One of the fascinating parts of Lord of the Rings is the insight into different characters temptations - especially when tempted by the ring.  Much is made of Gandalf's and Galadriel's and even Aragorn's temptations... but today I came across Sam's--and it blew my mind!

A little background... it's the chapter entitled "The Tower of Cirith Ungol" where Sam is going to rescue Frodo, but he has the ring and wears it to get past some of the orcs.  And thus begins the temptation of Samwise:

Already the Ring tempted him, gnawing at his will and reason.  Wild fantasies arose in his mind; and he saw Samwise the Strong, Hero of the Age, striding with a flaming sword across the darkened land, and armies flocking to his call as he marched to overthrow Barad-dur.  And then all the clouds rolled away, and the white sun shone, and at the his command the vale of Gorgoroth became a garden of flowers and trees and brought forth fruit.  He had only to put on the Ring and claim it for his own, and all this could be. 

In that hour of trial it was the love of his master that helped most to hold him firm; but also deep down in him lived still unconquered his plain hobbit-sense: he knew in the core of his hear that he was not large enough to bear such a burden... The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command.

So precious!  But also convicting - am I content with my "one small garden"?

Oh, Tolkien, you never cease to amaze!

[T-26 hours till some more Tolkien amaze takes place :]