Hobbits had disproportionately large hands (i.e. Man-sized)

Hobbits are something between a half and a third of the stature of Men; but are often imagined, and usually depicted, with feet that are (compared with Men) disproportionately large - sometimes horrifyingly so (see above). 

But the same size-exaggeration must also apply to their hands. 

In both The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, hobbits use Men's long knives as effective swords; to do this they must surely have had similar-sized hands. 

Furthermore, the legendary hobbit ability to throw stones would seem to imply that their hands were significantly larger than Man-children of about six-eight years old, who are of similar height.

And (H/T to Philip Neal in the comments!) The One Ring apparently fits hobbit fingers as snugly as the hand of Isuldur: a Man of exceptionally great stature. 

Gollum (a proto-hobbit) is imagined and depicted with relatively-large hands - although this might be regarded as an effect of possessing the One Ring; but textual evidence suggests that the same ought to apply to normal hobbits. 

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Acknowledgment: The core idea is due to my son Billy, with the additional point about throwing coming from my wife. Such are our meal time conversations...   

The puzzle of Gandalf the White in Fangorn Forest - a lesson in narrative

It was only on my most recent, present, read through of The Lord of the Rings (and after more than 50 years of re-reading!) that I suddenly noticed the puzzling situation of Gandalf the White being in Fangorn Forest and in the vicinity of Treebeard's observatory hill; to be seen by Treebeard two days before Merry and Pippin met Treebeard; and still present two days later to encounter Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. 

For the first time I wondered: What on earth was the recently re-born Gandalf doing, hanging around that part of Fangorn for at least four days? 

On doing a bit of research in the Tale of Years chronology, it was soon evident that the motivation for Gandalf having gone to Fangorn Forest, and having stayed there for several days, is never provided. 

It is a puzzle. 

And, on the face of it, there is no "logical" reason why Gandalf - whose memory of being Gandalf the Grey was not yet fully recovered; should have gone to Fangorn specifically, of all possible places - and for staying near the observing hill even after Gandalf had seen Merry and Pippin meet and befriend Treebeard and be carried-off by him. 

Yes, things worked-out very well; but what could Gandalf have been expecting would happen? 

My best guess, given the apparently arbitrary nature of Gandalf's behaviour yet its excellent outcomes, is that Gandalf was in the grip of divine providence, and went to Fangorn without foreknowledge but because that was where his intuition (his attunement with divine purposes) told him he ought to be. 

But further; the fact I had never noticed this gap in the narrative through many re-readings is significant; and the highly effective nature of the scene when Gandalf meets with the three orc-hunters; shows that Tolkien was (for whatever reason) correct to leave-out an explanation of Gandalf's presence. 

Explanation was not necessary, and therefore it was not provided

Notice of The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin (2026, TV drama)

This is notice of a TV series called The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin that I am currently watching on Amazon Prime; adapted from a fantasy novel series by Stephen Lawhead. I have, so far, seen three episodes of seven. 

This is, by some margin, the best fantasy drama I have seen on TV; very powerful and intriguing, beautiful and moving; very well written and edited. 

And with superb background music that adds to the drama in an analogous way to Howard Shore's music of the Jackson movie Lord of the Rings. 

If it manages to sustain this quality to the end of the series, it will rank among my favourite TV dramas of all time; but even if it does not, it has already done enough to be lastingly memorable. 

NOTE ADDED: Sadly, the standard of the first three episodes was Not maintained; and the series lost its way; ending-up as - overall - no better than OK; and marred by way too much (unconvincing) war and (gratuitous) gore.