Leaf by Niggle

Leaf by Niggle is an allegorical short story by JRR Tolkien, often viewed as a meditation on the purpose of art, life, death, and the afterlife as well as Tolkien’s own creative process.

The story centres on Niggle, an anxious little painter who has a compulsive, meticulous obsession with his masterpiece: a huge canvas dominated by a single magnificent Tree, with a landscape of forest and mountains dimly visible behind it. He devotes immense care to every single leaf, often at the expense of finishing the whole. Niggle is constantly interrupted by his neighbor, Mr. Parish, who is a practical, down-to-earth gardener requiring constant help.

Knowing he has a long, unavoidable “Journey” (death) looming, Niggle struggles to finish his work and prepare for his departure. He is ultimately taken away unprepared and sent to a “Workhouse Infirmary,” a purgatorial space where he learns patience and obedience through labour and rest.

Upon his release, Niggle finds himself in the true country of his imagination: the Tree is real, fully grown, and more beautiful than he ever painted it. Here, Niggle is reunited with Parish, and they collaborate to perfect the garden. The story concludes as Niggle journeys into the Mountains beyond the forest, achieving a higher form of spiritual and artistic fulfilment. The tale reflects Tolkien’s concepts of “Sub-creation,” and his personal fears about completing The Lord of the Rings.

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