Barliman Butterbur was the bustling, red-faced proprietor of the Prancing Pony, the only inn of any consequence in the idiosyncratic village of Bree. He was a man of business, known by all the Four Farthings for his honest dealings, his excellent beer, and his appalling memory. Barliman prided himself on knowing every traveler who passed through, greeting Dwarves, Men, and Hobbits alike with a genial, albeit often mistaken, familiarity. When four unfamiliar hobbits arrived one evening, he welcomed them warmly, doing his best to remember the name he was supposed to be looking out for—a name that regrettably slipped his mind amidst the hustle and bustle of his busy common room.
Despite his forgetfulness, Barliman possessed a kind heart and a deep respect for the mysterious Rangers who protected the area. His most significant act came from absentmindedness when he failed to deliver a crucial letter from Gandalf to Frodo Baggins for months. When he finally realized his error, consumed by guilt and fear for the hobbit's safety, he did his best to make amends by facilitating their meeting with Strider, who was in fact Aragorn, the heir to Gondor. This simple innkeeper, with all his faults, played a small but vital role in ensuring the Fellowship's journey began with the right alliances.
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