The Company left the road at the Ford of Bruinen to follow narrow paths southwards into the land that men call Hollin. Eregion was its name when Elves lived there in happier days. Gimli knows all about this land. But how? Join us as we continue reading The Lord of the Rings, book II, chapter three, The Ring Goes South.

The Ring Goes South To The Land Of Gimli’s Fathers

After many days since leaving the Last Homely House in Rivendell, the travellers enjoyed a change in the weather. On a cold clear dawn they could see the dim shapes of lofty mountains. They seemed to be standing across the path that the fellowship was taking. Tipped with snow were three peaks rising above the range. Suddenly Gimli – who was gazing with strange light in his deep eyes – spoke:

There is the land where our fathers worked of old, and we have wrought the image of those mountains into many works of metal and of stone, and into many songs and tales.

The Lord of the Rings: One Volume, p. 283

He had never lived in this land. He had only seen it from afar once. But it was his inheritance, and he loved it. How could such a deep knowledge and love be felt for a land that belonged to his fathers of old? Art, music, and stories are the answer.

Teach And Put In The Mind Of One Another

We speak often of the importance of art in community on the Secret Fire Podcast. Art brings people together. It binds us. Tales and songs define a people; it tells us who we are and where we came from. And it tells us where we are going. The apostle Paul described this very thing thing when he encouraged the believers at Colossae:

Colossians 3:16 (NASB)
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

This simple paragraph in The Ring Goes South is an illustration of what Paul was writing about to Christians nearly 2,000 years ago. Let the word of Christ richly dwell in you. How, Paul? With wisdom through teaching and admonishing (the word means to “put in mind”) each other with songs, poetry, tales, etc. He follows these instructions thusly:

Colossians 3:17 (NASB)
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Gimli is a wonderful picture of the results of Paul’s words. His fathers served him well. May we do the same.

Additional Resources:

• The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, by Robert Foster
• Christianity in Lord of the Rings, by Peter Kreeft
• The Fellowship of the Ring Audiobook read by Rob Inglis
• The Lord of the Rings 1981 Radio Dramatization by BBC

What stood out to you in The Ring Goes South Pt. 3? Let us know in the comments below.

On The Secret Fire Podcast we travel chapter-by-chapter and book-by-book through J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth viewing it through Christian lenses. We invite you to join us each week as we continue the adventure on the Arkenstone server in Lord Of The Rings Online.

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