Tag: food

I like these snippets of overt social commentary from Tolkien. Not only are they justified, but show just how long some issues have remained unchanged. Sadly, few reflect from literature, and more from Facebook.

The following, for example, is a blatant admonishment of our unsustainable practices; emphasis added.

“When they were washed the roots proved white and fleshy with their skins, and when boiled they were good to eat, somewhat like bread; and the outlaws were glad of them, for they had long lacked bread save when they could steal it. ‘Wild Elves know them not; Grey-elves have not found them; the proud ones from over the Sea are too proud to delve,’ said Mîm.

‘What is their name?’ said Túrin.

Mîm looked at him sidelong. ‘They have no name, save in the dwarf-tongue, which we do not teach,’ he said. ‘And we do not teach Men to find them, for Men are greedy and thriftless, and would not spare till all the plants had perished[…]”

From: J. R. R Tolkien. “Children Of Hurin.”