Goodman Maggot I

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"*There are no Bagginses round here. They are all up in Hobbiton, that way!*"
—Maggot telling one of the Ringwraiths where to find a Baggins.
**Goodman Maggot I**, simply known as **Old Maggot** or **Farmer Maggot**, was the head of the Maggot Family. He was a rugged farmer who lived on a farm called Bamfurlong in the Marish region of the Eastfarthing of the Shire. He was also a well-informed fellow and friend of Tom Bombadil. Married to Limnantha, Goodman was the father of Hammy, Pomella, Rhaga, Rollo, Goodman, and Limnantha Maggot II. Edible mushrooms, highly prized among Hobbits, grow abundantly on his land, and Goodman Maggot often has to deal with other Hobbits stealing them, which is one reason he keeps a pack of large, fierce dogs.

## Biography

### Early life

As a youth living in Buckland, Goodman Maggot married Limnantha, and the two had six children; Hammy, Pomella, Rhaga, Rollo, Goodman, and Limnantha Maggot II. Maggot was acquainted with Tom Bombadil and informed him that Frodo and friends might be coming towards Bombadil's house through the Old Forest. Bombadil himself described Maggot as very wise. Sometime during the late-Third Age, Frodo Baggins, who had recently lost his parents in a terrible accident, often made trips to steal Bamfurlong mushrooms. As that happened, Goodman Maggot caught Frodo, beat him, and then threatened to feed the young Hobbit to the dogs if he ever trespassed again. He then set the dogs on Frodo, which chased him all the way to the Bucklebury Ferry. Although the dogs did him no harm, the incident so terrified Frodo that, even some years later, he quivered at the thought of crossing the old farmer's land.

### War of the Ring

Sometime after Bilbo Baggins departed the Shire and ventured to live in Rivendell with Lord Elrond, Goodman had been busy chopping wood when one of his dogs started barking at something. Goodman turned and noticed a strange black-hooded figure approach him and his home while his dog started to retreat back inside the house in fear. The figure was revealed to be one of the Nine Ringwraiths that were sent by their dark master to find the One Ring, the item that was kept by Bilbo Baggins for almost 60 years in the Shire. Goodman had no idea who he was and believed him to be a man. When the Ringwraith wanted to know where to find the Baggins Family, as well as the one who kept the One Ring, Goodman replied nervously of a Baggins that lived in Hobbiton and pointed at the direction of where to go. He immediaetly retreated as the Ringwraiths continue to ride throughout the night and make their way towards Hobbiton.

Days later, Frodo and Sam had recently set out from Bag End alone until they run into Merry and Pippin who had been stealing vegetables (not mushrooms) from Maggot's fields. While Pippin and Merry had been stealing a couple of cabbages, carrots, and other vegetables from the farm for some time, Farmer Maggot had been very furious of this and led his hounds to pursue them for robbing vegetables from his property. Merry, Pippin, Frodo, and Sam managed to flee away with the vegetables and the angry farmer stopped pursuing them. Sometime during the War of the Ring, Goodman and his family had been terrorized by the Ruffians who were invading the Shire and taking over the land under the orders of Saruman, who betrayed the White Council and paid his dept, loyalty, and blood to the Dark Lord Sauron. Angered for stealing things from him, Goodman left his family to looken after by his old friend Tom while he joined a resistance to stand against the Ruffians and retake their land. With the support of the Hobbitry-in-Arms led by Paladin Took, Goodman and his family got their farm back and lived the rest of their lives during the beginning of the Fourth Age.

## Behind the Scenes

* In Peter Jackson's film adaptation of *The Fellowship of the Ring*, the shortcut through Maggot's field is extremely condensed and altered. In the movie, Frodo and Sam set out from Bag End alone and run into Merry and Pippin stealing vegetables (not mushrooms) from Maggot's fields.
* According to Pippin, he and Merry had been stealing from Maggot for some time, though in the book the two are very good friends of Maggot. Maggot himself is not seen, though his scythe is visible over the edge of the fields and he is heard shouting at the young Hobbits.
* Maggot appeared earlier in the film, played by Cameron Rhodes.

## Appearances

* *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring* (First appearance)