Bill?

[Agburanar]

Can anyone tell me what colour Bill was? I thought he was grey but a quick look at FotR hasn't revealed any evidence for this.

[Laurelyn]

Y'know, I actually never really thought about it, but I have no idea what color Bill was. In the movie, he was chestnut, or whatever it's called, but I don't now about the books . . . Good question.

[Arathorn]

BTW, did you know that they used 2 extras to double for Bill while they were climbing up on the snow? They had to go by chopper in order to get to pristine snow during that part where the ring is picked up by Broromir.

It came from Ian McKellen himself on his website.

[aldesign]

i always saw Bill as a brown short stubby pony in the Books

film had glancing shots of him, and they were ok

[Renille]

I'd always thought of Bill as brown, and rather homely (for a pony.) I don't know for sure, though. He could very well be grey.

[Legolas_BowKing]

what ever colour you think he is is what he is. You dont need proof.

[Laurelyn]

Legolas_Bowking: But what if it said that he was grey in the books and we thought he was brown? (those colors are random) Then it would not be true that whatever color we think he is he is.
Unfortunately, even after reading FotR again, I don't know what color he is.

[Arathorn]

Whether he's grey or brown; If he went in the mines he'd probably end up Bill the White like Gandalf.

[aldesign]

bill the white, would WHOOP Shadowfax in any race!!!

hehehe :p

[Laurelyn]

:D

[bropous]

Good one, Arathorn, and plus, he'd be a heck of a lot skinnier....

[Bregalad]

all you ever wanted to know about Bill the pony, courtesy of The Tolkien Companion:A gaunt, half starved animal purchased in Bree by Barliman Buttetrbur, inkeeper of the Prancing Pony, on 30th september 3019 Third Age, to replace others stolen from Merridoc Brandybuck during the previous night. His poor condition was due to treatmentmeted out by the previous owner, who sold the pony for the exorbitant price of 12 silver pennies.
I have never run into an account of his color. I think Tolkien was wise not to mention it. It is appropriate that Bill, as a beloved example of ponydom, will always be the favorite color pony of whomever is reading about him.
Personally, I always saw him as a shaggy little grey pony!:D

[ringbearer]

I always imagined Bill a deep chocolate brown.

[Darius O'Herran]

The color of Bill is left out of FotR and many details such as that throughout all the books. I believe that the main reason for this is that Tolkien wanted people to form their own ideas of what the characters looked like in their minds. He gave a template, and you filled in the blanks. Take Gandalf. We know he had a long white beard, we know he had bushy eyebrows, and wise eyes. But what color were they? Did he have a receeding hairline? Exactly how tall was he? Was his face really wrinkled? Did he have a hard tan, as far as we can tell, he spent most of his time outdoors, so he would be probably have a wind-chapped face. Details like this are left out so that you can form your own opinion. What color do you think Bill is? How did he look in your mind? He was a pony, and that is enough to keep the story going while making your personal FotR experience unique and special to you. Anyway, that's just how I feel about it.

Darius O'Herran

[Nameless]

Well put Darius!

I imagine Bill to be a little on the small size, brown in colour, shabby looking with a kind of 'shaggy' coat.

But I always wonder what kind of adventures Bill had when he left the fellowship at the gates of Moria. Did he go straight back to Bree, or did he stop over in Rivendell? Was he chased by orcs or wolves? Or did he narrowly avoid becoming the main meal at a Troll's spit-roast dinner (with roast hobbit and dwarves as a side dish!!)?

[Arathorn]

Well, in that case, I'm a shaggy gray Bill believer.

[Agburanar]

Yep. I realise the facts left to the reader's imaginations are important, I just wanted to know whether it's mentioned anywhere and what anyone else thinks.

[Bregalad]

Nameless, that's it! You should write the story of Bill's adventures! And since you're the limerick-meister, how about an epic poem in limerick form!:D

[Arathorn]

LOL! :D A five-liner epic.

[Comic Book Guy]

Realism would suggest that Bill just traveled back to Rivendell, with no disruptions (except harsh weather), though I guess its fine if any of you wish to write stories about Bill the Pony fighting Orcs, outrunning wolves and escaping the wrath of mighty and strong Trolls.

[Strange-Looking Lurker]

Ian McKellen has a website? What's the URL?

[Arathorn]

Sir Ian McKellen Official Home Page (http://www.mckellen.com/)

[Nameless]

Hey Bregalad & Arathorn,

I don't know about an epic poem, but I might be able to manage a 5 line lymerick!! If I think of something I'll post it in the lymerick thread...... :p