The romantic chivalric tradition takes, or at any rate has in the past taken, the young man's eye off women as they are, as companions in shipwreck not guiding stars.

When he heard there was nothing to eat, he sat down and wept… “Why did I ever wake up!” he cried.

I have spoken words of hope. But only of hope. Hope is not victory.

How could such a large door be kept secret from everybody outside, apart from the dragon?" [Bilbo] asked. He was only a little hobbit you must remember.

I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.

Most people have made this mistake of thinking Middle-earth is a particular kind of earth or is another planet of the science fiction sort but it's just an old fashioned word for this world we live in, as imagined surrounded by the Ocean.

We set out to save the Shire, Sam and it has been saved - but not for me.