first encountered the three hobbits. I don't think the same feast could have happened at some other random spot they passed before getting this special place. Gildor later tells Frodo that he once said farewell to Bilbo at that very spot.
It is interesting that this woodland feast is very reminiscent of Thorin's company's encounters with the Elves of Mirkwood, where Elvish woodland feasts seem to appear by magic, and then are gone without a trace, leaving those who encounter them fast asleep.
As a side note, there was a spot in the woods behind my folks home that we called "The Cathedral". It fit very closely the description given by Tolkien of the Elves' hall in the woods, except for the torches, and the food and drink.
Then, as certain stars appear, "The Elves all burst into song. Suddenly under the trees a fire sprang up with a red light." At last report, the Elves were sitting on the grass in the clearing and talking. Who gathered the wood for the fire, or kindled it? "Pippin sat up and rubbed his eyes. ... There is a fire in the hall, and food for hungry guests, said an Elf." What hall? There is a hall in these woods above a village called Woodhall? And where does all food, drink, torches, bread, cups, plates, berries, and apples come from? It was not likely brought by Gildor's company, travelling afoot. I thought Elf travel-food was lembas, at least for some Elves. All the feast seems to have all appeared as if by magic, just at the time when the Elves all burst into song.
This reminds me of Galadriel's song. "I sang of leaves, of leaves of gold, and leaves of gold their grew: Of wind I sang, a wind there came and in the branches blew". Some Elves seem to be able to create what they sing about, at least sometimes or in some places. "But if of ships I now should sing, what ship would come to me, What ship would bear me ever back across so wide a sea?"
I think this Elf-camp above the village of Woodhall is a magical place, and likely the village got is name because of it's proximity to the spot. Gildor spoke of it as his company's destination for the night when they first encountered the three hobbits. I don't think the same feast could have happened at some other random spot they passed before getting this special place. Gildor later tells Frodo that he once said farewell to Bilbo at that very spot.
It is interesting that this woodland feast is very reminiscent of Thorin's company's encounters with the Elves of Mirkwood, where Elvish woodland feasts seem to appear by magic, and then are gone without a trace, leaving those who encounter them fast asleep.
As a side note, there was a spot in the woods behind my folks home that we called "The Cathedral". It fit very closely the description given by Tolkien of the Elves' hall in the woods, except for the torches, and the food and drink.
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