Which Tolkien poem, first published in 1934, introduced the character of Tom Bombadil?

The Tolkien poem first published in 1934 that introduced Tom Bombadil is “The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.”

The poem appeared in the Oxford Magazine on 15 February 1934. It presents Bombadil as a strange, powerful, and playful figure who encounters Goldberry, the River-woman’s daughter, along with other creatures. Tolkien later adapted the character and some related material for The Lord of the Rings.

In The Fellowship of the Ring, Tom Bombadil lives in the Old Forest with Goldberry. Frodo and his companions stay with them after escaping the danger of Old Man Willow and before reaching Bree. Bombadil is notably unaffected by the One Ring and can make it disappear and reappear, although he does not join the quest.

The poem was later included in the 1962 collection The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, which contains sixteen poems. Readers sometimes assume that Bombadil was created first for The Lord of the Rings, but his literary debut predates that novel by nearly two decades.