Leaf by Niggle

by J.R.R.Tolkien

ISBN: 978-0-00-820553-9

First published 1964

58 pages

Cover design by Iain Craig

Publisher: http://www.tolkien.co.uk

4/5 Stars

A fascinating story by Tolkien, one that came to him in a dream. Dreams come from the unconscious mind, and the conscious mind is an observer of them. To write the story of a dream must mean that it meant something to him. It was important, in some way, to Tolkien.

And it is important to us, the reader of Tolkien’s other stories.

The story of Niggle shows how Niggle only draws leaves. By the end of his efforts Niggle has drawn a tree. However, Niggle never set out to draw a tree. He was content to draw leaves. By drawing leaves, he forms a tree. He has an adventure (of a sort), he has distractions.

Included here also is an essay by Tom Shippey, a contemporary and leading academic scholar on the works of J.R.R.Tolkien.  Can you recognize the parallels between  methodology and detailed planning that went into the Fellowship of the Ring, and Niggle and his painting of leaves, for example? What parallels are there?

The other theme here is Tolkien’s obvious enjoyment of the Faërie realm. Not our childhood fairies these – pixies and elves living at the back of the garden – but a ‘Perilous Realm’ where characters become heroes, or are doomed to their fate. Perhaps Tolkien is the gate keeper, trying to look beyond Niggle’s ‘leaf’ and into the forest and mountains behind the tree….