J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings novel devoted more time to Farmer Maggot. He lived in the Marish, a region along the eastern edge of the Shire, and his land was called Bamfurlong. Unlike the inhabitants of Hobbiton or Buckland, he lived in a regular house rather than a hobbit-hole, as was usual in the Marish. According to one of Tolkien’s unpublished notes, the reason for this was that the Marish was a marsh, making the land too flat and wet for hobbit-holes. Maggot owned three large, fearsome dogs named Grip, Fang, and Wolf. He also had a wife and several children, but Tolkien did not name any of them. Despite his tendency to unleash his dogs on trespassers, the novel’s version of Maggot was far more kind, brave, and helpful than his cinematic counterpart.
Farmer Maggot Stood Up To a Nazgûl
Farmer Maggot Actors
Birthdate
Cameron Rhodes
August 1, 1967
Mike Hopkins (voice only)
August 12, 1959
In the chapter “A Short Cut to Mushrooms” from The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo, Sam, and Pippin pass through Bamfurlong on their way to Bucklebury Ferry. Frodo was afraid of Maggot, which surprised the others. He explained that when he was younger, he had stolen some mushrooms from Bamfurlong. When Maggot caught him, he sent his dogs after Frodo, and they chased him for over five miles. Ever since, he had avoided Maggot. After laughing at Frodo’s misfortune, Pippin said that Maggot was “a stout fellow” and “a good friend to all the Brandybucks.” He pointed out that Maggot needed to be cautious since he lived on the border of the Shire, putting him in danger from Men and wild animals from across the Brandywine River. When the trio of hobbits passed Maggot’s house, the dogs snarled at Frodo and Sam. Maggot came out to angrily ask what they wanted, but once he recognized Pippin, his mood became jolly. He called off his dogs and invited the travelers inside for a drink, where he told them about a strange encounter from earlier that day.
Like in Jackson’s version of The Lord of the Rings, a Nazgûl questioned Maggot about the Baggins’ location, but the scene played out very differently. Maggot was not scared, or if he was, he did not show it openly. He told the Nazgûl to leave, even threatening to call his dogs to chase him away. The Nazgûl offered him some gold in exchange for serving as a spy, but he refused. The Nazgûl tried to trample Maggot with his horse, but he jumped out of the way and called his dogs, forcing the Nazgûl to flee. Even mighty warriors shrank in fear when faced with a Nazgûl, so Maggot’s courage and determination at this moment were astounding. His stand was even more impressive because the Nazgûl who spoke to Maggot was most likely Khamûl, the Witch-king’s second-in-command, as he was the one who led the search in the Shire. Granted, this story came from Maggot’s account, so it may not have been entirely accurate, but Tolkien gave no indication that Maggot was a liar.
Farmer Maggot Was Friendlier Than He Seemed
Maggot had three daughters and two or more sons.
Maggot was the family’s surname; Farmer Maggot’s given name was unknown.
Frodo was no more than 19 years old when Maggot’s dogs chased him.
Farmer Maggot’s conversation with Frodo showcased both his intelligence and his willingness to help others. He correctly guessed that the Nazgûl were after a piece of Bilbo’s treasure, although he knew nothing about the One Ring. Maggot was known for such astute observations, as both Merry and the narrator referred to him as “shrewd.” Maggot said he would cover for Frodo if the Nazgûl returned by pretending that Frodo had died or left the Shire, the latter of which would soon become true. He also advised Frodo to stay away from Hobbiton, as he believed it was more dangerous than Buckland. Frodo greatly appreciated Maggot’s help and expressed regret about having avoided him for so long: “I’ve been in terror of you and your dogs for over thirty years, Farmer Maggot, though you may laugh to hear it. It’s a pity: for I’ve missed a good friend.”
That was not the end of Maggot’s generosity. He asked Frodo, Sam, and Pippin to stay for dinner with his family. They reluctantly refused at first, as they needed to get to Bucklebury Ferry quickly and still had a long way to hike. But Maggot offered to bring them there in his pony-drawn wagon after they ate, which they gladly accepted. He left the lanterns on his wagon unlit to avoid drawing any unwanted attention. Maggot had nothing to gain from bringing the other hobbits to Bucklebury Ferry in the dead of night; he did it solely out of the kindness of his heart. There was a tense moment during which the hobbits mistook an approaching rider for a Nazgûl, but it was Merry joining up with his friends. Maggot exited the story of The Lord of the Rings once they reached Bucklebury Ferry, but not before giving Frodo a parting gift: a basket of mushrooms that his wife had prepared.
Farmer Maggot Had a Mysterious and Powerful Friend
Hobbits from the Marish were larger than most other hobbits, and they sometimes had facial hair, which other hobbits did not.
The Marish’s hobbits were also unique in that they wore boots.
Mike Hopkins was also the sound editor for The Fellowship of the Ring film.
There was more to Farmer Maggot than met the eye. Merry spoke to this in the following chapter, “A Conspiracy Unmasked.” He told Frodo, “A lot goes on behind his round face that does not come out in his talk. I’ve heard that he used to go into the Old Forest at one time, and he has the reputation of knowing a good many strange things.” When the hobbits entered the Old Forest later in the story, they learned that these rumors were correct. It turned out that Maggot was a friend of The Lord of the Rings‘ most mysterious character, Tom Bombadil. It was because of conversations with Maggot that Tom knew about recent events from outside the Old Forest, especially the Shire. Tom thought very highly of Maggot; in the chapter “In the House of Tom Bombadil” from The Fellowship of the Ring, Tom said, “There’s earth under [Maggot’s] old feet, and clay on his fingers; wisdom in his bones, and both his eyes are open.”
Maggot did not appear later in the novel, even during the Scouring of the Shire. However, given his personality and history, he must have put up a fight against Saruman’s forces. Maggot’s abridged role in Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings films proved that he was not strictly necessary to the plot, so why did Tolkien dedicate nearly an entire chapter to him? The first reason was that Maggot expanded the worldbuilding of the Shire. Both his lifestyle and his personality differed greatly from the story’s other hobbits, showing that they were not all the same. Further, Maggot tied into one of The Lord of the Rings‘ overarching themes: that appearances could be deceptive. Maggot was not as violent and cantankerous as he seemed to Frodo, nor was he as cowardly and manipulable as the Nazgûl assumed him to be. Maggot’s bravery in standing up to a Nazgûl may very well have given Frodo the courage to face the Witch-king at Weathertop.
