The Mirror of Galadriel

The name Galadriel refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Galadriel (disambiguation).

The Fellowship of the Ring chapters
Book I A Long-expected Party The Shadow of the Past Three is Company A Short Cut to Mushrooms A Conspiracy Unmasked The Old Forest In the House of Tom Bombadil Fog on the Barrow-downs At the Sign of the Prancing Pony Strider A Knife in the Dark Flight to the Ford
Book II Many Meetings The Council of Elrond The Ring goes South A Journey in the Dark The Bridge of Khazad-dûm Lothlórien The Mirror of Galadriel Farewell to Lórien The Great River The Breaking of the Fellowship

The Mirror of Galadriel is the seventh chapter of the second book in The Fellowship of the Ring.

Summary

Each member is greeted personally by Lady Galadriel, who is lovely to behold. Her husband the Lord Celeborn is also handsome. The Lord and Lady are apprised of what the company has been doing till now and they are truly sorrowful when they hear of Gandalf's fate.

The adventurers stay for many days, resting and healing themselves as well as mourning Gandalf. One day Lady Galadriel shows Frodo and Sam her mirror, which is a basin of water from a nearby stream. When she breathes on the water, Sam and Frodo see scenes from the past and the future. When Sam looks into it, he sees his home has been dug up and his father is alone; he wants to go home. When Frodo looks into the mirror he sees a single eye which is looking for something. The Ring around his neck gets heavier and heavier, but just as he is about to slip forward the lady makes the vision vanish.

Frodo offers his Ring to her when he realizes that she wears one of the three lesser rings, but she tells him that if she takes it she will be corrupted, as will anyone else. She refuses his offer and hopes that Frodo succeeds in his mission, though that would mean the discovery of the elves that she has managed to keep hidden from Sauron by use of her ring.