The Complete Tolkien Companion

by J. E. A. Tyler

  Helcaraxë ‘Jaws of Ice’ (Q.) – The Northern Ice. Where the coasts of Aman and Middle-earth approached one another, in the Far North of the World, the Sea had frozen, and cliffs and bergs of ice and uncounted smaller floes ground together everlastingly. Only once in recorded history was a crossing on foot ever successfully completed: that undertaken by the Noldor of the Houses of Fingolfin and Finarfin, after these rebelling High-elves had been treacherously abandoned in Aman by Fëanor.

  Helevorn ‘Black-glass’ (Sind.) – The lake in the extreme north of Thargelion, about which Caranthir of the Noldor made his realm.

  Hells of Iron – A translation of the Sindarin name Angband.

  Helluin ‘Blue Ice’ (Sind.) – The Elves’ name for the Dog Star.

  Helm Hammerhand – From 2741–59 Third Age, the ninth King of Rohan and the last of the First Line of the Mark. A strong man of great size, Helm received the nickname ‘Hammerhand’ when he slew a renegade chieftain, Freca, with one blow from his fist. This act precipitated civil war in Rohan. A force of Dunlendings led by Freca’s son Wulf invaded the Mark and Helm’s elder son Haleth was slain defending the King’s Hall. The King himself was defeated at the Isen and forced to seek refuge within the Hornburg.

  Helm’s misfortunes unhappily coincided with the Long Winter of 2758–59 Third Age, when the hardships already suffered by the besieged were exacerbated by famine and severe cold. Helm’s younger son Háma perished, and the King, in his grief, took to clothing himself in white and stalking his enemies across the snow on moonless nights. One morning Helm failed to return from a sortie, and was found standing on the Dike, stiff and still as a statue, stone dead. The line of the Kings of Rohan was recommenced with Fréaláf, son of Helm’s sister Hild.

  Helmingas – The ‘Sons-of-Helm’; a name adopted by the Men of Westfold in Rohan as a tribute to the great warrior-king HELM HAMMERHAND, who died in defence of the Westfold during the Long Winter.

  Helm of Hador – See DRAGON-HELM (OF DOR-LÓMIN).

  Helm’s Deep – The general name for the complex of fortifications at the head of the Deeping Coomb in the northern White Mountains; the hold was originally built by Gondor but later strengthened by Kings of Rohan. The ‘Deep’ itself was the narrow and precipitous gorge of Aglarond, an ancient refuge and strong-place of the Westfold. To guard the entrance to the gorge (Helm’s Gate), various defensive walls and towers were built, the chief of which was the Hornburg. It was in this fortress that the renowned Helm Hammerhand took refuge during the Long Winter of 2758–59 Third Age. See also BATTLE OF THE HORNBURG.

  Helm’s Dike – The great fosse or defensive ditch across the head of the Deeping Coomb; the outermost of the fortifications known collectively as Helm’s Deep.

  Helm’s Gate – The entrance to the gorge of Aglarond, guarded by the Deeping Wall and its towers. The gorge itself, together with its complex of fortifications, was known as Helm’s Deep.

  Henderch – A mariner of Númenor, companion of Tar-Aldarion.

  Henneth Annûn ‘Window of the Sunset’ (Sind.) – An outpost of Gondor built in the contested province of Ithilien during the latter years of the Third Age. For by that time (over a century before the War of the Ring), it had at last become apparent that Gondor could no longer maintain a foothold in North Ithilien: Mordor-orcs roamed the country and the few remaining settlements there were heavily fortified. Therefore, foreseeing the type of warfare that Gondor would need to employ in order to make Ithilien a dangerous gain for the Enemy, Steward Túrin II constructed hidden refuges among the uplands and forests of that fair country. Of these secret places, the longest-guarded and best-concealed was Henneth Annûn, a complex of natural caves and passages hidden behind a high waterfall which faced west over the Anduin vale. A secret passage led up to the caves from the forest below, and a further tunnel gave access to the rock platform at the head of the waterfall. The refuge was kept amply provisioned and provided an excellent base from which the Rangers of Ithilien were able to foray against the Enemy.

  Hensday – See HEVENSDAY.

  Herblore of the Shire – A notable treatise on botany written by Meriadoc Brandybuck sometime during the early Fourth Age. Unfortunately, the work as a whole has not survived.2

  Herefara – A knight of the Household of King Théoden of Rohan, slain on the Fields of the Pelennor (March, 3019 Third Age).

  Heren Istarion ‘The Order of Wizards’ (Q.) – See WIZARDS.

