The Tale of Tom Bombadil Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sam

Sam didn't feel right about all four of the hobbits getting tired all at once. He managed to keep his eyes open until Frodo fell into the Withywindle.

Answer: a maia

This is not said in "The Fellowship of the Ring," but Tom was there before anything else, so we can conclude that he was probably a Maia. Read more about Tom Bombadil and others in David Day's "Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopędia."

Answer: River-daughter

The River-woman was Goldberry's mother, so she was called the River-daughter. She lived in the river until she met Tom Bombadil.

Answer: dagger

"For each of the hobbits he chose a dagger, long, leaf-shaped, and keen, of marvellous workmanship, damasked with serpent-forms of red and gold." Tom knew the hobbits would run into trouble, and he wanted them to have some protection.

Answer: Weather-master

Tom was around before the elves or men came to Middle-earth. He is the Master of all things in his lands. He is not the weather-master, though. He cannot control whether or not it will rain, though he can keep his own body from getting wet.

Answer: Merry

Sam and Frodo started a fire to force Old Man Willow to release Merry and Pippin, but the tree didn't like that. He would have just killed Merry and Pippin if the fire wasn't put out.

Answer: grow strong

Tom Bombadil hit Old Man Willow with a branch while instructing him, as Tom saved Merry and Pippin from the Willow-Man.

Answer: Withywindle

Goldberry lived in the river Withywindle and bathed in the lilies. The hobbits originally tried to steer clear of the river, but were led there by the trees of the Forest, willing or no.

Answer: Farmer Maggot

Farmer Maggot had apparently visited Tom a lot and brought news of the Shire. Tom thought that Farmer Maggot had more wisdom stored in his head than he let on about.

Answer: all of these

Both Tom (the Master) and Goldberry (the River-daughter) told them not to be afraid. "For nothing passes door and window here save moonlight and starlight and wind off the hilltop," says Goldberry.

Answer: weather

Tom claims that he is not the weather-master. He cannot control the wind or rain. But Goldberry calls him the Master of wood, water, and hill.

Answer: Sam

Frodo had a dream about Gandalf being rescued by an eagle from Orthanc. Merry dreamt about flooding waters, and Pippin remembered Old Man Willow in his dream.

Answer: grass and rain-water

The hobbits weren't late (of course-what hobbit would be late to a meal?), although neither Tom nor Goldberry were dining with them.

Answer: Fatty Lumpkin

Tom called Merry's ponies by new names, and these they took forever after and would respond to no other names. The hobbits lost them when they were frightened away by the Barrow-wight. The ponies found safety with Fatty Lumpkin and that was when Tom called them back to their masters by their new names.

When the ponies are scared off later in Bree, they return to Fatty Lumpkin and Tom Bombadil until they were sent back to Butterbur.

Answer: Ho! Tom Bombadil!

Frodo called out to Tom when he and his friends were trapped in the Barrow-downs. Tom came and vanquished the Barrow-wight for them and set them on the right path to Bree, and eventually Rivendell. "Ho! Tom Bombadil, Tom Bombadillo! By water, wood and hill, by the reed and willow, By fire, sun and moon, harken now and hear us! Come, Tom Bombadil, for our need is near us!"