Middle-Earth (Specialty) Tours

From Sméagol to Gollum

Andy Serkis as Sméagol, image
from the Cannes film booklet
available on the official movie site

 Long after [Isildur's death], but still very long ago, there lived by the banks of the Great River on the edge of the Wilderland a clever-handed and quiet-footed little people. I guess they were of hobbit-kind; akin to the fathers of the Stoors, for they loved the River, and often swam in it, or made little boats of reeds. There was among them a family of high repute, for it was larger and wealthier than most, and it was ruled by a grandmother of the folk, stern and wise in old lore, such as they had. The most inquisitive and curious-minded of that family was called Sméagol. He was interested in roots and beginnings; he dived into deep pools; he burrowed under trees and growing plants; he tunnelled into green mounds; and he ceased to look up at the hill-tops, or the leaves on trees, or the flowers opening in the air: his head and his eyes were downward.--FotR, "The Shadow of the Past"
He had a friend called Déagol, of similar sort, sharper-eyed but not so quick and strong. On a time they took a boat and went down to the Gladden Fields, where there were great beds of iris and flowering reeds. There Sméagol got out and went nosing about the banks but Déagol sat in the boat and fished. Suddenly a great fish took his hook, and before he knew where he was, he was dragged out and down into the water, to the bottom. There he let go of his line, for he thought he saw something shining in the river-bed; and holding hs breath he grabbed at it.--FotR, "The Shadow of the Past"
Sméagol and Deagol, image
via theonering.net

Deagol Finds the One Ring,
by Ted Nasmith		 Give us that, Déagol, my love,' said Sméagol, over his friend's shoulder.
     'Why?' said Déagol.
     'Because it's my birthday, my love, and and I wants it,' said Sméagol.
     'I don't care,' said Déagol. 'I have given you a present already, more than I could afford. I found this, and I'm going to keep it.
     'Oh, are you indeed, my love,' said Sméagol; and he caught Déagol by the throat and strangled him, because the gold looked so bright and beautiful. Then he put the ring on his finger.--FotR, "The Shadow of the Past" --FotR, "The Shadow of the Past"

image from the 2nd commercial, available at the official movie site
image from theonering.net
So he journeyed by night up into the highlands, and he found a little cave out of which the dark stream ran; and he wormed his way like a maggot into the heart of the hills, and vanished out of all knowledge. --RotK, "The Shadow of the Past"

Gollum used to wear [the Ring] at first, till it tired him; and then he kept it in a pouch next to his skin, till it galled him; and now usually he hid it in a hole in the rock on his island, and was always going back to look at it. And still sometimes he put it on, when he could not bear to be parted from it any longer, or when he was very, very, hungry, and tired of fish. Then he would creep along dark passages looking for stray goblins. --The Hobbit, "Riddles in the Dark"
image from theonering.net

screen capture from Seat of Kings
screen capture from Classic XF

Gollum, by Inger Edelfeldt		 The Ring was trying to get back to its master. It had slipped from Isildur's hand and betrayed him; then when a chance came it caught poor Déagol, and he was murdered; and after that Gollum, and it had devoured him. It could make no further use of him: he was too small and mean; and as long as it stayed with him he would never leave his deep pool again. So now, when its master was awake once more and sending out his dark thought from Mirkwood, it abandoned Gollum. Only to be picked up by the most unlikely person imaginable: Bilbo from the Shire! --RotK, "The Shadow of the Past"
Deep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum, a small slimy creature....He was ... as dark as darkness, except for two big round pale eyes in his thin face. He had a little boat, and he rowed about quite quietly on the lake; for lake it was, wide and deep and deadly cold. He paddled it with large feet dangling over the side, but never a ripple did he make. Not he....

Gollum got into his boat and shot off from the island, while Bilbo was sitting on the brink altogether flummoxed and at the end of his way and his wits. Suddenly up came Gollum and whispered and hissed:
        "Bless us and splash us, my precioussss! I guess it's a choice feat; at least a tasty morsel it'd make us, gollum!" And when he said gollum he made a horrible swallowing noise in his throat. That is how he got his name, though he always called himself 'my precious.' --The Hobbit, "Riddles in the Dark"
Riddles in the Dark, by Alan Lee

Riddles in the Dark, by
Michael Hague		 Sssss," said Gollum, and became quite polite. "Praps ye sits here and chats with it a bitsy, my preciousss. It likes riddles, praps it does, does it?" He was anxious to appear friendly, at any rate for the moment, and until he found out more about the sword and the hobbit, whether he was quite alone really, whether he was good to eat, and whether Gollum was really hungry. Riddles were all he could think of....

But Bilbo simply could not think of any question with that nasty wet cold thing sitting next to him, and pawing and poking him....
    'Ask us! ask us!' said Gollum.
    Bilbo pinched himself and slapped himself; he gripped on his little sword; he even felt in his pocket with his other hand. There he found the ring he had picked up in the passage and forgotten about.
    'What have I got in my pocket?' he said aloud.--Hobbit, "Riddles in the Dark"

Suddenly he heard a screech. It sent a shiver down his back. Gollum was cursing and wailing away in the gloom, not very far off by the sound of it. He was on his island, scrabbling here and there, searching and seeking in vain.
     "Where is it? Where iss it?" Bilbo heard him crying. "Losst it is, my precious, lost, lost! Curse us and crush us, my precious is lost!"

