“Master Meriadoc,” said Aragorn, “if you think that I have passed through the mountains and the realm of Gondor with fire and sword to bring herbs to a careless soldier who throws away his gear, you are mistaken. If your pack has not been found, then you must send for the herb-master of this House. And he will tell you that he did not know that the herb you desire had any virtues, but that it is called westmanseed by the vulgar, and galenas by the noble, and other names in other tongues more learned, and after adding a few half-forgotten rhymes he does not understand, he will regretfully inform you that there is none in the House, and he will leave you to reflect on the history of tongues. And so now must I. For I have not slept in such a bed as this, since I rode from Dunharrow, nor eaten since the dark before dawn.”
This speech always makes me fangirl-squee a little bit inside (or out loud, for that matter). It is also one of the most uniquely characterizing moments of Aragorn in the entire story. He has held his peace and his wisdom through battle and thorn and exhaustion and trial, but at last Merry’s request for tobacco sends him over the edge. It’s the closest thing we ever get to a rant from Aragorn, and it is also one of my favorite things he ever says. Lord of the Rings thrives not only for its deep wisdom, but also for its laugh-worthy moments.
~Lisa Shafter
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