Minas Tirith

• Boromir and Faramir have a dream – ‘Seek for the sword that was broken’

The Old Forest

• Tom sends the hobbits in the direction of the Barrow Downs.

Barrow Downs

• They walk through the fog-covered downs, to where they think they see the end.
• Frodo sees the exit and rushes ahead, when he turns back he finds his friends gone, with cries in the distance.
• Frodo hurries back until he finds a barrow. An icy hand grabs him and knocks him out.

Isengard

• Gandalf sees the eagles flying nearby. He raises his staff and emits a bright light. Gwaihir notices him and flies to his aid.

Barrow Downs

• Frodo awakens in a barrow. He hears a voice chanting and sees his friends lying next to him. A hand comes reaching for them and Frodo slashes at it with his dagger.

• Frodo remembers the song Tom taught them and sings it. A voice answers his call. Tom smashes open the barrow and dispels the wight.
• From the barrow’s treasure Tom takes a brooch and gives the four hobbits a Westernesse dagger each. He accompanies them to the exit then sends them to Bree.

Hobbiton

• Gandalf speaks with the Gaffer, who tells him Frodo has already left and that black riders had been searching the area. Gandalf hurries to Bree.

Bree

• A hooded figure watches the hobbits enter Bree.
• Frodo asks for Gandalf at the Prancing Pony, but he is not there. Merry rests in the room while the other three drink in the hall.

• Barliman points Strider, the hooded figure, out to Frodo. Strider makes some comments that intrigues Frodo.
• Frodo notices Pippin about to tell of Bilbo’s Ring. Frodo starts singing to distract them but falls and the Ring slips on his finger, astounding the people with his disappearance.

• Frodo reappears in the corner and hurriedly takes Sam and Pippin back to the room, where Strider appears.
• Strider tells them of the black riders and that Bree is not safe. Barliman comes to the room with a letter from Gandalf. Gandalf explains that Strider is to be trusted, his real name being Aragorn.
• Merry, out on a walk, encounters a black rider. He hurries to tell the others.
• Aragorn leaves pillow decoys in the beds and takes the hobbits down to the parlour.

Crickhollow

• The black riders raid Crickhollow. Fatty flees.

First Appearances – Boromir, Faramir, Barliman Butterbur, Nob, Bob, Harry Goatleaf

Adapted from chapters ‘Fog on the Barrow Downs’, ‘At the Sign of the Prancing Pony’, ‘Strider’ and ‘The Council of Elrond’ and Appendix B of The Lord of the Rings.

Pictures

• Strider in the Prancing Pony – Peter Xavier Price
• Fog on the Barrow Downs – Paul Raymond Gregory
• The Barrow-Wight – John Howe
• Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir – Ted Nasmith
• Under the Spell of the Barrow-Wight – Ted Nasmith
• At the Sign of the Prancing Pony – Ted Nasmith
• At the Prancing Pony – Alan Lee
• Nazgul at Bree – Greg and Tim Hildebrandt