Blasphemy

[bobquasit]

This is an old joke, but I don't think I've ever told it here.

I wish I could take credit for it, but I'm pretty sure that it was my old friend and roommate Scott who came up with it - although for the life of me, I can't remember when or in what context.

I was reminded of it when I came across the appropriate passage in The Lord of the Rings. Frodo and the Company of the Ring are preparing to leave Lórien, and Galadriel is giving them gifts:

'And what gift would a Dwarf ask of the Elves?' said Galadriel, turning to Gimli.

'None, Lady,' answered Gimli. 'It is enough for me to have seen the Lady of the Galadrim, and to have heard her gentle words.'

'Hear all ye Elves!' she cried to those about her. 'Let none say again that Dwarves are grasping and ungracious! Yet surely, Gimli son of Glóin, you desire something that I could give? Name it, I bid you! You shall not be the only guest without a gift.'

'There is nothing, Lady Galadriel,' said Gimli, bowing low and stammering. 'Nothing, unless it might be―unless it is permitted to ask, nay, to name a single strand of your hair, which surpasses the gold of the earth as the stars surpass the gems of the mine. I do not ask for such a gift. But you commanded me to name my desire.'

The Elves stirred and murmured with astonishment, and Celeborn gazed at the Dwarf in wonder, but the Lady smiled. 'It is said that the skill of Dwarves is in the hands rather than in their tongues,' she said; 'yet that is not true of Gimli. For none have ever made to me a request so bold and yet so courteous. And how shall I refuse, since I commanded him to speak? But tell me, what would you do with such a gift?'

'You don't want to know.'

Comments

[klyfix.livejournal.com]

If there was an MST3K of LotR (and there probably is a fan one out there) that would be part of it.

And I'd half expect there to be massive speculation as to the Use of the Hair...

(of course if one wanted to play serious one would note that a hair can be used in magic of various sorts, and with enough science (or maybe Science!) one could clone a Galadriel for one's very own)

[bobquasit.livejournal.com]

Weren't you there when Scott came up with that?

Use of hair...I really don't want to envision Gimli in elf-drag, wearing a three-strand blonde wig. Come on, you know I love those books; don't make me think of that!

Oddly enough, I also thought of the magic connection for hair. I found myself wondering what use Saruman or Sauron could have made of those hairs...some sort of evil spell, I imagine. Although that view of magic doesn't really fit in with Middle-Earth, I think.

[klyfix.livejournal.com]

Very possibly I was there when Scott came up with it, but I don't recall.

I'd probably not have come up with the magic and hair thing except that I'd recently seen an episode of Full Metal Alchemist in which that was a factor (telling why, it occurs to me, would be something of a spoiler).