Farmer Maggot and Tom Bombadil

[Ellessor]

I'm currently rereading FOTR and had a question to pose to you lovely folks.

We know that Farmer Maggot and Tom Bombadil know each other. Here is the passage (from when Frodo and the gang are at Bombadil's house) for those who haven't read it in a while:

"He [Tom] appeared already to know much about them and all their families, and indeed to know much of their history and doings of the Shire down from days hardly remembered among the hobbits. It no longer surprised them; but he made no secret that he owed his recent knowledge largely to Farmer Maggot, whom he seemed to regard as a person of more importance than they had imagined. 'There's earth under his old feet, and clay in his fingers; wisdom in his bones, and both his eyes are open,' said Tom."

My question is this: Where do you think Maggot and Bombadil spoke to each other? In the Old Forest? Did Maggot visit Tom's house? Tom doesn't seem to leave his own land and would hardly go unnoticed in the Shire, so I don't think he would visit Maggot.

~I'm thinking about writing a fanfic about these two characters and their conversation~

 

[Deimos]

Tom visits Farmer Maggot by boatiing down the Withywindle to Haysend, where he would meet Maggot.
See "Tom Bombadil Goes Boating", a poem in the collection The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.

The poem chronicles one such meeting. I'm going to assume it is the way they usually meet.
There would be no need for either one to go the roundabout way through the Old Forest; by water is much faster.

 

[d4rk3lf]

Maybe farmer Maggot chased some hobbit kids into the old forest, and stumbled upon Tom Bombandil.
Then they ate some mushrooms, and becomes friends.
... what happened to the hobbits kids... no tale ever told... but they were last seen near the Old Man Will

 

[Ellessor]

There would be no need for either one to go the roundabout way via a trip through the Old Forest; by water is much faster.

Ahhh this makes total sense! I didn't account for the waterways at all.

The Adventures of Tom Bombadil

I need to get my hands on a copy of this 😯 I've known about it but never read it. Thanks for supplying me with an answer to my question 😁

 

[Deimos]

Ahhh this makes total sense! I didn't account for the waterways at all.

I need to get my hands on a copy of this 😯 I've known about it but never read it. Thanks for supplying me with an answer to my question 😁

That's what I do; I answer questions. 🙂
Civil answers are standard. ...Additional snark and sarcasm cost extra. 😆