How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph).
Quote #4
"That—glass ball, now. He seemed mighty pleased with it. He knows or guesses something about it. But does he tell us what? No, not a word. Yet I picked it up, and I saved it from rolling into a pool. Here, I'll take that, my lad—that's all. I wonder what it is? It felt so very heavy." Pippin's voice fell very low, as if he were talking to himself.
"Hullo!" said Merry. "So that's what is bothering you? Now, Pippin my lad, don't forget Gildor's saying—the one Sam used to quote: Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger."
"But our whole life for months has been one long meddling in the affairs of Wizards," said Pippin. "I should like a lot of information as well as danger. I should like a look at that ball." (3.11.28-30)
Once again, Pippin's curiosity gets the better of him. First, in the Mines of Moria with the stone in the well (see The Fellowship of the Ring Book 2, Chapter 4), and now with Saruman's "glass ball." Nearly everyone addresses Pippin as "lad," even Merry, which makes sense because he is the youngest member of the Fellowship. Sometimes, he even seems like a bit of a stereotype, because all of Pippin's character traits are so typically youthful. He's curious, adaptable, careless, and always quick with a joke. But this makes him a useful contrast to the other, older members of the cast, particularly grave Aragorn and his wisdom of "many winters" (3.6.72).
Quote #5
You have taken no harm. There is no lie in your eyes, as I feared. But he did not speak long with you. A fool, but an honest fool, you remain, Peregrin Took. Wiser ones might have done worse in such a pass. But mark this! You have been saved, and all your friends too, mainly by good fortune, as it is called. You cannot count on it a second time. […] Don't shudder! If you will meddle in the affairs of Wizards, you must be prepared to think of such things. But come! I forgive you. (3.11.89)
When Gandalf hears Pippin's story of the palantír, he is relieved. Things could have been a lot worse. But he still feels free to give Pippin a good scolding for his carelessness. Gandalf's treatment of Pippin reinforces once more that Pippin is the youngest character in the novels, and the one most needing to acquire the wisdom that comes from experience. In this discussion between Pippin and Gandalf, whom do you identify with more—wise Gandalf or the naughty kid?
Quote #6
"What a fix!" said Sam. "That's the one place in all the lands we've ever heard of that we don't want to see any closer; and that's the one place we're trying to get to! And that's just where we can't get, nohow. We've come the wrong way altogether, seemingly. We can't get down; and if we did get down, we'd find all that green land a nasty bog, I'll warrant." (4.1.4)
Of all the things that occurred to us might happen when Frodo and Sam ditched the rest of the Company at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, getting lost was not one of them. It all looks so easy on Tolkien's maps of Middle-earth. Just keep on trucking towards a dark, restless evil, and you're in Mordor. But it's in moments like these that Frodo's utter inexperience with travel really shows through.