Well, you can go on looking forward," said Gandalf. "There may be many unexpected feasts ahead of you. J. R. R. Tolkien More Quotes by J. R. R. Tolkien More Quotes From J. R. R. Tolkien I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament. J. R. R. Tolkien catholic earth blessed I do not believe this darkness will endure. J. R. R. Tolkien darkness inspirational believe Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars, not if you care for such things. J. R. R. Tolkien stars june missing And when [Bëor] lay dead, of no wound or grief, but stricken by age, the Eldar saw for the first time the swift waning of the life of Men, and the death of weariness which they knew not in themselves; and they grieved greatly for the loss of their friends. But Bëor at the last had relinquished his life willingly and passed in peace; and the Eldar wondered much at the strange fate of Men, for in all their lore there was no account of it, and its end was hidden from them. J. R. R. Tolkien fate grief loss In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. J. R. R. Tolkien great-hobbit middle-earth holes You may not like my burglar, but please don't damage him. J. R. R. Tolkien damage please may I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread. J. R. R. Tolkien fellowship too-much bread O! Where are you going With beards all a-wagging? No knowing, no knowing What brings Mister Baggins, And Balin and Dwalin down into the valley in June ha! ha! J. R. R. Tolkien valleys june knowing Where there are so many, all speech becomes a debate without end. But two together may perhaps find wisdom. J. R. R. Tolkien together may two I sit beside the fire and think of people long ago, and of people who will see a world that I shall never know. J. R. R. Tolkien long-ago fire thinking Don't go where I can't follow! J. R. R. Tolkien i-can True courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one. J. R. R. Tolkien true-courage spares knowing Yes, I am here. And you are lucky to be here too after all the absurd things you've done since you left home. J. R. R. Tolkien lucky done home The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision. That is why I have not put in, or have cut out, practically all references to anything like 'religion', to cults or practices, in the imaginary world. For the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism. J. R. R. Tolkien cutting religious practice It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter. J. R. R. Tolkien laughter stars lying Man, Sub-creator, the refracted light through whom is splintered from a single White to many hues, and endlessly combined in living shapes that move from mind to mind. Though all the crannies of the world we filled with Elves and Goblins, though we dared to build Gods and their houses out of dark and light, and sowed the seed of dragons, 'twas our right (used or misused). The right has not decayed. We make still by the law in which we're made. J. R. R. Tolkien dark men moving What a pity that Bilbo did not stab that vile creature, when he had a chance!' Pity? It was Pity that stayed his hand. Pity, and Mercy: not to strike without need. And he has been well rewarded, Frodo. Be sure that he took so little hurt from the evil, and escaped in the end, because he began his ownership of the Ring so. With Pity. J. R. R. Tolkien hurt evil hands Middle-earth is our world. I have (of course) placed the action in a purely imaginary (though not wholly impossible) period of antiquity, in which the shape of the continental masses was different. J. R. R. Tolkien our-world different earth Short cuts make long delays. J. R. R. Tolkien delay cutting long Things are drawing towards the end now, unless I am mistaken. There is an unpleasant time just in front of you; but keep your heart up! J. R. R. Tolkien drawing ends heart