Literature

Lord of the Rings - Frodo's song at the Prancing Pony - The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late

In the first book of the Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkein - The Fellowship of the Ring, the four Hobbits find respite at the Prancing Pony Inn in Bree where they had hoped to reunite with Gandalf the Wizard. Events at the Inn that night do not go as Gandalf would have wanted.

Instead of keeping a low profile and staying in their room, Frodo, going by the name of Sam Underhill, is goaded into entertaining the crowd in the bar. As recorded in the book version of the tale he sings this song and has everyone in the bar clapping along. Right at the end of the song, he places his hand in his pocket and slips the One Ring on his finger and disappears from sight. When he reappears a few minutes later he becomes the center of attention all over again.

This accident with the ring complicates their secret journey and their quest to find Gandalf as the book and the movie both agree

This is also a funny poem in it's own right as it makes an almost adult themed story out of a Mother Goose Fairy Tale

Calligraphy by me in March 2026

Because this poem is so long it is printed on 11' x 17' paper. This is still a standard image size for frames you may find in the store. It is a numbered print on archival quality, acid free, 110lb paper