Lindir & Bilbo
The chanting ceased. Frodo opened his eyes and saw that Bilbo was seated on his stool in a circle of listeners, who were smiling and applauding.
‘Now we had better have it again,’ said an Elf.
Bilbo got up and bowed. ‘I am flattered, Lindir,’ he said. ‘But it would be too tiring to repeat it all.’
‘Not too tiring for you,’ the Elves answered laughing. ‘You know you are never tired of reciting your own verses. But really we cannot answer your question at one hearing.’
‘What!’ cried Bilbo. ‘You can’t tell which parts were mine and which were the Dúnadan’s?’
‘It is not easy for us to tell the difference between two mortals,’ said the Elf.
‘Nonsense, Lindir,’ snorted Bilbo. ‘If you can’t distinguish between a Man and a Hobbit, your judgment’s poorer than I imagined. They’re as different as peas and apples.’
‘Maybe. To sheep other sheep no doubt appear different,’ laughed Lindir. ‘Or to shepherds. But Mortals have not been our study. We have other business.’
- J. R. R. Tolkien, Fellowship Of The Ring: Book II, Chapter 1
So you see, Elrond’s gorgeous assistant Lindir in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is not an original character. He exists in Tolkien’s writings. And thank god for Peter Jackson’s love of Bret McKenzie that he gave him this part.
