I always thought that Tom was a Maia. There was some mention of him being a sort of servant of Yavanna.

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As you can read in the silmarillion the ents came together with the trees... so they were there before the waking of the elves. So logically Fangorn, being the oldest ent, is the oldest living creature on earth.
Tom Bombadil is yet much older then that since he saw the first rain drip on Middle Earth and even knew about the time before the coming of Melkor... this makes him very old indeed. Yet what is not mentioned is where Tom Bombadil is coming from and also not if he actually was in middle earth before Melkor, just that he knew about it.

There are many things Tom Bombadil is not, like for sure (for me) he is not Eru, he is not any of the know Maiar or Valar,... he is many things at the other hand. He is originally not more then a doll of his son, he is the master, the oldest, the first,... well i only know one person who is truly first, who saw all as the first... Tolkien himself of course.

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'It is fulfilled. Even now a Silmaril is in my hand.' - tolkienlibrary.com

[quote="Beren]Tom Bombadil is yet much older then that since he saw the first rain drip on Middle Earth and even knew about the time before the coming of Melkor... this makes him very old indeed. Yet what is not mentioned is where Tom Bombadil is coming from and also not if he actually was in middle earth before Melkor, just that he knew about it.[/quote]

Well I am not so sure about the Melkor thing. In the book is written Dark Lord, not Melkor. It could easily mean Sauron. What do you people thing?

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Is a nice way to think this... yet i'm sure Olorin knew Tom Bombadil and i'm quit sure to think that the reference to the Dark Lord in this case really means Melkor... it would not make any sense since The Valar and the Maiar assended to Middle-Earth all ages before men or elves existed. So for sure, when refering to coming before everything, they mean coming before the Maiar and the Valar, with that even before the first to ascend (Melkor). That makes him FIRST; and that is what it means

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'It is fulfilled. Even now a Silmaril is in my hand.' - tolkienlibrary.com

Who created the Ents in the first place? But I do think that Tom is the oldest being in Middle-Earth as Beren put it.

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O Elbereth! Gilthionel!

The ents were created by the song of the Ainur... which came of a team made by illuvatar. It was Yavana who had seen it in the songs, as she wished some beings to protect her trees, the things she loved most above all of her creations. This thought was put into reality by Illuvatar before the starting of time... also is written that they would awake the same moment the children of Illuvatar would awake. But do not remember exactly where that is said.
But if this is true then the ents are as old as the first born.

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'It is fulfilled. Even now a Silmaril is in my hand.' - tolkienlibrary.com

Well hello Astaldo, fancy seeing you here. And hello hello to Beren. So, in english for me, what have we decided about Bombadill?

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Be with me always - take any form - drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you!

He is a cool guy that we know very few things about him.

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Just cool? Nooooo. He's awesome. Not so awesome as others, but still awesome.

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Ok awesome

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Tom Bombadil is an awesome fellow... blue his jacket and his boots are yellow!

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'It is fulfilled. Even now a Silmaril is in my hand.' - tolkienlibrary.com

And the feather on his hat. Do not forget this. It is very important.

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Thank for the translation Astaldo.

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Be with me always - take any form - drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you!

Well I am not going to read too much of this but here is my view:

Tom Bombadil can be no Maiar or Valar whatsoever:

"Eh, what?’ said Tom sitting up, and his eyes glinting in the gloom. ‘Don’t you know my name yet? That’s the only answer. Tell me, who are you, alone, yourself and nameless? But you are young and I am old. Eldest, that’s what I am. Mark my words, my friends: Tom was here before the river and the trees; Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn. He made paths before the Big People, and saw the little People arriving. He was here before the Kings and the graves and the Barrow-wights. When the Elves passed westward, Tom was here already, before the seas were bent. He knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside."
(Lord of the Rings)

Melkor was the First of The ainur to descend so if Tom was in arda before him he cannot be any Ainur.

He is Not going to be Eru himself becuase Tolkien would never create a phisical description of God under any circumstances, let alone such a comically frivilous one.

The basic answer to 'Who is Tom Bombadil is as follows:

"And even in a mythical Age there must be some enigmas, as there always are. Tom Bombadil is one (intentionally)."
(Letter 144)

Tom Bombadil is an enigma - he is cannot be catagorised into anything in Tolkiens eyes as he purposely made him an Enigma.

As to why he did not disappear when he put on the Ring is simple. He was more powerful than the Ring in his Own Domain and probably more powerful than the Ring anywhere. Therefore the Ring had no power over him whatsoever so he did not disappear.

I think that Tom Bombadil is cool!! He sings and os just merry alll the time!!!! Isn't he married to golberry???

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Th'wayla;]

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Proud Member of the Arwen Club

Traditionally, I've never really liked Tom Bombadil. But now that I'm reading FotR again this summer, I have to admit that he's growing on me.

I think he and Goldberry represent life unaffected by evil. They are what live should have been. But evil entered into Middle Earth, and all was corrupted (save them). They are not corrupted by jealousies, ill-feelings, or other natural parts of any race (even the Hobbits, one of the more "pure" races still has these present).

Lord of all, I think you are right in saying that he's an enigma (other than because The Professor said so). He's inexplicable.

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"...that kind of music in general turns my stomach. It's nice that they do have fans, though." -Nienor