Farmer Maggot
Encyclopedia
Farmer Maggot is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien
's Middle-earth
universe
, introduced in The Fellowship of the Ring
. He lived on a farm called Bamfurlong in the Marish region of the Eastfarthing of the Shire
. Mushrooms, highly prized edibles among Hobbit
s, grew abundantly on his land, and Farmer Maggot often had to deal with other Hobbits stealing them, which is one reason he kept a pack of large, fierce dogs.
As a youth living in Buckland, Frodo Baggins
often made trips to steal Bamfurlong mushrooms. On the last occasion Farmer Maggot caught Frodo, beat him, and then threatened to feed the young Hobbit to the dogs if he ever trespassed again. He then set the dogs on Frodo, which chased him all the way to the ferry. Although the dogs did him no harm, the incident so terrified Frodo that, even 30-some years later, he quivered at the thought of crossing the old farmer's land.
Nevertheless, necessity forced Frodo, Sam
, and Pippin
(who was on good terms with Maggot) to cross through his fields. Maggot and his dogs Fang, Grip and Wolf met up with the trio, but Maggot had long set aside any grudge against Frodo. He invited the company to supper and then took them via wagon ride to the ferry to meet Merry
, and gave Frodo a parting gift of a whole basket full of mushrooms.
Maggot insisted on escorting Frodo because one of the Black Rider
s had appeared on his land offering gold for news of 'Baggins.' Maggot told him off and ordered him not to return. The Black Rider nearly ran Maggot down, and Maggot's dogs were no help — they were terrified of the Rider.
Maggot was said to have three daughters and at least three sons, in addition to his wife (who is only identified as Mrs. Maggot). Through some unknown means, Maggot was acquainted with Tom Bombadil
and informed him that Frodo and friends might be coming towards Bombadil's house through the Old Forest
. Bombadil himself described Maggot as very wise. Maggot also figures as a friend of Bombadil in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
.
's film adaptation of The Fellowship of the Ring, the shortcut through Maggot's field is extremely condensed and altered. In the movie, Frodo and Sam set out from Bag End alone and run into Merry
and Pippin stealing vegetables (not mushrooms) from Maggot's fields. According to Pippin, he and Merry had been stealing from Maggot for some time, though in the book the two are very good friends of Maggot. Maggot himself is not seen, though his scythe is visible over the edge of the fields and he is heard shouting at the young Hobbits. Maggot later appears in the film, played by Cameron Rhodes
. He tells the Black Rider, "There are no Bagginses round here. They are all up in Hobbiton, that way!"
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
, introduced in The Fellowship of the Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three volumes of the epic novel The Lord of the Rings by the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It takes place in the fictional universe Middle-earth. It was originally published on July 29, 1954 in the United Kingdom...
. He lived on a farm called Bamfurlong in the Marish region of the Eastfarthing of the Shire
Shire (Middle-earth)
The Shire is a region of J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, described in The Lord of the Rings and other works. The Shire refers to an area settled exclusively by Hobbits and largely removed from the goings-on in the rest of Middle-earth. It is located in the northwest of the continent, in...
. Mushrooms, highly prized edibles among Hobbit
Hobbit
Hobbits are a fictional diminutive race who inhabit the lands of Middle-earth in J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction.Hobbits first appeared in the novel The Hobbit, in which the main protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, is the titular hobbit...
s, grew abundantly on his land, and Farmer Maggot often had to deal with other Hobbits stealing them, which is one reason he kept a pack of large, fierce dogs.
As a youth living in Buckland, Frodo Baggins
Frodo Baggins
Frodo Baggins is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium.He is the main protagonist of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. He was a hobbit of the Shire who inherited Sauron's Ring from Bilbo Baggins and undertook the quest to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom...
often made trips to steal Bamfurlong mushrooms. On the last occasion Farmer Maggot caught Frodo, beat him, and then threatened to feed the young Hobbit to the dogs if he ever trespassed again. He then set the dogs on Frodo, which chased him all the way to the ferry. Although the dogs did him no harm, the incident so terrified Frodo that, even 30-some years later, he quivered at the thought of crossing the old farmer's land.
Nevertheless, necessity forced Frodo, Sam
Samwise Gamgee
Samwise Gamgee, later known as Samwise Gardner and commonly as Sam, is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. Samwise is one of the chief characters in Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings, in which he fills an archetypical role as the sidekick of the protagonist, Frodo...
, and Pippin
Peregrin Took
Peregrin Took, more commonly known as Pippin, is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. Pippin is introduced as a Hobbit who plays a major role as one of the companions of Frodo Baggins, in his quest to destroy the One Ring.Peregrin was the only son of...
(who was on good terms with Maggot) to cross through his fields. Maggot and his dogs Fang, Grip and Wolf met up with the trio, but Maggot had long set aside any grudge against Frodo. He invited the company to supper and then took them via wagon ride to the ferry to meet Merry
Meriadoc Brandybuck
Meriadoc Brandybuck, usually referred to as Merry, is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, featured throughout his most famous work, The Lord of the Rings....
, and gave Frodo a parting gift of a whole basket full of mushrooms.
Maggot insisted on escorting Frodo because one of the Black Rider
Nazgûl
The Nazgûl are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium...
s had appeared on his land offering gold for news of 'Baggins.' Maggot told him off and ordered him not to return. The Black Rider nearly ran Maggot down, and Maggot's dogs were no help — they were terrified of the Rider.
Maggot was said to have three daughters and at least three sons, in addition to his wife (who is only identified as Mrs. Maggot). Through some unknown means, Maggot was acquainted with Tom Bombadil
Tom Bombadil
Tom Bombadil is a supporting character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in Tolkien's high fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings, published in 1954 and 1955. In the first volume, The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo Baggins and company meet Bombadil in the Old Forest...
and informed him that Frodo and friends might be coming towards Bombadil's house through the Old Forest
Old Forest
In J. R. R. Tolkien’s fictional universe of Middle-earth, the Old Forest is a small forested area which lies east of the Shire in Buckland....
. Bombadil himself described Maggot as very wise. Maggot also figures as a friend of Bombadil in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is a collection of poetry written by J. R. R. Tolkien and published in 1962. The book contains 16 poems, only two of which deal with Tom Bombadil, a character who is most famous for his encounter with Frodo Baggins in The Fellowship of the Ring...
.
Adaptations
In Peter JacksonPeter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
's film adaptation of The Fellowship of the Ring, the shortcut through Maggot's field is extremely condensed and altered. In the movie, Frodo and Sam set out from Bag End alone and run into Merry
Meriadoc Brandybuck
Meriadoc Brandybuck, usually referred to as Merry, is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, featured throughout his most famous work, The Lord of the Rings....
and Pippin stealing vegetables (not mushrooms) from Maggot's fields. According to Pippin, he and Merry had been stealing from Maggot for some time, though in the book the two are very good friends of Maggot. Maggot himself is not seen, though his scythe is visible over the edge of the fields and he is heard shouting at the young Hobbits. Maggot later appears in the film, played by Cameron Rhodes
Cameron Rhodes
A native of New Zealand, Cameron Rhodes is an actor who has appeared in various TV shows and films , he has appeared in over 60 theatre productions in NZ, playing roles including Cyrano in Cyrano De Bergerac...
. He tells the Black Rider, "There are no Bagginses round here. They are all up in Hobbiton, that way!"