October 31, 2002

To Marsh
Brett C.

Yes, Saruman probably did make some early attempts at ring-making. In the same text you quoted, if you go to Gandalf's description of his initial greeting to Saruman in a high chmber of the tower, you will see Gandalf goes to the trouble of pointing out 'On his hand he wore a ring.' The plot thread, however, was never further developed. Perhaps Tolkien used this as another aspect of Saruman's secret jealousy of Gandlaf and of Cirdan granting him the ring of fire.