[00:00:01] So I'm reading through Lord of the Rings for the first time and just publishing my thoughts on the chapters as I read them so plug to subscribe if you want more Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter and Brandon Sanderson content but I just finished Chapter 3 and I have to say Gildor makes me like Elves now I never really hated Elves but they were always just ethereal and distant and didn't really just have a lot of personality to me
[00:00:28] I liked Dwarves more, I liked Hobbits, I liked Men and Wizards, heck I even liked Orcs and Uruk-hai more I mean who doesn't like this guy? Looks like meat back on the menu boys but Elves just seems so impersonal and I have to be honest I still think they're a bit impersonal but Gildor has shifted that a lot for me and if you don't know who Gildor is you have to read the books the Fellowship of the Rings, Gildor is in the third chapter
[00:00:57] and he's just this high elf who's in exile he says and he talks to Frodo, Pippin and Sam and just has like a little meeting and a dinner party with them one of the first things that happens when Gildor jumps on the page in Chapter 3 though is that he smiles I've been trying to think of all the time that an elf smiles in Lord of the Rings and I don't think it's that often I know that Galadriel smiles in the movies when Gimli compliments her and every once in a while Legolas cracks a smirk
[00:01:25] but most of the time they just seem so serious and the first thing that Gildor does is that he jokes around with the Hobbits which is so normal the books have this greeting of the Hobbits oh fair folk this is good fortune beyond my hope said Pippin Sam was speechless I thank you indeed Gildor and Glorian said Frodo bowing Elensila Lumaine Omentielvo a star shines on the hour of our meeting
[00:01:54] he added in high elven speech be careful friends cried Gildor laughing speak no secrets here is a scholar in the ancient tongues Bilbo was a good master hail elf friend he said bowing to Frodo come now with your friends and join our company something about that was just comforting to me that an elf can enjoy a normal conversation with people and not just have a stick up their rear end the whole time
[00:02:21] but my favorite part of what Gildor said came later and this is one of those moments that was just something that happened in my life that correlated perfectly to what happened in my reading in my own life someone just told me that they didn't like advice that I had given them a few weeks ago and it was a longer conversation obviously and I'll spare the details and the whole conversation kind of had me thinking something that I knew from the start why did I give advice in the first place? usually I don't give advice that often
[00:02:50] I would rather just listen than help someone solve a problem or something like that but I left the conversation and then not three hours later I came to this chapter where Frodo is desperate and he's looking for advice from Gildor and the High Elves but this is what the book says Gildor was silent for a moment I do not like this news he said at last that Gandalf should be late does not bode well but it is said
[00:03:18] do not meddle in the affairs of wizards for they are subtle and quick to anger the choice is yours to go or wait and it is said answered Frodo go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes is it indeed laughed Gildor elves seldom give unguarded advice for advice is a dangerous gift even from the wise to the wise and all courses may run ill
[00:03:48] but what would you? you have not told me all concerning yourself and how shall I choose better than you? but if you demand advice I will for friendship's sake give it it just struck me as incredibly wise here is this elf who is apparently very impersonal showing his impersonal nature but he's kind of laughing in the midst of it and the idea of not giving advice to people because sometimes your advice might go sour with those people even if it's wise and sage advice
[00:04:18] and that person might end up hating and resenting you for it is something that can be avoidable I think you can give advice for friendship's sake as Gildor was saying but giving advice can be a dangerous thing I think Tolkien here is so wise and he writes with such a beauty as well I'm just continually blown away in this series in the first few chapters by the writing of Tolkien and how beautiful it is and some of these lines that we have it's just so rich and so deep and through all of this it just makes me love the elves
[00:04:48] a little bit more this section does make them seem a little less personal too being a race that they seem to be controlled by wisdom rather than deep friendship but Gildor softened my heart just a little bit and is showing me that elves are just out here trying to have fun in the woods and eat good food and have some good conversation and they're pretty wise