1,027 Quotes by J. R. R. Tolkien

That's the only place in all the lands we've ever heard of that we don't want to see any closer; and that's the one place we're trying to get to! And that's just where we can't get, nohow.

But fear no more! I would not take this thing, if it lay by the highway. Not were Minas Tirith falling in ruin and I alone could save her, so, using the weapon of the Dark Lord for her good and my glory. No, I do not wish for such triumphs, Frodo son of Drogo.

If you're going to have a complicated story you must work to a map; otherwise you'll never make a map of it afterwards.

It never does to leave a live Dragon out of the equation.

The only just literary critic," he concluded, "is Christ, who admires more than does any man the gifts He Himself has bestowed.

So fair, so cold; like a morning of pale spring still clinging to winter's chill.

I have no help to send, therefore I must go myself.

Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Fell deeds awake, fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!

This of course is the way to talk to dragons, if you don't want to reveal your proper name which is wise, and don't want to infuriate them by a flat refusal which is also very wise. No dragon can resist the fascination of riddling talk and of wasting time to trying to understand it.