The Dunadan (my pen name) holds that the essential thought of Tolkien is Catholic, consonant with Scripture, and pro-life. Hobbit holes are large. Why? They are large because Hobbits have large families with many wonderful Hobbit children! They need plenty of room. Take, for instance, the home and the family of the perennial Hobbit, Samwise Gamgee. As Frodo and the three other Hobbits of the Fellowship travel to the Grey Havens, Sam finds out that Frodo will not be returning, and he objects:
“But,” said Sam, and tears started in his eyes, “I thought you were going to enjoy the Shire, too, for years and years, after all you have done”[J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King (New York: Ballantine Books, 1994) 337-338].
Then Frodo consoles Sam with the following words, words that illustrate the love of the Hobbits for family, life, and children.
“I thought so too, once. But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them. But you are my heir: all that I have and might have had I leave to you. And also you have Rose and Elanor; and Frodo-lad will come, and Rosie-lass, and Merry, and Goldilocks, and Pippin, and perhaps more that I cannot see.”[Ibid., 338]
Here Frodo is reminding Sam of the joy that he will have in his family, because he and his wife, Rose, were generous in having children. In their married love for one another, they were open to the transmission of human life, and so God gave them the wonderful gift of children. This is an essential part of the natural law that God wrote into our hearts (into our nature) when He created us. Sam and Rose already have one child, Elanor. They will have at least five more, whose names will be Frodo, Rosie, Merry, Goldilocks, and Pippin. Thus, they will have at least six children and truly will live happily ever after.
My friends, the story of Samwise and Rose Gamgee need not be a mere fairy-tale. Such can be our life and happiness as long as we live according to the natural law – as long as we live our lives in a way that is consistent with our nature as God created us. Children are a gift from the Lord!
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