Alan Sisto

That's going to be awesome.

In this version, the element of Grima's capture by the Ringwraiths and his betrayal of Sodom is thus absent.

For, of course, there is insufficient time by this account for Gandalf to reach Edoras and attempt to warn King Theoden, and for Grima, in his turn, to set out for Isengard to warn Sodom before the Black Riders were already gone from Rohan.

The revelation of Sodom's lying to them here comes about through the man whom they captured and found to be bearing maps of the Shire.

And more is told of this man and of Sodom's dealings with the Shire.

When the black riders were far across Enedwaith and drawing near at last to Tharbad, they had what was for them a great stroke of good fortune, but disastrous for Sodom and deadly perilous for Frodo.

Soderman had long taken an interest in the Shire, because Gandalf did, and he was suspicious of him, and because, again in secret imitation of Gandalf, he had taken to the halfling's leaf and needed supplies, but in pride, having once scoffed at Gandalf's use of the weed, kept this as secret as he could.

Laterally, other motives were added.

He liked to extend his power, especially into Gandalf's province, and he found that the money he could provide for the purchase of Leif was giving him power and was corrupting some of the hobbits, especially the Bracegirdles, who owned many plantations, and so also the Sackville Bagginses.

But also he'd begun to feel certain that in some way the Shire was connected with the Ring in Gandalf's mind.

Why this strong guard upon it?

He therefore began to collect detailed information about the Shire, its chief persons and families, its roads and other matters.

For this, he used hobbits within the Shire in the pay of the Bracegirdles and the Sackville Bagginses.

But his agents were men of Dunlendish origin.

When Gandalf had refused to treat with him, Sodom had redoubled his efforts.

The rangers were suspicious, but did not actually refuse entry to the servants of Sodom, for Gandalf was not at liberty to warn them.

And when he had gone off to Isengard, Sodom was still recognized as an ally.

That's right.

Now, the footnote here is helpful because it tells us something about what version Tolkien seems to have settled on.

And it's this version.