I novellen erbjuds några olika skäl,
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Gandalf försöker få sig att se gammal och svag.
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Rohirrim lägger stora lager i artighet och form.
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Gandalf vägrar att gå in utan sin personal.
Dörrkontrollen Háma (starkt imponerad av kvaliteten på det företag som Gandalf håller) anser att trollkarlen är mycket osannolikt att använda sin personal för ondskan.
The guard still hesitated. 'Your staff,' he said to Gandalf. 'Forgive me, but that too must be left at the doors.' 'Foolishness!' said Gandalf. 'Prudence is one thing, but discourtesy is another. I am old. If I may not lean on my stick as I go, then I will sit out here, until it pleases Théoden to hobble out himself to speak with me.' Aragorn laughed. 'Every man has something too dear to trust to another. But would you part an old man from his support? Come, will you not let us enter?' 'The staff in the hand of a wizard may be more than a prop for age' said Háma. He looked hard at the ash-staff on which Gandalf leaned. 'Yet in doubt a man of worth will trust to his own wisdom. I believe you are friends and folk worthy of honour, who have no evil purpose. You may go in.'
The Two Towers: Chapter 6 - The King of the Golden Hall