Possible minor plot error in “Uruk-hai” chapter in TT

[Alcuin]

This has probably been pointed out before, but…

I think I found a minor plot error in Two Towers at the end of the chapter “Uruk-hai”.

Just prior to this, Grishnákh has attempted to take Pippin and Merry, but caught by a sentry of the Éomer’s éored, he’s been skewered instead. A contingent of orcs from Isengard attacks, and the Rohirrim tighten their ring-siege of the orcs commanded by Uglúk, leaving Merry and Pippin free to escape, except that they are still bound, although Pippin can get his hands free.

My impression is that Merry’s hands (and Pippin’s too, before he freed them and then pulled the loops over them as a subterfuge) were tied quite securely.

I believe the following quotation from “Uruk-hai” contains a minor plot error.

“Now,” said Merry, “if only we had our legs and hands free, we might get away. But I can’t touch the knots, and I can’t bite them.”

“No need to try,” said Pippin. “I was going to tell you: I’ve managed to free my hands. These loops are only left for show. You’d better have a bit of lembas first.”

He slipped the cords off his wrists, and fished out a packet. The cakes were broken, but good, still in their leaf-wrappings. The hobbits each ate two or three pieces. The taste brought back to them the memory of fair faces, and laughter, and wholesome food in quiet days now far away. For a while they ate thoughtfully, sitting in the dark, heedless of the cries and sounds of battle nearby. Pippin was the first to come back to the present.

“We must be off,” he said. “Half a moment!” Grishnákh’s sword was lying close at hand, but it was too heavy and clumsy for him to use; so he crawled forward, and finding the body of the goblin he drew from its sheath a long sharp knife. With this he quickly cut their bonds.

Beginning in the third paragraph,

1. Pippin frees his hands.
2. Pippin gets a packet of lembas.
3. Pippin and Merry eat lembas.
4. Pippin cuts the rest of his and Merry’s bonds.

When Aragorn later found the mallorn-leaf and lembas crumbs they’d left, Legolas indirectly observed that it was very like a hobbit to stop to eat at times others might consider odd.

Now maybe I’m just being overly-picky, but nowhere does the text indicate that Merry’s hands were loose until after Pippin crawled over to Grishnákh’s knife.

But in order for Merry to eat before he’s cut loose, either Pippin has to untie his hands - is that implied rather than stated? - or else Pippin has to feed Merry while the latter is still bound, which while possible seems impractical: the obvious thing to do is cut Merry loose and both hobbits use their hands.

Then there is the simple issue of safety: neither Pippin nor Merry had any reason to believe that they were safe, and running could become imperative at any moment. Even if they stopped to eat, wouldn’t being able to escape be more important than “a bit of lembas first,” or do I fail to comprehend hobbit logic?

My question is: shouldn’t the order of events be:

1. Pippin frees his hands.
2. Pippin cuts the rest of his and Merry’s bonds.
3. Pippin gets a packet of lembas.
4. Pippin and Merry eat lembas.

instead of the order presented in the text? Am I just failing to grasp what has really transpired? Or is this a non-issue we should simply ignore?

[Valandil]

Alcuin - I'd say 'hobbit priorities'. Also, maybe Pippin thought that Merry needed to regain a little strength before taking off - and the lembas would do the trick.

If Merry's hands were tied in front of him, eating a small portion wouldn't be too much trouble.

Pippin had to look around a little for a blade to cut with, but the lembas were easy enough to find. They may have simply been doing the easiest thing first, and then the more difficult one.

I'm with you though. If I'M in that situation - whether sore, tired, hungry, weak - I am getting out of there RIGHT AWAY, and I'll eat a bite later, thank you. But, as you say, we're not hobbits.

Another advantage to doing it their way - by avoiding major movements for another minute or so after the ring tightened around the Orc camp, they may have avoided being spotted by someone (of the Rohirrim) on the lookout over the area they had just advanced over.