Bill?

Agburanar · 02-10-2002, 12:22 PM

Can anyone tell me what colour Bill was? I thought he was grey but a quick look at FotR hasn't revealed any evidence for this.

Laurelyn · 02-10-2002, 01:18 PM

Y'know, I actually never really thought about it, but I have no idea what color Bill was. In the movie, he was chestnut, or whatever it's called, but I don't now about the books . . . Good question.

Arathorn · 02-10-2002, 02:25 PM

BTW, did you know that they used 2 extras to double for Bill while they were climbing up on the snow? They had to go by chopper in order to get to pristine snow during that part where the ring is picked up by Broromir.

It came from Ian McKellen himself on his website.

aldesign · 02-10-2002, 07:13 PM

i always saw Bill as a brown short stubby pony in the Books

film had glancing shots of him, and they were ok

Renille · 02-10-2002, 11:37 PM

I'd always thought of Bill as brown, and rather homely (for a pony.) I don't know for sure, though. He could very well be grey.

Legolas_BowKing · 02-13-2002, 04:35 AM

what ever colour you think he is is what he is. You dont need proof.

Laurelyn · 02-13-2002, 07:04 AM

Legolas_Bowking: But what if it said that he was grey in the books and we thought he was brown? (those colors are random) Then it would not be true that whatever color we think he is he is.
Unfortunately, even after reading FotR again, I don't know what color he is.

Arathorn · 02-13-2002, 10:54 AM

Whether he's grey or brown; If he went in the mines he'd probably end up Bill the White like Gandalf.

aldesign · 02-13-2002, 01:52 PM

bill the white, would WHOOP Shadowfax in any race!!!

hehehe

Laurelyn · 02-14-2002, 07:15 PM

bropous · 02-15-2002, 04:42 PM

Good one, Arathorn, and plus, he'd be a heck of a lot skinnier....

Bregalad · 02-16-2002, 07:58 PM

all you ever wanted to know about Bill the pony, courtesy of The Tolkien Companion:

Quote:

A gaunt, half starved animal purchased in Bree by Barliman Buttetrbur, inkeeper of the Prancing Pony, on 30th september 3019 Third Age, to replace others stolen from Merridoc Brandybuck during the previous night. His poor condition was due to treatmentmeted out by the previous owner, who sold the pony for the exorbitant price of 12 silver pennies.

I have never run into an account of his color. I think Tolkien was wise not to mention it. It is appropriate that Bill, as a beloved example of ponydom, will always be the favorite color pony of whomever is reading about him.
Personally, I always saw him as a shaggy little grey pony!

ringbearer · 02-16-2002, 11:42 PM

I always imagined Bill a deep chocolate brown.

Darius O'Herran · 02-21-2002, 12:20 AM

The color of Bill is left out of FotR and many details such as that throughout all the books. I believe that the main reason for this is that Tolkien wanted people to form their own ideas of what the characters looked like in their minds. He gave a template, and you filled in the blanks. Take Gandalf. We know he had a long white beard, we know he had bushy eyebrows, and wise eyes. But what color were they? Did he have a receeding hairline? Exactly how tall was he? Was his face really wrinkled? Did he have a hard tan, as far as we can tell, he spent most of his time outdoors, so he would be probably have a wind-chapped face. Details like this are left out so that you can form your own opinion. What color do you think Bill is? How did he look in your mind? He was a pony, and that is enough to keep the story going while making your personal FotR experience unique and special to you. Anyway, that's just how I feel about it.

Darius O'Herran

Nameless · 02-21-2002, 01:35 AM

Well put Darius!

I imagine Bill to be a little on the small size, brown in colour, shabby looking with a kind of 'shaggy' coat.

But I always wonder what kind of adventures Bill had when he left the fellowship at the gates of Moria. Did he go straight back to Bree, or did he stop over in Rivendell? Was he chased by orcs or wolves? Or did he narrowly avoid becoming the main meal at a Troll's spit-roast dinner (with roast hobbit and dwarves as a side dish!!)?

Arathorn · 02-21-2002, 02:01 AM

Well, in that case, I'm a shaggy gray Bill believer.

Agburanar · 02-21-2002, 11:11 AM

Yep. I realise the facts left to the reader's imaginations are important, I just wanted to know whether it's mentioned anywhere and what anyone else thinks.

Bregalad · 02-21-2002, 07:38 PM

Nameless, that's it! You should write the story of Bill's adventures! And since you're the limerick-meister, how about an epic poem in limerick form!

Arathorn · 02-21-2002, 08:23 PM

LOL!

A five-liner epic.

