# Bombadillo On Maggot



## greypilgrim (Dec 30, 2007)

> "In the House of Tom Bombadil"
> 
> ... he made no secret that he owed his recent knowledge largely to Farmer Maggot, whom he seemed to regard as a person of more importance than they had imagined. 'There's earth under his old feet, and clay on his fingers; wisdom in his bones, and both his eyes are open,' said Tom.



Greetings!

The two never met in Fellowing of the Ring, yet Tom got some knowledge from farmer Maggot. How? 

Was Tom Bombadillo a frequent visitor to hobbit-land?


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## Elthir (Dec 30, 2007)

It is said in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and other verses from the Red Book (the _Preface_) that the Bucklanders knew Bombadil (and probably gave him this name). In addition to your quote anyway, on Maggot.

No. 2 (_Bombadil Goes Boating_), which includes a part with Tom and Maggot, was said to be probably composed after Frodo's visit to Bombadil's house.


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## Eledhwen (Jan 2, 2008)

That's the beauty of Tolkien's writing; there's a history behind everything; you don't get twelve History of Middle-earth books without writing some background stuff; but Tom, of course, meets Farmer Maggot in the poem, as Galin says. It is one of the four works in Tales from the Perilous Realm.


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## greypilgrim (Jan 3, 2008)

Ah, thank you both immensly! It is indeed time to expand my Tolkien Library.


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