The Return of the King

The day after the battle of the Shire, Frodo releases the prisoners from the distant prisons. One of the prisoners is Lobelia, Lotho’s mother, who is so sad to hear of Lotho’s death that she refuses to return to Bag-End, giving the home back to Frodo. The mayor, who was also locked up, appoints Frodo as his deputy while he recovers from his imprisonment. The only thing Frodo does with this power is to reduce the number of guards to their original group. Merry and Pippin take on the task of hunting out the last ruffians. By the end of the year, all surviving ruffians have been removed from the Shire.

Sam keeps busy helping with repairs. By Yule, there isn’t a trace left of any of Saruman’s men’s constructions, and the bricks from those have been used to repair and fortify the old hobbit holes. The hobbits find large amounts of food and drink hidden away which make the Yule season a lot more cheerful. Bag End is restored, and new hobbit holes are dug into Bagshot Row.

Sam grieves for the loss of all the trees. He remembers Galadriel’s gift to him: a small box of dust with a seed inside. He sprinkles some of the dust at the roots of the new saplings and plants the seed in the Party Field where the old Party Tree was. In spring, Sam’s trees grow incredibly quickly, and the tree in the Party Field is revealed to be a mallorn—the only one in this part of the world. This year in the Shire is plentiful and happy. The crops and children are healthy.

In early March, Frodo falls ill. Sam doesn’t learn about this, because he’s away on a gardening errand and Frodo tells him nothing when he returns. Bag End is now in order, and Frodo asks Sam when he’ll move in to join him. Sam explains that he wants to marry Rosie, so Frodo tells him to do that and move into Bag End with her—there’s plenty of room. Frodo eventually resigns the office of Deputy Mayor and focuses on his writing. Merry and Pippin live together for a while and are known around the Shire for their shining armor and joyous songs.

Sam is saddened by the fact that Frodo disappears from the Shire’s social life and isn’t paid much attention. The other hobbits are more excited by Merry and Pippin, and Sam, too, though Sam doesn’t realize it. In autumn, Frodo tells Sam that his wound still bothers him and will never really heal. Frodo seems to improve after this, though in March he hides his illness again because Sam and Rosie’s first child arrives. Sam asks what to call her; Frodo suggests “Elanor,” after the flower that grows in Lothlórien.

Frodo asks Sam to tell Rosie he’ll be away for a week or two, because he wants Sam to join him on a journey. Sam thinks Frodo is going to Rivendell for Bilbo’s birthday, and says he feels “torn in two” not to be able to be with both Frodo and Rosie at once. Frodo prepares for his journey by going over his writing with Sam and giving him the keys to Bag End. At the end of the book he’s been writing in, there are some blank pages. Some of the titles are Bilbo’s, but Frodo’s reads, “The Downfall of the Lord of the Rings and the Return of the King.” Sam exclaims that Frodo has nearly finished. Frodo replies that he has finished—the last pages are for Sam. 

Frodo and Sam set out in September. Frodo begins to sing an old walking-song, which seems to be answered by a different song from a group approaching along the road. Sam is surprised to see Elrond and Galadriel in the group. They are each wearing one of the Three Rings. Bilbo follows, riding on a pony. He asks Frodo if he’s ready for another journey. Sam realizes that Frodo’s going with Bilbo and the Elves to the Grey Havens, and Sam can’t go with them.

Sam begins to cry. He thought Frodo would live in the Shire for many years after working so hard to save it. Frodo says he thought the same, but his wound proved impossible to heal. He has made Sam his heir and tells him it’s his responsibility to keep the stories of the past years so that the people of the Shire know how precious their safety is. He tells Sam to ride with him for now. When they arrive at the Havens, there’s a white ship waiting, and Gandalf is beside it. They see that he’s wearing the other of the Three Rings, and it’s clear he will be leaving on the ship, too. Sam watches the Elves board the ship and thinks about his journey home alone, but then Merry and Pippin ride up—Gandalf told them to come. 

Gandalf says that Sam’s journey back will be better with company. He says goodbye to Sam, Merry, and Pippin, and tells them they shouldn’t avoid crying: “Not all tears are an evil.” Frodo kisses Merry, Pippin, and Sam and boards the ship. Eventually he smells a sweet scent and hears singing over the water and arrives in a green, bright country. Sam, Merry, and Pippin watch the ship leave in silence before riding home together. Merry and Pippin leave Sam and go in the direction of Buckland. Sam heads back to Bag End. The fire is lit and dinner is ready. Rosie embraces him and puts Elanor on his knee. Sam says, “Well, I’m back.”