Shadowfax tossed his head and cried aloud, as if a trumpet had summoned him to battle. Then he sprang forward. Fire flew from his feet; night rushed over him. As he fell slowly into sleep, Pippin had a strange feeling: he and Gandalf were still as stone, seated upon the statue of a running horse, while the world rolled away beneath his feet with a great noise of wind.
This vivid imagery of Shadowfax, the noble steed of Gandalf, encapsulates themes of heroism, freedom, and the awe-inspiring power of nature and magic. Shadowfax’s reaction—his head tossing and calling out like a trumpet summoning warriors—signifies his readiness for a noble or perhaps perilous journey, embodying the majestic spirit of an independent and mighty creature. The description of fire emanating from his hooves accentuates his supernatural and unparalleled speed, suggesting that he is more than an ordinary horse; he is a being of legend, a true representation of magic’s influence on the natural world. The phrase