062 - Trouble Brews in the Shire in "Homeward Bound"

The hobbits are finally heading back to the Shire! In Chapter 7 of Book VI of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Return of the King, “Homeward Bound,” Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, and Gandalf return to Bree and the Prancing Pony, where they discover that Middle-earth has changed considerably since their departure. This week on Fool of a Took, our drunken Lord of the Rings book club celebrates Bill the Pony’s return, catches up with Barliman Butterbur, and investigates the ruffians terrorizing Bree. We discuss Frodo’s lasting wounds, Aragorn’s restored northern kingdom, and Gandalf’s decision to leave the hobbits for a long-overdue conversation with Tom Bombadil. Plus, Gandalf’s questionable wardrobe, an inappropriate memorial for Bree’s fallen citizens, and beef barley soup with homemade brown bread. The War of the Ring is over, but something is wrong in the Shire. With “The Scouring of the Shire” approaching, our first-time readers are nervous. Fool of a Took is a comedic Lord of the Rings book club following four friends through Tolkien’s Middle-earth, one chapter and several drinks at a time. CONVERSATION TOPICS Returning to Bree and the Prancing Pony Frodo’s wounds and the cost of the War of the Ring Barliman Butterbur, Bill Ferny, and Bree’s ruffians Aragorn’s kingdom and the missing Rangers The return of Bill the Pony Gandalf’s retirement and Tom Bombadil Why home will never feel quite the same Trouble in the Shire TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Welcome Back to Fool of a Took 04:43 Homeward Bound: Chapter Recap 07:13 The Hobbits Are Finally Going Home 09:03 Frodo’s Wounds and the Cost of the Quest 10:42 Returning to Bree and the Prancing Pony 15:47 Bill Ferny, Harry Goatleaf, and the Ruffians 22:35 Where Have All the Rangers Gone? 26:43 Strider Is King?! Barliman Learns the Truth 27:50 Bill the Pony Is Alive! 29:20 No Pipeweed from the Shire? 31:40 Trouble Is Brewing Back Home 34:24 Gandalf Retires to Visit Tom Bombadil 38:52 The Hobbits’ Journey Comes Full Circle 47:14 A Memorial for Bree’s Fallen Citizens 52:41 Can Frodo Ever Truly Go Home? 56:12 Gandalf’s Mysterious Blue Mantle 1:00:37 Dark Shapes in the Woods and the Aftermath of War 1:08:26 Why Gandalf Is Leaving the Hobbits Behind 1:14:29 Food for Thought: Beef Barley Soup and Brown Bread 1:19:27 Preparing for The Scouring of the Shire FOOD FOR THOUGHT: BARLIMAN’S BEEF BARLEY SOUP & BROWN BREAD Back at the Prancing Pony, we imagine Barliman Butterbur serving a hearty bowl of beef barley soup with buttered brown bread. Soup ingredients: 1 lb stew beef, bite-sized 2 cups beef broth 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp marjoram ¼ tsp thyme ⅛ tsp ground black pepper 1 bay leaf 4 cups water 3 carrots, sliced 3 celery stalks, sliced 1 medium onion, chopped 1 can diced tomatoes ½ cup uncooked barley Brown beef in oil in a Dutch oven. Add broth, salt, herbs, pepper, and bay leaf; cover and simmer 1½ hours. Add water, vegetables, barley, and tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a boil, then simmer 45 minutes. Brown bread recipe: https://www.theenglishkitchen.co/2019... Tip: Freeze buttermilk in 1-cup portions so you have it ready for baking. Thanks for watching! Like, subscribe, and share with a Lord of the Rings fan. CONTENT WARNING: Explicit language. YouTube: @FoolofaTookPodcast Instagram:   / foolofatookpodcast   TikTok:   / foolofatookpodcast   Questions: Foolofatookpodcast@gmail.com Original music: Chris Newhard Follow the fools on Instagram: Chris: (  / chrisnewhard  ) Robbie Jean: (  / robbiejean815  ) Pat: (  / rolling.seas2023  ) Laura: (  / kennylaura525  ) Apple Podcasts: (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...) Spotify: (https://open.spotify.com/show/0e3myYq...)