# Legolas' death?



## Ithrynluin (Aug 18, 2003)

In the chapter 'The White Rider' Gandalf brings the following words to Legolas from Galadriel:



> Legolas Greenleaf long under tree
> In joy thou hast lived. Beware of the Sea!
> If thou hearest the cry of the gull on the shore,
> Thy heart shall then rest in the forest no more.'



And then we have:



> Gandalf fell silent and shut his eyes.
> 'Then she sent me no message?' said Gimli and bent his head.
> 'Dark are her words,' said Legolas, 'and little do they mean to those that receive them.'
> 'That is no comfort,' said Gimli.
> ...



Is Galadriel really speaking of his death here? I never thought so. I just thought she was 'warning' him of the sea, in the sense that if he came near it and gazed upon it, his Sindarin heart would fall in love with it and won't be able to find peace of mind in Middle Earth for long any more.

What do you think?


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## Niniel (Aug 18, 2003)

She is not speaking of his death I think, but the fact that when he has seen the Sea, he will never be at peace again in ME and wants to go to the West. Gimli of course can't go the West (at least Legolas thought so when he said this), so if Galadriel is going to speak of Gimli's fate she must be speaking of his death.


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## Ithrynluin (Aug 18, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Niniel _
> *so if Galadriel is going to speak of Gimli's fate she must be speaking of his death. *



I've always figured Legolas said ''Would you have her speak openly to you of your death [color=sky blue]as she is speaking of mine[/color]?', not that he is hinting that if Galadriel had something to say to Gimli, it would be of his death, like you suggest. Actually she sent Gimli a message too:



> "To Gimli son of Glóin," she said, "give his Lady's greeting. Lock-bearer, wherever thou goest my thought goes with thee. But have a care to lay thine axe to the right tree!" '



So Legolas must be referring to himself then? How on Middle Earth did he interpret his own passage as implying his own death?


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## YayGollum (Aug 18, 2003)

I never thought that Legolas was talking about his own death. I just thought that he was being crazy and hypothetical. I guess he likes the forests. He'd be sad about having to leave them even though he knew that he'd really like the sea later. ---> "Woah! Gimli! Why rant about not getting any crazy prophecies tossed at you? I don't especially like mine. You could learn about your death, dude. Too scary."


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## BlackCaptain (Aug 18, 2003)

I think that Legolas, having lived in Middle Earth and it's forests his whole life, would reffer to crossing over the sea to the Undying Lands his death in a way... The death of Legolas as we (and himself) all knew him, the forest dwelling scout and son of Thranduil. Perhaps he was comparing his leaving Middle Earth as his passing, and the only thing that Gimli could know to a similar extent would be dying, since he couldn't go to the Undying Lands. 

Or perhaps he was talking about fate. Like 'Would you have her tell you about your indefinite fate?'. Legolas' indefinite fate (now that Galadriel told him) was his going over the sea. Gimil's fate though, is death. An indefinate fate. I think I like this idea more. This is kind of an extension of Niniel's idea...


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## Niniel (Aug 18, 2003)

Thanks BC, that was exactly what I wanted to say, but I was in a bit of a hurry when I wrote my first message, so I didn't formulate it very well. Luckily there's you around


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## HLGStrider (Aug 18, 2003)

I always thought he was being dramatic in trying to make Gimli think it was all right that he didn't get a message which at the moment Gimli thought he hadn't. . .though he did a moment later.

Elves and drama go together like a horse and carraige. . .some how that sounds different when Frank Sinatra sings it. .. 

Elgee runs off, humming "Love and Marriage" to herself.


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## Flammifer (Aug 19, 2003)

YayGollum pretty much said what I was going to say. Legolas was hypothetically giving Gimli the choice of Galadriel bringing grave words to him, or for her to not speak to him at all.


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## BlackCaptain (Aug 19, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Niniel _
> *Luckily there's you around *


Haha I feel so loved now But I can't help it if we think alike!


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