Comic Book Guy · 02-21-2002, 08:37 PM

Realism would suggest that Bill just traveled back to Rivendell, with no disruptions (except harsh weather), though I guess its fine if any of you wish to write stories about Bill the Pony fighting Orcs, outrunning wolves and escaping the wrath of mighty and strong Trolls.

02-10-2002, 12:22 PM	#1
Agburanar Elf Lord Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Dorset Posts: 608	Bill? Can anyone tell me what colour Bill was? I thought he was grey but a quick look at FotR hasn't revealed any evidence for this.

02-10-2002, 01:18 PM	#2
Laurelyn Elf Lord Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Valinor, right next to Telperion . . . what did you expect, Michigan? Posts: 1,315	Y'know, I actually never really thought about it, but I have no idea what color Bill was. In the movie, he was chestnut, or whatever it's called, but I don't now about the books . . . Good question. __________________ The Third Age of Entmoot has begun. Angel of music, guide and guardian! Grant to me your glory! The country I eat and spend the day in is by no means the country I sleep and dream in. Define patriotism. Hold the boat, you spastic monkey! ~ Elenka

02-10-2002, 02:25 PM	#3
Arathorn Bard of Mangled Songs Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: West of Middle Earth...oh alright...Manila Posts: 2,679	BTW, did you know that they used 2 extras to double for Bill while they were climbing up on the snow? They had to go by chopper in order to get to pristine snow during that part where the ring is picked up by Broromir. It came from Ian McKellen himself on his website. __________________ Power attracts the corruptible. Absolute power attracts the absolutely corruptible. -Missionaria Protectiva, Frank Herbert *Accio, Ash Nazg!* Elennuru s?la lúmenn' omentielvo* (The Death Star shines on the hour of our meeting) - Darth Arathorn Put aside the ranger... Start looking for Mumakil action figures... Last edited by Arathorn : 02-11-2002 at 12:27 AM.

02-10-2002, 11:37 PM	#5
Renille Elven Lady of Speed-posting Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the cheese state Posts: 988	I'd always thought of Bill as brown, and rather homely (for a pony.) I don't know for sure, though. He could very well be grey. __________________ Oh the thinks you can think! Think and wonder and dream...far and wide as you dare! When your thinks have run dry, in the blink of an eye, there's another world there... (from Seussical the Musical. Listen to it...watch it...really.)

02-13-2002, 07:04 AM	#7
Laurelyn Elf Lord Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Valinor, right next to Telperion . . . what did you expect, Michigan? Posts: 1,315	Legolas_Bowking: But what if it said that he was grey in the books and we thought he was brown? (those colors are random) Then it would not be true that whatever color we think he is he is. Unfortunately, even after reading FotR again, I don't know what color he is. __________________ The Third Age of Entmoot has begun. Angel of music, guide and guardian! Grant to me your glory! The country I eat and spend the day in is by no means the country I sleep and dream in. Define patriotism. Hold the boat, you spastic monkey! ~ Elenka

02-10-2002, 07:13 PM	#4
aldesign Elven Warrior Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Uk Posts: 447	i always saw Bill as a brown short stubby pony in the Books film had glancing shots of him, and they were ok

02-13-2002, 04:35 AM	#6
Legolas_BowKing Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 115	what ever colour you think he is is what he is. You dont need proof.

02-13-2002, 10:54 AM	#8
Arathorn Bard of Mangled Songs Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: West of Middle Earth...oh alright...Manila Posts: 2,679	Whether he's grey or brown; If he went in the mines he'd probably end up Bill the White like Gandalf. __________________ Power attracts the corruptible. Absolute power attracts the absolutely corruptible. -Missionaria Protectiva, Frank Herbert *Accio, Ash Nazg!* Elennuru s?la lúmenn' omentielvo* (The Death Star shines on the hour of our meeting) - Darth Arathorn Put aside the ranger... Start looking for Mumakil action figures...

02-13-2002, 01:52 PM	#9
aldesign Elven Warrior Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Uk Posts: 447	bill the white, would WHOOP Shadowfax in any race!!! hehehe

02-14-2002, 07:15 PM	#10
Laurelyn Elf Lord Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Valinor, right next to Telperion . . . what did you expect, Michigan? Posts: 1,315	__________________ The Third Age of Entmoot has begun. Angel of music, guide and guardian! Grant to me your glory! The country I eat and spend the day in is by no means the country I sleep and dream in. Define patriotism. Hold the boat, you spastic monkey! ~ Elenka

02-15-2002, 04:42 PM	#11
bropous EIDRIORCQWSDAKLMED DCWWTIWOATTOPWFIO Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Littleton, CO Posts: 1,176	Good one, Arathorn, and plus, he'd be a heck of a lot skinnier.... __________________ "...[The Lord of the Rings] is to exemplify most clearly a recurrent theme: the place in 'world politics' of the unforeseen and unforeseeable acts of will, and deeds of virtue of the apparently small, ungreat, fogotten in the places of the Wise and Great (good as well as evil). A moral of the whole (after the primary symbolism of the Ring, as the will to mere power, seeking to make itself objective by physical force and mechanism, and so also inevitably by lies) is the obvious one that without the high and noble the simple and vulgar is utterly mean; and without the simple and ordinary the noble and heroic is meaningless." Letters of JRR Tolkien, page 160.