  Herion – From 2116–48 Third Age, the third Ruling Steward of Gondor.

  Herubrand – One of the house-carles of King Théoden of Rohan, slain in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields (March, 3019 Third Age).

  Herucalmo – See ANDUCAL (TAR-ANDUCAL).

  Herugrim – The name of the sword borne by King Théoden of the Mark. It was kept in a scabbard richly ornamented with gold and beryl-stones.

  Herumor ‘Black-lord’ (Sind.) – See FUINUR.

  Herunúmen ‘Lord-of-the-West’ – The Quenya equivalent of the Adûnaic title ADUNAKHÔR.

  Hevensday – A translation of the Quenya word Menelya, used as the fifth day of the week in the Shire Reckoning. In its original form this word was spelt Hevensdei, but by the end of the Third Age it had evolved into Hevensday (or Hensday).

  Hewer of Caves – A translation of the Khuzdul words felak-gundu, rendered (in Sindarin) Felagund. See FINROD FELAGUND.

  Hidden City – Gondolin.

  Hidden King – Thingol Greycloak.

  Hidden Kingdom – Doriath.

  Hidden Rock – A translation of the Sindarin word Gondolin, itself a punning rendition of the Quenya name Ondolindë (‘Stone-song’).

  Hiding of Valinor – A translation of the Quenya phrase Nurtalë Valinóreva, meaning the period after the raising of the Sun in which the Valar fortified and concealed their land.

  Highday – The seventh (and chief) day of the week in the Shire Reckoning, equivalent to Valanya (Q.) in Kings’ Reckoning. An earlier form of the word was Highdei.

  High-elves – A translation of the Quenya term Tareldar; properly speaking, the title High-elves should apply to all the Calaquendi of Eldamar and Valimar. However, in translations from the Red Book, and following the usage of the Dúnedain, the term has been primarily used to indicate those of the Noldor (the Second Kindred) who returned to Middle-earth in Exile. See also ELDAR.

  High Faroth – See TAUR-EN-FAROTH.

  High Hay – A great hedge built by the Hobbits of Buckland around their eastern border, in order to prevent the encroachment of the Old Forest. It extended nearly twenty miles in a loop from the Great East Road in the north to the confluence of the Withywindle and Baranduin (Brandywine) in the south. The Hay was carefully tended, fourteen feet high, several feet thick, and virtually impenetrable.

  High Kings (of the Dúnedain) – The title High King was first assumed by Elendil the Tall, son of Amandil of Andúnië, after the fall of Númenor and the return of the Faithful, whom he led, to Middle-earth. As it implies, the title refers to a sovereign supreme over other sovereigns, an upward extension of the feudal system. After Elendil this title was briefly borne by his elder son Isildur, but with Isildur’s death lapsed for a period of three thousand years. It then was restored by Aragorn II (Elessar).

  High Kings (of the Noldor) – Although the Vanyarin lord Ingwë was always accounted High King over all Elves, the Noldor who returned to Middle-earth instituted a separate High-kingship, to mark their severance of all the old allegiances. The first High King to be proclaimed was Fingolfin; for although both he and his (older) half-brother Fëanor were the sons of Finwë (who did not go into exile), and were the two leaders of that revolt, no agreement was reached concerning the question of who was to be the final arbiter of all policy; and the hosts journeyed separately to Middle-earth. But shortly afterwards the problem solved itself with Fëanor’s death, and Maedhros his son offered the High-kingship to Fingolfin, who bore it for more than four and a half centuries before perishing in the Dagor Bragollach. On Fingolf
in’s death, the title passed to his elder son Fingon; and when Fingon was slain, twenty years afterwards, at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, his younger brother Turgon (of Gondolin) succeeded him. When Turgon himself also perished, in the fall of Gondolin, thirty-nine years after the Nirnaeth, the title passed to Fingon’s son Ereinion Gil-galad – though by now the High-kingship was purely a nominal title, for the Elf-kingdoms were well-nigh destroyed.

  Gil-galad was the longest to reign of all High-kings of the Noldor. He took the title before the ending of the First Age, as is told above, and did not relinquish it until his death, in combat with Sauron, at the end of the Age which followed. He therefore reigned for more than three thousand years. His death marked the extinction of the title, which was never resuscitated. Henceforth, the leadership of the remaining Eldar, both Noldor and Sindar, was given to Elrond of Imladris, who at the great Battle of Dagorlad had been Gil-galad’s Herald.

  High Speech – Quenya.

  Hild – The sister of Helm Hammerhand, ninth King of Rohan, and mother of Fréaláf (Hildeson), tenth King.

  Hildor ‘Aftercomers’ (Sind.) – An Elvish name for the race of Men.

  Hildórien – The name given by the Elves to that region of the east of Middle-earth wherein the race of Men was said to have originated.

  Hill of Erech – See STONE OF ERECH.

  Hill of Hearing – A translation of the Sindarin words AMON LLAW.

  Hill of Ilmarin – Mount Oiolossë, in the Undying Lands, highest of the Mountains of Valinor (the Pelóri). Upon its summit, in the great palace of Ilmarin, dwelled the Lord of the Valar, Manwë, and his spouse, Elbereth.

  Hill of Sight, Hill of the Eye – Two common translations of the Sindarin name Amon Hen.

  Hills of Evendim – A separate range of hills in north central Eriador. They sheltered the beautiful Lake Evendim, or Nenuial (‘Lake-twilight’), and guarded Elendil’s City of Annúminas, which lay by the southern shores of the lake.

  Himlad ‘Cool plain’ (Sind.) – The northernmost part of East Beleriand, the land which lay between Aros, Celon and the Hills of Himring. Until the Dagor Bragollach Himlad was the realm of the brothers Celegorm and Curufin.

  Himring ‘Ever-cold’ (Sind.) – The tallest of the range of hills which formed the northern boundary of the land of Himlad (see preceding entry). Upon its summit Maedhros, eldest of the seven sons of Fëanor, built a great fortress, to guard against the evil from the north. This fortress fell in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and the lands it had guarded became infested by Morgoth’s forces.

  Hirgon – An errand-rider of Gondor during the War of the Ring. He was sent from Steward Denethor to Théoden, King of Rohan, with the traditional token of impending war, the Red Arrow. Hirgon never returned to Minas Tirith, being slain in Anórien by ambushing Orcs.

  Hirilondë ‘Haven-finder’ (Q.) – The hugest of the many great ships built by Prince Anardil of Númenor (later Tar-Aldarion the Mariner). It was unofficially known, to its crew, as Turuphanto ‘the Wooden Whale’.

  Hírilorn ‘Tree of the Lady’ (Sind.) – The name given by the Sindar of Doriath to the three-trunked beech-tree in which Lúthien Tinúviel was imprisoned by her father Thingol, in order to prevent her joining Beren on the Quest of the Silmaril; however, as is told elsewhere, Lúthien escaped from this arboreal prison, and followed Beren, and rescued him from Sauron’s clutches.

  Hirluin the Fair – The Lord of Pinnath Gelin in the Langstrand of Gondor at the time of the War of the Ring. To the aid of Minas Tirith he led three hundred of his own green-clad men, but himself perished in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.

  Hisilómë ‘Land of Mist’ (Q.) – The High-elves’ original name for the land known to the Grey-elves as HITHLUM.

  Hisimë ‘Misty’ (Q.) – The eleventh month in the Kings’ Reckoning, and the eighth in the New Reckoning of the Fourth Age. The Sindarin equivalent, used only by the Dúnedain, was Hithui.

  Hithaeglir ‘[Chain of] Misty-peaks’ (Sind.) – The Grey-elven name for the MISTY MOUNTAINS.

  Hither lands, Hither Shores – See NEVRAST.

  Hithlain ‘Mist-threads’ (Sind.) – A substance woven by Elves of Lothlórien and used by them for many purposes, especially the making of ropes. The name aptly describes the fine texture of these ropes, as reported by Samwise (himself having a family interest in the art of rope-making). They were grey in colour, light, and packed surprisingly closely. They were also extremely strong and, like many things of Elvish craft, served their bearers well in unexpected ways.

  Hithlum ‘Land of Mist’ (Sind.) – The most north-westerly of all the Noldorin realms of Middle-earth, founded by Fingolfin the High King after the Battle-Under-Stars, and ruled by him until his death in the Dagor Bragollach. Hithlum was a great, enclosed plain, fenced on the south, east and west by the ranges of Ered Wethrin and Ered Lómin, and open only to the north. It was fifty leagues wide at its widest point.

  Together with its southern provinces, Dor-lómin and Mithrim, Hithlum was held by the Noldor and their allies until after the Dagor Bragollach, for the mountain-shield held back the advancing tide from Angband; even the death of Fingolfin did not bring about its fall. But fifteen years after the Dagor Bragollach came the terrible day of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and on that field well nigh all the strength of Hithlum was slain. This last of the northern realms then fell to Morgoth, for there were no Elves or Men left to defend it.

  Hithui – See HISIMË.

  Hlothram – In original (as opposed to translated) Hobbit-speech, the forename Hlothram meant ‘Cottager’. This name has been translated from the Red Book as Cotman. See COTTON.

  Hlothran – In untranslated Hobbit-speech the element hloth meant a simple (i.e. two-roomed) cottage. The suffix -ran indicated a group or cluster of dwellings, and therefore the full word indicated a village of such cottages. It was a reasonably common Shire-name and has been translated from the Red Book as Cotton.

  ‘The Hoard’ – This poem is No. 14 in the collection of similar Hobbit-verses assembled under the title The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. It is thought to have been modelled on fragments of tales, both Elvish and Númenorean, found by Hobbits in Rivendell – or passed on to them second-hand by others with some knowledge of the legends of the First Age. The poem concerns the destiny of a hoard of Elvish treasure which is abandoned by the Elves and then passes to an ancient Dwarf, who increases its worth by his own labours, becoming so absorbed in his wealth and skills that he makes easy prey for the inevitable Dragon – which dispossesses him, taking the hoard for his own. Years later, the Dragon is slain by a Man, who founds his own kingdom on the Dragon-hoard. But he grows old and heartless, and his gold becomes more to him than his realm or his people. He, in his turn, is overthrown – and goes to his grave with the secret of the hiding-place of the Hoard.

  Hoarwell – The river Mitheithel, which rose in the Ettenmoors in northern Eriador and flowed south to join the Bruinen (Loudwater); just above Tharbad the enlarged Hoarwell merged with the Glanduin and the river was then known as the Greyflood (or Gwathló).

  Hobbiton – One of the older villages of the Shire. It sprawled around the Hill of Hobbiton, near the Pool of Bywater, in the West-farthing. Both Bywater and Hobbiton formed a single community.

  Hobbitry-in-arms – The Shire-militia, led by the Thain when occasion demanded. As occasion did so only infrequently, the Shire-muster was a rare enough sight, though most Hobbits had some skill with weapons and many were accomplished archers.

  Hobbits (diminished form of Holbytlan ‘Hole-builders’) – For a full account of the origins, histories and customs of this remarkable people – who play so notable a part in the great War of the Ring – readers are firmly advised to refer to available translations of the Red Book of Westmarch3 – which, in addition to being the prime source of information about the Third Age of Middle-earth, is of course the chief surviving repository of all Hobbit-lore. Moreover, as the Red Book was written by Hobbits, and concerns the events of the War as seen
by the most notable Hobbits of all time, not surprisingly it contains more revelations (intentionally or otherwise) about the Halfling folk than any other document in existence.

  Accordingly, for an account of Hobbits’ origins and customs, see the Prologue to The Lord of the Rings; for information concerning their language and names, see Appendix F.

  Hob Gammidge – The son of Wiseman Gamwich of Tighfield, and the founder of the (Tighfield) Gamgees’ rope-making business. He was known as ‘Old Gammidgy’. Hob married Rowan, daughter of Holman the Greenhanded of Hobbiton, and their son Hobson continued with the family trade. See also GAMGEE; GAMWICH.

  Hob Hayward – A Hobbit of Buckland. The Haywards were presumably the traditional keepers and patrollers of the High Hay.

  Hobson ‘Roper’ Gamgee – The son of Hob Gammidge and the grandfather of Samwise. He was the first of the family to take the name Gamgee (doubtless from his father’s nickname of ‘Gammidgy’). See also GAMGEE; GAMWICH.

  Holbytla ‘Hole-builder’ – An archaic word in the tongue of northern Men. The word Hobbit is thought to be a ‘worn-down’ version of this term.4

  Holdwine – The name given in Rohan to Meriadoc Brandybuck.

  Holfast Gardner – The son of Frodo Gardner and the grandson of Samwise Gamgee. He inherited Bag End from his father.

  Hollin – The name given among western Men to the High-elven realm of EREGION, built and destroyed during the Second Age. It was so named because holly was the token of the Elven-smiths of that land.

  Hollowbold – A translation into Mannish speech of the Dwarvish (Khuzdul) name Tumunzahar (Sind. Nogrod), being the more southerly of the two great Dwarvish cities of the Blue Mountains.

  Holman Cotton – The son of Cotman of Bywater and Rose (‘Greenhand’). He was known as ‘Long Hom’.

  Holman Greenhand – The son of Halfred Greenhand and the grandson of the legendary Holman the Greenhanded of Hobbiton. Young Holman was Bilbo Baggins’ first gardener at Bag End, and before he retired, he passed on his skills to his cousin Hamfast Gamgee (formerly of Tighfield), who taught them in turn to his own son Samwise.