Chapter #6, Fun, Work, and Plans:
I know there is debate concerning Pippin and Merry’s height after they drank the Ent draughts. Appearently, in some letter or other writing, Tolkien expressed regret that he had made Bandobras (Bullroarer) Took 4 foot 5 inches, and Sam does say, in the chapter *The Field of Cormallen*: “Can’t understand it at your age!” he said. “But there it is: you’re *three inches* taller than you ought to be, or I’m a dwarf.”

I have a hard cover edition of LOTR purchased in 1971. Estella Bolger is *not* listed as Merry’s wife in this edition - but that was changed by Tolkien for a later edition. I now have the latest edition, the 50 year anniversary edition, with all sorts of corrections and editions. The prologue in the new edition still states that:

“Their [hobbits] height is variable, ranging between two and four feet of our measure. They seldom now reach three feet; but they have dwindled, they say, and in ancient days they were taller. According to the Red Book, Bandobras Took (Bullroarer), son of Isumbras the Third, was four foot five and able to ride a horse. He was surpassed in all Hobbit records only by two famous characters of old; but that curious matter is dealt with in this book.” Tolkein also states in the prologue (both old edition and new): “The Fallohides were fairer of skin and also of hair, and they were taller and slimmer then the others [hobbits] . . . Even in Bilbo’s time the strong Fallohidish strain could still be noted among the greater familes, such as the Tooks and the Masters of Buckland.” He had every opportunity to change this if he had really wanted too, just as he added Estella to the family tree, but it is not changed. Christopher didn’t change it for the 50th Anniversary addition either. Because of this, I feel it stands correct as is.

From this I feel that Merry and Pippin do end up over 4 foot 5 inches. I feel that even though Pippin is described several times as the smallest of the four hobbits on the Quest (pre Ent draught), that he is only slightly smaller in height than Sam but noticeably lighter in build and weight. And I feel that Sam may have even been not far from 4 foot himself as Hobbits were in general taller in the old times as opposed to when Tolkien is writting ( “. . . seldom *now* reach three feet . . .” ) so Sam’s statement of them being 3 inches taller is not accurate but close to how much height they gained.

I have Pippin being 4 foot 6 inches to avoid messing with typing out fractions. :)