02-16-2002, 11:42 PM	#13
ringbearer Elf Lord Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: St. Louis, Mo. USA Posts: 561	I always imagined Bill a deep chocolate brown. __________________ Ringbearer Hide Witch, hide! The Good Folks come to burn thee! Their keen enjoyment hid behind A Gothic mask of duty!

02-21-2002, 12:20 AM	#14
Darius O'Herran Sapling Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 7	Bill's Color and other details The color of Bill is left out of FotR and many details such as that throughout all the books. I believe that the main reason for this is that Tolkien wanted people to form their own ideas of what the characters looked like in their minds. He gave a template, and you filled in the blanks. Take Gandalf. We know he had a long white beard, we know he had bushy eyebrows, and wise eyes. But what color were they? Did he have a receeding hairline? Exactly how tall was he? Was his face really wrinkled? Did he have a hard tan, as far as we can tell, he spent most of his time outdoors, so he would be probably have a wind-chapped face. Details like this are left out so that you can form your own opinion. What color do you think Bill is? How did he look in your mind? He was a pony, and that is enough to keep the story going while making your personal FotR experience unique and special to you. Anyway, that's just how I feel about it. Darius O'Herran __________________ "May the road rise to meet you. May the Wind always be at your back. May rain fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand." -Celtic Blessing Oh yeah, and FRODO LIVES!!!

02-21-2002, 01:35 AM	#15
Nameless Enting Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 68	Well put Darius! I imagine Bill to be a little on the small size, brown in colour, shabby looking with a kind of 'shaggy' coat. But I always wonder what kind of adventures Bill had when he left the fellowship at the gates of Moria. Did he go straight back to Bree, or did he stop over in Rivendell? Was he chased by orcs or wolves? Or did he narrowly avoid becoming the main meal at a Troll's spit-roast dinner (with roast hobbit and dwarves as a side dish!!)? __________________ Nameless and Faceless, but not Voiceless - - - Do you hear me? Last edited by Nameless : 02-21-2002 at 01:36 AM.

02-21-2002, 02:01 AM	#16
Arathorn Bard of Mangled Songs Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: West of Middle Earth...oh alright...Manila Posts: 2,679	Well, in that case, I'm a shaggy gray Bill believer. __________________ Power attracts the corruptible. Absolute power attracts the absolutely corruptible. -Missionaria Protectiva, Frank Herbert *Accio, Ash Nazg!* Elennuru s?la lúmenn' omentielvo* (The Death Star shines on the hour of our meeting) - Darth Arathorn Put aside the ranger... Start looking for Mumakil action figures...

02-21-2002, 11:11 AM	#17
Agburanar Elf Lord Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Dorset Posts: 608	Yep. I realise the facts left to the reader's imaginations are important, I just wanted to know whether it's mentioned anywhere and what anyone else thinks.

02-21-2002, 07:38 PM	#18
Bregalad Elven Warrior Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: KY Posts: 217	Nameless, that's it! You should write the story of Bill's adventures! And since you're the limerick-meister, how about an epic poem in limerick form! __________________ "They have called me that ever since I said yes to an elder Ent before he had finished his question" -Quickbeam This post property of Entmoot.

02-21-2002, 08:23 PM	#19
Arathorn Bard of Mangled Songs Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: West of Middle Earth...oh alright...Manila Posts: 2,679	LOL! A five-liner epic. __________________ Power attracts the corruptible. Absolute power attracts the absolutely corruptible. -Missionaria Protectiva, Frank Herbert *Accio, Ash Nazg!* Elennuru s?la lúmenn' omentielvo* (The Death Star shines on the hour of our meeting) - Darth Arathorn Put aside the ranger... Start looking for Mumakil action figures...

02-21-2002, 08:37 PM	#20
Comic Book Guy Best Ex-Administrator ever Join Date: May 2001 Location: Ireland Posts: 60,547	Realism would suggest that Bill just traveled back to Rivendell, with no disruptions (except harsh weather), though I guess its fine if any of you wish to write stories about Bill the Pony fighting Orcs, outrunning wolves and escaping the wrath of mighty and strong Trolls.

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