The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late: Difference between revisions

From Tolkien Gateway
m (Fixed The Prancing Pony link)
(19 intermediate revisions by 13 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
'''The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late''' is the imagined original ditty that is dericed to 'our time' in the simplified nursery rhyme "Hey Diddle Diddle". The supposedly original was invented (by back formation) by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]. The title of this version is given in ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]''.
'''The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late''' is a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] poem composed by [[Bilbo Baggins]].


In the Inn at [[Bree]] ("[[The Prancing Pony|At the Sign of the Prancing Pony]]", ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' Chapter 9) [[Frodo]] jumps on a table and recites "a ridiculous song" invented by [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]]. "Here it is in full," said Tolkien. "Only a few words of it are now, as a rule, remembered."
==History==
In ''[[The Prancing Pony]]'' at [[Bree]] [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] jumped on a table and recited "a ridiculous song" invented by [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]].<ref>{{FR|I9}}</ref>


There follows the tale, in thirteen ballad-like five-line stanzas, introducing each element in turn: "the [[Man in the Moon]]" himself, the ostler's "tipsy cat/ that plays a five-stringed fiddle", the little dog, the "horn&eacute;d cow
==Form==
The poem is in thirteen ballad-like five-line stanzas, introducing each element in turn: "the [[Man in the Moon]]" himself, the ostler's "tipsy cat that plays a five-stringed fiddle", the little dog, the "hornéd cow".


:as proud as any queen.
==Portrayals in adaptations==
:But music turns her head like ale,
'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:And makes her wave her tufted tail
:Frodo sings an abridged version of the song at the Prancing Pony before falling off the table and accidentally slipping on the [[The One Ring|Ring]] for the first time, causing him to disappear and startle the patrons.
:And dance upon the green."


and "O! the rows of silver dishes/ and the store of silver spoons."
'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:Frodo sings the song in Bree. Speeding up at every line, he becomes nigh unintelligable near the end.


At the climactic moment
'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:"With a ping and a pang the fiddle-strings broke!
:Frodo sings an abridged version at the Prancing Pony. The line fragment ''"And there they brew a beer so brown"'' was changed to ''"And there they '''made''' a '''stew''' so brown"'', presumably to censor references to alcohol.
:the cow jumped over the [[Moon]],
:And the little dog laughed to see such fun
:And the Saturday dish went off at a run
:with the silver Sunday spoon."


Note that the cow is able to jump over the Moon with ease because the Man in the Moon has temporarily brought it down to [[Arda|Earth]].
'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:In the Extended Edition of the film, [[Bofur]] sings an abridged version in [[Rivendell]] while the [[Thorin and Company|Company]] dines with the [[Elves]], and the other [[Dwarves]] join in.


Part of Tolkien's brilliance in establishing the epic mood is his ability to introduce a version of a familiar saying and give the reader a sense of hearing the old proverb afresh, as if spoken for the first time, in the heat of the moment.
===Other media===
A musical version of this poem was recorded by the [[Tolkien Ensemble]] on their album ''[[A Night in Rivendell]]''.


[[Category:Books]]
==Inspiration==
In the context of the legendarium, this song is the imagined original (by back formation) ditty that is derived to 'our time' in the simplified nursery rhyme "Hey Diddle Diddle".{{fact}}
 
The title of this version is given in ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]''.<ref>{{AB|Up}}</ref>
 
{{References}}
[[Category:Poems by J.R.R. Tolkien|Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late]]

Revision as of 23:24, 9 October 2015

The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late is a Hobbit poem composed by Bilbo Baggins.

History

In The Prancing Pony at Bree Frodo jumped on a table and recited "a ridiculous song" invented by Bilbo.[1]

Form

The poem is in thirteen ballad-like five-line stanzas, introducing each element in turn: "the Man in the Moon" himself, the ostler's "tipsy cat that plays a five-stringed fiddle", the little dog, the "hornéd cow".

Portrayals in adaptations

1978: The Lord of the Rings (1978 film):

Frodo sings an abridged version of the song at the Prancing Pony before falling off the table and accidentally slipping on the Ring for the first time, causing him to disappear and startle the patrons.

1981: The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series):

Frodo sings the song in Bree. Speeding up at every line, he becomes nigh unintelligable near the end.

2002: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game):

Frodo sings an abridged version at the Prancing Pony. The line fragment "And there they brew a beer so brown" was changed to "And there they made a stew so brown", presumably to censor references to alcohol.

2012: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:

In the Extended Edition of the film, Bofur sings an abridged version in Rivendell while the Company dines with the Elves, and the other Dwarves join in.

Other media

A musical version of this poem was recorded by the Tolkien Ensemble on their album A Night in Rivendell.

Inspiration

In the context of the legendarium, this song is the imagined original (by back formation) ditty that is derived to 'our time' in the simplified nursery rhyme "Hey Diddle Diddle".[source?]

The title of this version is given in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.[2]

References

  1. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony"
  2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, "The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late"
Retrieved from "https://tolkiengateway.net/w/index.php?title=The_Man_in_the_Moon_Stayed_Up_Too_Late&oldid=282156"