| Hobbit | |
| Peeping Jack | |
|---|---|
| Biographical Information | |
| Location | Delving[1] |
| Affiliation | The Shire[1] |
| Notable for | Spying on Perry-the-Winkle |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender | Male |
Peeping Jack was a Hobbit inhabitant of the town of Delving who appeared in Perry-the-Winkle, a nursery rhyme[2] by Samwise Gamgee[3].[1]
In the poem, Peeping Jack espied Perry-the-Winkle riding to Faraway on the Lonely Troll's back. Later, upon Perry's return, Peeping Jack revealed his spying to the rest of the People.[1]
Peeping Jack was one of the Shire-hobbits who travelled to Faraway in order to demand food from the Lonely Troll. Peeping Jack was among four Hobbits who the Troll never wanted to see again.[1]
Etymology
The name "Peeping Jack" alludes to the character's role as a spy and is a reference to Peeping Tom.[4]
Background
In the first version of the poem in early 1928,[5] which was entitled The Bumpus, Peeping Jack didn’t exist and William Winkle himself told the People where he had been.[2] Peeping Jack was also absent in the second version on 29 March,[2] in which Tolkien revised the poem as part[2] of his Tales and Songs of Bimble Bay series. He was absent in the third version as well.[5]
In early 1961,[2] when Tolkien revised the poem for inclusion within The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, Peeping Jack first appeared with no difference in details to the published version[1].[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, "Perry-the-Winkle", pp. 41-4
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 J.R.R. Tolkien; Christina Scull, Wayne G. Hammond (eds.), The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien, "105. The Bumpus · William and the Bumpus · Perry-the-Winkle (?1928-61)"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, "Preface"
- ↑ Jim Allan (1978), An Introduction to Elvish, "Giving of Names"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien; Christina Scull & Wayne G. Hammond (eds), The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, "Commentary", Perry-the-Winkle
| Legendary races of Arda | |
| Animals: | Dumbledors · Gorcrows · Hummerhorns · Pards · Swans of Gorbelgod · Turtle-fish · Wise-fish |
|---|---|
| Dragon-kind: | Sea-serpents · Spark-dragons · Were-worms |
| Other: | Badger-folk · Ettens · Giants · Great beasts · Half-trolls · Hobgoblins · Lintips · Mewlips · Nameless things · Ogres · Otter-folk · Snow-trolls · Spectres |
| Individuals: | Badger-brock · Bill Butcher · Farmer Hogg · Fastitocalon · Fisher Blue · Fíriel · Grip · Hunter and Rider · The Lady of the Sun · Lonely Troll · Man in the Moon · Mee · Mrs. Bunce · Old Swan · Peeping Jack · Perry-the-Winkle · Pott the Mayor · Talking Gurthang · Talking purse · River-woman · Shee · Tarlang · Tim · Tom · Whisker-lad · White cow · Willow-wren |