J.R.R. Tolkien Quotes

Truly songs and tales fall utterly short of the reality, O Smaug the Chiefest and greatest of Calamities.

It is mine, I tell you. My own. My precious. Yes, my precious.

A safe fairyland is untrue to all worlds.

Dead men are not friends to living men, and give them no gifts. (Ghan-buri-Ghan, of allies during war)

Thank you, Sam," he said in a cracked whisper. "How far is there to go?" I don't know," said Sam, "because I don't know where we're going.

And then all the host of Rohan burst into song, and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them, and the sound of their singing that was fair and terrible came even to the City.

Yet seldom do they fail of their seed, And that will lie in the dust and rot to spring up again in times and places unlooked-for. The deeds of Men will outlast us.

Perilous to us all are the devices of an art deeper than we possess ourselves.

Hobbits delighted in such things, if they were accurate; they liked to have books filled with things that they already knew, set out fair and square with no contradictions.

Fool of a Took!" he growled. "This is a serious journey, not a hobbit walking-party. Throw yourself in next time, and then you will be no further nuisance.

Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall

Did he say:"Hullo,Pippin!This is a pleasant surprise!"?No,indeed!He said:"Get up,you tom-fool of a Took!Where,in the name of wonder,in all this ruin is Treebeard?I want him.Quick" -Pippin Took

And if Sam considered himself lucky, Frodo knew he was more lucky himself; for there was not a hobbit in the Shire that was looked after with such care.

And now leave me in peace for a bit! I don't want to answer a string of questions while I am eating. I want to think!" "Good Heavens!" said Pippin. "At breakfast?

The Dark Lord has Nine. But we have One, mightier than they: the White Rider. He has passed through the fire and the abyss, and they shall fear him. We will go where he leads.

I have spoken words of hope. But only of hope. Hope is not victory.

This is the ending. Now not day only shall be beloved, but night too shall be beautiful and blessed and all its fear pass away.

He knew that all the hazards and perils were now drawing together to a point: the next day would be a day of doom, the day of final effort or disaster, the last gasp.

Few other griefs amid the ill chances of this world have more bitterness and shame for a man's heart than to behold the love of a lady so fair and brave that cannot be returned.

Adventures make one late for supper.

Fantasy remains a human right: we make in our measure and in our derivative mode, because we are made: and not only made, but made in the image and likeness of a Maker.

I've always been impressed that we are here, surviving, because of the indomitable courage of quite small people against impossible odds.

Where there's life there's hope, and need of vittles.

I wish I was at home in my nice hole by the fire, with the kettle just beginning to sing!

Where will wants not, a way opens.

Without the high and noble the simple and vulgar is utterly mean; and without the simple and ordinary the noble and heroic is meaningless

If this is victory, then our hands are too small to hold it.

We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!

The washing-up was so dismally real that Bilbo was forced to believe the party of the night before had not been part of his bad dreams, as he had rather hoped.

it was easier to believe in the Dragon and less easy to believe in Thorin in these wild parts

Great heart will not be denied.

The Nazgul they were; the Ringwraiths, the Enemy's most terribly servants; darkness went with them and they cried with the voices of death.

He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams.

And thus it came to pass that the Silmarils found their long homes: one in the airs of heaven, and one in the fires of the heart of the world, and one in the deep waters.

For the trouble with the real folk of Faerie is that they do not always look like what they are; and they put on the pride and beauty that we would fain wear ourselves.

Of all the things that men may heed 'Tis most of love they sing indeed.

It matters little who is the enemy, if we cannot beat off his attack.

I give you this toast: To the Hobbits. May they outlast the Sarumans and see spring again in the trees.

Escaping goblins to be caught by wolves!” he said, and it became a proverb, though we now say ‘out of the frying-pan into the fire’ in the same sort of uncomfortable situations.

Farewell! O Gandalf! May you ever appear where you are most needed and least expected!

Splendid! They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening!

Well, you can go on looking forward," said Gandalf. "There may be many unexpected feasts ahead of you.

What did I tell you, Mr. Pippin?' said Sam, sheathing his sword. 'Wolves won't get him. That was an eye-opener, and no mistake! Nearly singed the hair off my head!

Elves and Dragons! Cabbages and potatoes are better for me and you. Don't go getting mixed up in the business of your betters, or you'll land in trouble too big for you. ~Hamfast Gamgee (the Gaffer)

I'm a Roman Catholic! A devout Roman Catholic.

The treacherous are ever distrustful.

Then hope unlooked-for came so suddenly to Eomer's heart, and with it the bite of care and fear renewed, that he said no more, but turned and went swiftly from the hall.

On their deathbed men will speak true, they say.

Oh! That was poetry!" said Pippin. "Do you really mean to start before the break of day?

Then holding the star aloft and the bright sword advanced, Frodo, hobbit of the Shire, walked steadily down to meet the eyes.