All that is Gold Does Not Glitter

From the One Wiki to Rule Them All, the Lord of the Rings Encyclopedia.

All that is Gold Does Not Glitter was a poem written by Bilbo Baggins to describe Aragorn, used to help convince Frodo and company to trust him in his Strider guise. Gandalf includes the poem in his letter to Frodo, which he leaves at The Prancing Pony for Barliman Butterbur to deliver. Aragorn recites the first two lines when he is attempting to get Frodo to trust him enough to journey with him.

[edit] Poem

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be the blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king.

This poem was recited by Bilbo Baggins at the council of Elrond after Boromir slighted Aragorn. The son of the Steward had been doubtful that the man before him (Aragorn) was the heir of Isildur and the throne of Gondor. Feeling wronged for his friend, Bilbo used this poem to defend him.

In the film version of Return of the King, Arwen recites the last four lines of the poem to her father Elrond as he prepares to reforge the Shards of Narsil.