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The village of Bree is one of the earliest pit-stops that Frodo and the hobbits encounter on their journey to Rivendell duringThe Lord of the Rings. A bustling settlement of farmers and travelers, Bree is most notably home to the Prancing Pony, a rowdy inn that welcomes all sorts of passersby. The inn is managed by oneBarliman Butterbur, a bumbling fellow, who, despite being largely a source of comedic relief, actually plays a massive role in the fates of Frodo and his friends.
MostLord of the Ringsfans will likely recognize Butterbur from his brief depiction in Peter Jackson’s film trilogy. In the movies, Butterbur is most memorable for being the mustachioed innkeep who delivers the bad news of Gandalf’s disappearance to the hobbits. His role is short and sweet, and is largely brought to life through his jovial depiction by actor David Weatherly. In the original text, however, Butterbur interacts heavily with the hobbits during their time in Bree, and is actually revealed to be a trusted messenger of Gandalf.
What Brought the Hobbits to Bree?
InThe Lord of the Ringsbooks, the preparation for Frodo’s departure from the Shire is far lengthier than it is in the films. After Gandalf visits Frodo at Bag End and reveals that he is in possession of the One Ring, the pair decide to depart Hobbiton together once Gandalf returns. After more than five months, however, Frodo has heard no word from the wizard, and elects to leave forRivendell by himself.
The reason for Gandalf’s lack of communication is revealed duringthe hobbits' stay at the Prancing Pony: Gandalf actually predicted that he might be delayed,and had entrusted a letter to Barliman Butterbur that he ordered him to mail to Hobbiton as soon as possible. He gave Butterbur a detailed description of Frodo’s appearance, and told him that he would be going by the pseudonym Underhill. Unfortunately, Butterbur’s forgetful nature proved to be somewhat disastrous, as he completely forgot to mail the letter and only recalled Gandalf’s instructions upon meeting Frodo and hearing the name Underhill.
Gandalf’s letter contained a great deal of information that would have proved instrumental to helping Frodo on his journey, such as telling the hobbits to seek out Aragorn on the road,to avoid using the Ring, and most importantly, to leave the Shire no later than July. While the letter doesn’t reveal Gandalf’s reasoning for such a pressing departure, it is later explained that he had just learned that the Nazgûl were looking for Frodo and wanted to make sure he and the Ring were as far away from them as possible. Unfortunately, this news never reached Frodo, and he instead departed the Shire in late September, two months later than Gandalf intended.
What If Butterbur Sent the Letter?
If Butterbur had honored Gandalf’s request and mailed the letter on time, there’s a chance that Frodo’s journey to Rivendell could have gone completely undetected by the Ringwraiths. Because Frodo and the hobbits were so delayed, the Nine were able to pick up far more of their trail, and they remained close on their heels for the entirety of their travels. If Frodo had left in July, however, as Gandalf’s letter suggested, he and his friends might have reached Bree before the Ringwraiths even got wind of their whereabouts, and they could have partnered with Strider for a safe and inconspicuous trek to Rivendell.
Instead, Frodo’s five-month delay resulted in the Ringwraiths being dangerously close to capturing the hobbits from the very start of their journey. Frodo and his friends are terrified after their first encounter with a Black Rider, and they are forced to travel through back-roads and woodlands to avoid being spotted. The Riders pursue the hobbits all the way to Bree, where a local lowlife named Bill Ferny sells out their location for a quick buck. This leads the hobbits and Aragorn to take a slow and arduous route to Rivendell, but this is unable to completely shake their pursuers. When the Ringwraiths finally confront the group atop Amon Sûl (Weathertop),Frodo is poisoned by a Morgul bladeand Aragorn is barely able to fend off their assailants.
The remainder of Frodo’s journey is steeped in danger, as his wound begins to slowly drain him of life. Aragorn and the hobbits end up in a race against time as they rush to get Frodo to safety, and it is only bya chance encounter with the elfGlorfindelthat they are able to save Frodo’s life. Glorfindel mounts Frodo on his trusted horse, and in a final mad dash to Rivendell, Frodo is narrowly able to escape the Ringwraiths' clutches and is brought safely to the House of Elrond for healing.
In the end, the fact that Barliman Butterbur forgot to mail Frodo Gandalf’s letter greatly altered the events ofThe Lord of the Rings, and he winds up being one of the most unexpectedly important characters in the entire story. Despite causing such a tremendous amount of trouble, Butterbur is still a good man with a good heart, and remains trusted by Gandalf even after his blunder. In fact, when Gandalf returns to Bree and confronts Butterbur, he is so overjoyed to hear that Frodo is safe that he doesn’t even scold the barkeep, and instead embraces him and places a blessing upon his beer.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is one of the most iconic names in entertainment. The franchise started with novels from J. R. R. Tolkien before being adapted onto the big screen by Peter Jackson in one of the most critically-acclaimed film trilogies of all time. There have also been numerous The Lord of the Rings video games of varying quality.
