Nazgûl in the Prancing Pony?

[Jon S.]

Originally Posted by The Dread Pirate Roberts

Could you clarify this position? Just when do you think Sauron knew Frodo had the Ring? Even if the washed-out Nazgul reported to him that Frodo had the Ring at the ford, there was no reason for Sauron to think the Elves, the Rangers, and Gandalf would let him hang on to it.

I don't think Sauron knew Frodo had the Ring until he put it on and claimed it at Mount Doom.

Perhaps my beef should be more with Sauron being either too stupid - or lacking truly capable intelligence/spies - to know when to act but here's where he could have ended it early:

- in Three Is Company when the "strange voice" questioned the Gaffer and the "rider" was oh-so-close

- in "A Short Cut to Mushrooms" when the "rider" questioned Maggot

- in "A Conspiracy Unmasked" when, on the ferry, the hobbits saw the "rider"

- in "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony" when Frodo disappeared and the swarthy Breelander slipped out, followed by the squint-eyed Southerner

- also at the Prancing Pony, in "A Knife in the Dark," when the Nazgul were literally in the same "motel" as the Ring.

Indeed, Sauron did not lack for opportunities.