The Prancing Pony Podcast

We welcome the acclaimed illustrator Ted Nasmith back to The Prancing Pony Podcast for his first full-length interview! We catch up with Ted about life, art, and everything else since we last spoke to him at Tolkien 2019, including the recent publication of the illustrated edition of Unfinished Tales and teasers about the new illustrated edition of The Silmarillion. Ted also shares the encouraging (and entertaining) story of his first big break… and the unfinished Middle-earth tale he’d love to know more about. Plus, an unexpected bit of word-nerdery that connects Tolkien with classic cars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waiting for the Ents to make a decision turns out to be an exercise in patience for Merry and Pippin, until Treebeard mercifully excuses them from the proceedings. He leaves them in the company of Quickbeam: a younger, hastier Ent who’s about as hobbitish as they come (admittedly, a low bar). We get to the rocky bottom of the relationship between Ents and Trolls, revisit the marital strife of Aulë and Yavanna, and see the Ents get barking mad about Saruman’s destruction of the forest. Plus, Ent-versions of classic rock songs you never knew you wanted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At Wellinghall, Merry and Pippin learn more about the Ents’ hope for the future (in song form!) and get some sleep — horizontally — before leaving in the morning for Entmoot under the protective bough of Treebeard. Ents soon arrive in a startling variety of shapes, sizes, and likenesses, and begin a meeting to get to the root of the Saruman problem. We call The Council together as we dig deeper into the irreconcilable differences between the Ents and the Entwives, ponder mysterious evergreens, and engage in idle speculation (again) about Mrs. G. Bombadil. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After hearing Merry and Pippin’s account of their recent adventures, Treebeard starts talking (and doesn’t stop) about wizards, ecopolitics, and “the one that got away”. Unfortunately, spokesplants for Fimbrethil and the Entwives have not responded to requests for comment, and we won’t hold our breath waiting for them to. But at least now Treebeard seems motivated to do something about Saruman, if only he can find enough Ents to form a posse. Plus, a letter to Barliman offers possible alternatives to the *cough* old-fashioned way of making baby Ents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Merry and Pippin travel deeper into Fangorn Forest with a guided tour (really more of a picked-up-and-carried tour) provided by Treebeard. Their host may be more wooden than Alan and Shawn, but he’s both informative and entertaining, singing songs and telling stories about the forest and the Ents themselves. Soon they arrive at Wellinghall, where he sets them down and offers them jars of some potent drink that we can only hope he has a license to make and distribute. Hopefully, the ent-draught won’t have any long-term effects on the young hobbits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Escaping from mortal danger into deadly peril, Merry and Pippin wander into Fangorn Forest. The place seems more strange than scary, but it’s far from welcoming; and an offhand comment by Pippin about almost liking the forest attracts the attention of the local plant life. Is the mysterious Ent all bark and no bite? Or will it tear the hobbits limb from limb, mistaking them for little Orcs? We discuss the importance of real names, offer a sidebar on the late appearance of the Ents into Tolkien’s legendarium, and Pippin branches out into writing his own lyrics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following up on our previous examination of race in Tolkien’s work in Episode 114, today we welcome listeners of different racial and ethnic backgrounds to join us and share their experiences of Tolkien’s works and fandom. By looking beyond the author's own views and intentions, we hope to gain a better understanding of the actual impact of Tolkien’s treatment of race from people who have experienced racism directly. We urge all listeners to tune in for this special, which challenges our assumptions while keeping at heart the love of Middle-earth that unites us all.Alan and Shawn wish to sincerely thank our listeners who came forward to let their voices be heard for this episode. Your stories have inspired us and opened our eyes. 'Eglerio! A laita te!' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now ringed in by the Rohirrim, the Orcs wait for reinforcements, all the while continuing their civilized parliamentary deliberations. On the committee agenda: 1. You’re a maggot. 2. That guy’s an ape. 3. Consideration of a motion for a vote of no confidence in Uglúk. Grishnákh seizes an opportunity — and the prisoners — but Pippin thinks quickly and devises a Tookish (and very, very dangerous) ruse to take advantage of the Mordor Orc’s secret plot. Who’s a fool now, Gandalf? All this, plus a Tolkien Christmas surprise, in our last episode of 2020! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Hobbits continue their zero-star walking tour of Rohan, trudging along with the Orcs in an endless tunnel of misery with nary a pub nor a B&B in sight. But the feel of wet grass between his hairy toes gives Pippin an idea, and he breaks away from the beaten path for just long enough to leave a message for any friend who may be following them: a token that may or may not idly fall. We wonder about Orc parents’ baby naming practices, revisit The Fall of Gondolin, and imagine Ulmo talking like a Cockney street tough in a Victorian melodrama. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Looks like meat’s back on the menu as we pick up the tale of Pippin and Merry and their delightful hosts: an army of Orcs on their way to Isengard. Merry is apparently down for the count, but Pippin takes in their surroundings and gradually begins to piece together an escape plan. We learn way more about Orkish medicine than we ever wanted to, offer a sidebar on the history of the Black Speech, and speculate about whether there are some things even Orcs won’t eat (probably not). Plus, how to make a holiday Orcmanbit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices