Why Frodo lied to Bilbo about the ring

[Miss Rainbow]

I'm not sure if I asked this question already or not but here goes-In the film ROTK, maybe even in the book as well, why did Frodo lie to Bilbo about where the ring was near the end when he asked: "Where is the ring I gave you?" Frodo replyed: "I lost it." Why didn't Frodo just tell Bilbo the Truth???? Thank you very much & I missed you all!! God Bless!!

 

[Wraithguard]

Think about it. Like Smeagol, Bilbo was possessed by the ring. What would have happened if Frodo told Bilbo the truth?

 

[Tar-Elendil13]

He didn't really lie, he lost it to smeagol, who fell into Mt. Doom.

Tar-Elendil13

 

[Barliman Butterbur]

...why did Frodo lie to Bilbo about where the ring was...Why didn't Frodo just tell Bilbo the Truth?

Why bother the old hobbit with the horror of what really happened? Bilbo was senile and forgetful, and by that time physically and psychologically frail. Frodo did the merciful thing: sometimes the unvarnished truth is too much to bear, and should be withheld.

Barley

 

[Alatar]

Well how about...
What happend to that ring i gave you?
I am sorry bilbo, Gollum buit it of my finger and fell into the lava.
* Clutches heart* Gollum! * fall's over*

 

[Barliman Butterbur]

Well how about...
What happend to that ring I gave you?
I am sorry Bilbo, but Gollum bit it off my finger and fell into the lava.
* Clutches heart* Gollum! * falls over*

Exactly my point!

Barley

 

[HLGStrider]

My impression was Bilbo was at that point incapable of understanding what happened. He looks more than senile in that scene, and he very well should have known what Frodo had gone to do with the ring. The very fact that Frodo was back should have implied that the ring was 'zapped.' I think Frodo looked surprised at the question, made something up when he realized Bilbo wasn't all there, and let it be at that.

Because, come on, EVERYONE involved knew the ring had been destroyed.

 

[33Peregrin]

Well, it would have been a worthless effort of Frodo's to try to explain what happened to the ring. If Bilbo did not know by then the meaning behind everything that was going on, there really was no hope that he would ever understand again. There was also no need for Bilbo to go back to such memories. But even more than that, it was probably better for Frodo not to be forced to revist such memories over and over again, either.

 

[Alatar]

Well, it would have been a worthless effort of Frodo's to try to explain what happened to the ring. If Bilbo did not know by then the meaning behind everything that was going on, there really was no hope that he would ever understand again. There was also no need for Bilbo to go back to such memories. But even more than that, it was probably better for Frodo not to be forced to revist such memories over and over again, either.

Yes, as the piont in leaving ME was to be healed, forgeting the horror of it.