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Samantha Georgiana's avatar

I’ve always subscribed to the theory that the fox is just a bit of Tolkien whimsy woven into the light-hearted tone of the beginning of the Trilogy, but I think your post changed my mind. I also believe now that the fox is a descendant of Valinor, and the reason I now believe this is because it gives the scene a touch of melancholic irony: the fox questions the presence of the hobbits, never realizing that their presence (and unbeknownst to him, their quest) is the very thing that will keep the old Magic alive in the world, the same old Magic that allowed for his existence as a sentient woodland creature.

There’s also a fun theory that the fox is descended from Númenor, which again, lends beautiful irony to this scene in that the hobbits’ quest is the thing that will also restore the Númenorean line in Middle-earth.

All unbeknownst to the fox.

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Flora Alisha's avatar

I love this! I remember reading that section and then actually laughing out loud because it was so random but cute. I like the idea that this fox is a descendant from Valinor. I mean there are trees with family roots (haha) from Valinor, why not foxes? I choose to err on the side of whimsy.

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