The Movie and the Book

Strider

This chapter was abbreviated in the movie to a short conversation between Strider and the hobbits. The events described in the book are summarised below.

This chapter began with Frodo, Sam, & Pippin returning to the inn's parlor and finding that Strider had come with them (Merry hadn't yet returned from his walk). He told them that he was going to give them some advice and that in return he wanted to go with them on their journey. He told them that he had been looking for Frodo though he didn't explain why. He also told them that black riders had been in Bree recently and warned them to beware of Bill Ferney, one of the locals. He then offered to go with them and take them on paths that weren't well known so there would be less chance of being found. Sam didn't trust him and Frodo wasn't sure what to do.

The innkeeper then came in and told them that people had been looking for them and also told them that Gandalf had given him a letter 3 months earlier to send to The Shire (which he'd forgotten to do). After he left, Frodo read the letter to himself.

The letter told Frodo to leave the shire as soon as he could. It also told Frodo he could trust Butturbur and that he could also trust a man named strider. The letter told Frodo that he would know if he was the real strider or an impostor as his real name would be Aragorn. Sam still seemed to distrust Strider and he told them that he was Aragorn son of Arathorn. This confirmed what Frodo had read in Gandalf's letter so he knew that he was indeed a friend of Gandalf, and someone to be trusted.

He drew his sword which they noticed was actually broken shortly above the hilt. This was the sword of Elendil, which Aragorn carried with him at all times. In the movie, this sword was left on a pedestal in Rivendell and rather than taking his heritage seriously and with pride, Aragorn appeared to be afraid to face it.

While they were talking, Merry came rushing in with Nob (a hobbit employed by the innkeeper). Merry told them that had seen a black rider and followed it. He saw it speaking with someone (Bill Ferney) and then turned back in fear. Something came up behind him and he fell. Nob came at that point and saw Merry with two figures over him who left when he shouted. Strider told them to stay in the parlor that night and not go to their rooms. Pippin & Nob went to their room, arranged the beds to look as though they were sleeping in them and then returned to the parlor.