There was a hissing and cursing almost at his heels at first, then it stopped. Gollum was defeated. He dared go no further. He had lost: lost his precious. The cry brought Bilbo's heart to his mouth, but still he held on. Now faint as an echo, but menacing, the voice came behind:
    Thief, thief, thief! Baggins! We hates it, we hates, it, we hates it for ever!'--The Hobbit, "Riddles in the Dark"
Gollum, by Ted Nasmith

detail of Gollum, by Alan Lee		 His longing for the Ring proved stronger than his fear of the Orcs, or even of the light. After a year or two he left the mountains....
     Alas! Mordor draws all wicked things, and the Dark Power was bending its will to gather them there. The Ring of the Enemy would leave its mark, too, leave him open to the summons....Wretched fool! In that land he would learn much, too much for his comfort. And sooner or later as he lurked and pried on the borders he would be caught, and taken - for examination. --FotR, "The Shadow of the Past"

detail of Gollum, by Alan Lee
screen capture from FotR
But at last, when I [Gandalf] had given up the chase and turned to other parts, Gollum was found. My friend returned out of the great perils bringing the miserable creature with him.--FotR, "The Shadow of the Past"
Gollum Flees the Elves of Mirkwood, by John Howe

Gollum Held Captive, by
Inger Edelfeldt		 He is in prison, but no worse,' said Aragorn. 'He had suffered much. There is no doubt that he was tormented, and the fear of Sauron lies black on his heart. Still I for one am glad that he is safely kept by the watchful Elves of Mirkwood....'
     'Alas! alas!' cried Legolas, and in his fair Elvish face there was great distress. 'The tidings that I was sent to bring must now be told....Sméagol, who is called Gollum, has escaped.' FotR, "The Council of Elrond"
What is it?' [Aragorn] whispered, springing up and coming to Frodo. 'I felt something in my sleep. Why have you drawn your sword?'
     'Gollum,' answered Frodo. 'Or at least, so I guess.'
     'Ah!' said Aragorn. 'So you know about our little footpad, do you? He padded after us all through Moria and right down to Nimrodel." --FotR, "The Great River"
screen capture from The Seat
of Kings

image from DVD Town

 Things would have gone ill with Sam, if he had been alone. But Frodo sprang up, and drew Sting from its sheath. With his left hand he drew back Gollum's head by its thin lank hair, stretching its long neck, and forcing his pale venomous eyes to stare at the sky.
    'Let go! Gollum,' he said. 'This is Sting. You have seen it before once upon a time. Let go, or you'll feel it this time! I'll cut your throat.' --TTT, "The Taming of Sméagol"
Gollum lifted his head.
     'Yess, wretched we are, precious,' he whined. 'Misery, misery! Hobbits won't kill us, nice hobbits.'
     'No, we won't,' said Frodo. 'But we won't let you go, either. You're full of wickedness and mischief, Gollum. You will have to come with us, that's all, while we keep an eye on you. But you must help us, if you can. One good turn deserves another.' --TTT, "The Taming of Sméagol"
image from Decipher

detail of Gollum, by Ted Nasmith
image from Andy Serkis's
official site
detail of Gollum, by Ted Nasmith

Endgame on the Mountain,
by Ted Nasmith

 I am sorry, said Frodo, 'but I am frightened; and I do not feel any pity for Gollum....He deserves death.'
     'Deserves it! [said Gandalf] I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death and judgment. For even the wise cannot see all ends. I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance of it. And he is bound up with the fate of the Ring. My heart tells me that he has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before the end; and when that comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many.' --FotR, "The Shadow of the Past"
Gollum on the edge of the abyss was fighting like a mad thing with an unseen foe. To and fro he swayed, now so near the brink that almost he tumbled in, now dragging back, falling to the ground, rising, and falling again. And all the while he hissed but spoke no words.
     The fires below awoke in anger, the red light blazed, and all the cavern was filled with a great glare and heat. Suddenly Sam saw Gollum's long hands draw upwards to his mouth; his white fangs gleamed, and then snapped as they bit. Frodo gave a cry, and there he was, fallen upon his knees at the chasm's edge. But Gollum, dancing like a mad thing, held aloft the ring, a finger still thrust within its circle. It shone now as if verily it was wrought of living fire.
     'Precious, precious, precious!' Gollum cried. 'My Precious! O my Precious!' And with that, even as his eyes were lifted to gloat on his prize, he stepped too far, toppled, wavered for a moment on the brink, and then with a shriek he fell. Out of the depths came his last wail Precious, and he was gone. --trotK, "Mount Doom"
The Cracks of Doom, by Tim Kirk


For more images of Gollum, visit the main Gollum page.
Full-size versions of these pictures are on display at Rolozo Tolkien, TheOneRing.net, and other sources listed on this page.