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Sometimes, people have wondered how Gandalf got
inside Bilbo's house to be waiting for him when he sneaked away from the
party? After all, we are told that, Gandalf was still at the party watching the
bemusement while Bilbo, invisible, walked right home, only to find Gandalf
waiting for him inside the house.
The truth of the matter is that Gandalf had a twin brother called Gundolf
who helped him out a lot by acting as his double so he could "be
present" everywhere. It was not really Gandalf who waited for Bilbo inside
the house, it was Gundolf.
The reason Gandalf did not meet up with Frodo and his friends in Bree is
that he had given Gundolf the task of going there. Unfortunately, Gundolf
contracted a very bad pneumonia and was laid up for a longish time. Hence, he
could not turn up as "Gandalf" at The Prancing Pony. (Gandalf lied
about having been imprisoned by Saruman. The truth is that he was drinking his brains
out at an establishment in Dale.)
After Gandalf was killed in Moria, Gundolf, who was getting rather tired
of just being his brother's double anyway, dyed his hair white and then arranged
a dramatic "return from death" of "Gandalf", now nicknamed
"the White" - a subtle dig at the shady dealings of the real
Gandalf. Note that after his "return from death",
"Gandalf" was very different; he
was much friendlier and nicer and laughed a lot. The laughter was mostly out
of pure relief at no longer having to run errands for his power-mad and
scheming elder brother. The new "Gandalf" didn't just sneak around and
lay
convoluted plots - he went places and did things - saving countries and
restoring Kings to their thrones by the bushel. The only one who knew the
truth was Galadriel, and being a good sort, she observed a discreet silence.
Öjevind Lång
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