Why didn't Frodo tell any Hobbits what was really after him and why?

[BalrogRingDestroyer]

I get he fully didn't know WHAT they were but I think it's likely, even before meeting Strider, that he knew WHERE they were from. As such, he should have realized that these Black Riders were quite capable of killing any Hobbit, including innocent bystanders, that crossed their path, particularly if they were seen as being protecting of Frodo.

As such, why didn't he outright tell at least Merry and Pippin, whom he had no clue already knew what the Ring was, when they kept narrowly avoiding the Riders and having to go off the road? (Actually, the fact that we know Pippin is so incredibly inquisitive, the fact that he's not questioning Frodo to death about the Riders and all should have been a giveaway to him that Pippin already knew about the Ring and had at least a slight guess as to WHERE the Riders were from. Then again, his desire (unless it was Merry) to go stop at Shire inns with the Riders on their tail does show that either he's a fool or not really realizing exactly what the Riders are after all. (Then again, maybe a Black Rider might not check an inn, especially if it was told that Frodo was going to Buckland.)

I could see why the Hobbits wouldn't have gone telling WHAT they had while in Bree, where there were Men who were a lot more vulnerable to the influence of the Ring, but, other than Lotho or maybe Ted Sandyman (who also seemed like a rascal) and maybe Lobelia, most of the Shire would probably have been far more resistant to the allure of the Ring than even mighty men like Boromir.

I think the more in the Shire knew what danger they were in, they would been able to keep Frodo safer plus keep the Riders at bay longer, thinking Frodo was still in Buckland, making the close call in Bree not happen. Heck, with just a slight delay of the Riders, it's possible that the Hobbits and Strider could have crossed paths with Gandalf before Rivendell and Frodo may not have gotten that wound. But, then again, if they had made it safely to Rivendell without having to send the river on the horses, those Rider things would still be abroad and that would actually have greatly hampered the Fellowship of the Ring.)

 

[Olorgando]

As such, why didn't he outright tell at least Merry and Pippin, whom he had no clue already knew what the Ring was, when they kept narrowly avoiding the Riders and having to go off the road?

On the journey from Hobbiton to Buckland, Frodo was only accompanied by Sam and Pippin. Merry had set off by cart (accompanied by Fredegar Bolger) from Hobbiton with Frodo's luggage, heading for Buckland and Crickhollow, on the morning of the day Frodo handed over Bag End to Lobelia. Frodo, Sam and Pippin left Hobbiton after it was dark, and took a longer route, more southerly, on foot.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

He could, of course, have told them before they left, but he intended to go to Rivendell alone, originally, and was told by Gandalf to take Sam with him. He certainly didn't want to involve any of his friends in the danger.

 

[Elbereth Vala Varda]

This is an interesting question. I think Frodo would not have told them because he wanted them to be involved as little as absolutely possible. He clearly fully intended not to have them with him, and especially for Merry and Pippin, he would have wanted them to know very little. We have to remember that they are Hobbits, and that at least at the beginning of the books, they behave as such. They are very fearful, and it also seems very ignorant and foolish. We know also that Frodo was very intrigued by what lay beyond the world of The Shire, which was strange for a Hobbit. Seeing this, I doubt Frodo knew what they were or wanted to explain what little he did know. On top of all this, Frodo may not have wanted to actually think about or acknowledge what was actually going on. My guess is that he was really quite scared given everything that Gandalf had told him in Bag End. I think the Black Riders are the first time he really realized the danger of everything involving the quest. Also, he might have just been focused on the quest, and getting to Rivendell, rather than thinking at all about the Riders that hunted him. Just a thought. As for Pippin's curiosity, it is pretty surprising that Pippin didn't question him about it, and yet we know that Pippin and Merry mostly knew the quest, and possibly they had some clue as to why the Riders were hunting them. Though, on the other hand, Pippin and Merry although they knew about the Ring, might have actually not fully known what was going on, or maybe they just knew that Frodo had no clue, so there was no point in asking. Anyway, this is an interesting question and I may have to go back and read this part in the books just for some clarity.

 

[JPMaximilian]

Pippin didn’t have a lot of discretion on what to share or not. So perhaps Frodo didn’t want Pippin to know more than he judged he needed to know for fear it would be blurted out at the wrong time.

Frodo was explicitly told by Gandalf to keep the ring secret and safe. Plus Frodo was tired of everyone gossiping about his business and wanted secrecy.

 

[Elbereth Vala Varda]

Pippin didn’t have a lot of discretion on what to share or not. So perhaps Frodo didn’t want Pippin to know more than he judged he needed to know for fear it would be blurted out at the wrong time.

That is a good observation. As we know, Pippin was very outgoing, and would not have hesitated to tell others about the Quest, on top of that, he may have just slipped as was common for him to do.

 

[JPMaximilian]

I’d also add that Frodo did tell Merry about the black riders at the first reasonable opportunity at Crickhollow. The earliest he could have told Merry would have been on the road where they met shortly before they crossed the Brandywine but that would not have been prudent.

As alluded to by the OP, Frodo himself didn’t know or realize the black riders were the Nazgul until Rivendell.

Every hobbit in the Shire whose encounter with the black riders was portrayed were afraid of them and if they talked to them treated them with mistrust and suspicion.

If they knew the black riders were wraiths from Mordor, I believe they would have been terrified to the point of paralysis or fled as Fredegar did. Maybe a few of the stouter Hobbitry would have stood up to them, Maggot for instance. In any case it seems unlikely the Hobbits as a larger group would have been roused enough to try to stop them.

They did raise the alarm in Buckland but since the riders left the shire we don’t know exactly what would have happened other than they rode down the hobbits at the gate.

Since few “can ride openly against the nine”, it’s doubtful they would have been able to do much of anything even if they tried.

Sam’s Gaffer gave the one rider a bit of helpful information but he probably didn’t really know who or what he was talking to. I don’t think he had keen sight or hearing and it was at night.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Just going to use this again: