The Complete Tolkien Companion

by J. E. A. Tyler

  Stone of the Hapless – See TOL MORWEN.

  ‘The Stone Troll’ – A comic verse composed by Samwise Gamgee. It has been preserved as part of Frodo Baggins’ narrative in the Red Book, and may also be found (No. 7) in the collection entitled The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.

  Stone-trolls – See TROLLS.

  Stonewain Valley – A deep, hidden valley between Druadan Forest and the northern White Mountains. During the late Second Age it was used by Men of newly founded Gondor as a route between the quarries at Min-Rimmon and the cities of the Pelennor. In later years the quarries and the wagon-road fell into disuse, and were afterwards forgotten; and the forest drew a veil across the entrance once more. By the time of the War of the Ring, a full Age after the building of Gondor, only the ancient Wild Men of Druadan Forest knew of the existence of the forgotten wain-road through the mountains; and when they revealed this secret to the Riders of Rohan, the Rohirrim were able to use the Valley to outflank an army of foes which stood between them and the relief of besieged Minas Tirith.

  Stoningland – A name given by the Riders of Rohan to the land of Gondor; Mundburg (‘Guardian-fortress’) was their name for the city of Minas Tirith.

  Stoors – One of the three breeds or clans of Hobbits. The Stoors were larger and heavier in build than others of their race, and originated from the upper vales of Anduin, where they had once lived in close concord with the Men of that region of Wilderland. They were also the last Hobbit-tribe to leave those parts, eventually crossing the Misty Mountains westward in a great migration during the fourteenth century of the Third Age, after which they settled in Dunland or in the Angle between the rivers Hoarwell (Mitheithel) and Loudwater (Bruinen). But with the arising of the dread realm of Angmar the following century, a number of Stoors dwelling in the Angle re-crossed the Misty Mountains and went to dwell near the Gladden Fields. (A surviving family of this branch was still there a thousand years later; see SMÉAGOL-GOLLUM.)

  In the meantime the Dunland Stoors remained where they were until shortly after the founding of the Shire (1601 Third Age), when they duly emigrated north-west to join their kinfolk west of the Baranduin. These latecomers settled mostly in the Eastfarthing, near the banks of the river, and later some of them re-crossed the Baranduin to dwell in the area known as Buckland (see OLDBUCKS). The Stoors brought to the Shire many traces of the Dunlending culture unconsciously absorbed during the years spent east of the Greyflood. In this way their cultural influences were closely akin to those of the Bree-men (themselves descended from ancestors of the Men of Dunland), who likewise migrated into central Eriador during the Third Age. Even by the time of the War of the Ring a certain ‘foreign’ quality of the Eastfarthing- and Buckland-hobbits was easily remarked by other Shire-dwellers.

  Straight Road – The name given by Men, in the Third and later Ages, to the ancient route across the Sea into the Far West, by which Elves and those appointed could still make the journey to Valinor and Eressëa, even after the globing of the World.

  (The) Strangers – MEN.

  Strider – The nickname given by folk of Bree to the Ranger of Eriador known (to his own people) as ARAGORN II, sixteenth Chieftain of the Dúnedain of the North. See also TELCONTAR.

  Strongbow – A translation of the Grey-elven name Cúthalion.

  Stybba ‘Stubby’ – A pony of the Rohirrim, lent to Meriadoc Brandy-buck during the War of the Ring by King Théoden of Rohan.

  Súle ‘Wind’ (Q.) – An alternative title for the Fëanorian Tengwa number 9 (normally known as thúle, ‘spirit’). The Sindarin equivalent was Sûl.

  Súlimë ‘Windy’ (Q.) – The third month in both Kings’ and Stewards’ Reckoning, and the twelfth in the New Reckoning of the Fourth Age. Although this month-name was adopted by most of the folk in the Westron-speaking area during the Third Age, the Dúnedain, who had originally brought it to Middle-earth, used only the Sindarin equivalent Gwaeron. The Hobbit-name was Rethe.

  Súlimo ‘Lord of Winds’ (Q.; literally ‘Lord of the Breath of Arda’) – See MANWË SÚLIMO.

  Summerdays – The Bree-name for the period of midsummer known in the Shire as Lithe.

  Sunday – The later form of the word Sunnendei, the Shire-word for the second day of the week. (It was equivalent to – and in origin a translation of – the Quenya word Anarya, ‘Sun’s-day’.)

  Sunlending – The name given in Rohan to the province of Anórien in Gondor.

  Sunless Year – The name given in traditions of the Eldar to the period of time between the death of the Two Trees and the raising of the Sun and Moon.

  Sunnendei – See SUNDAY.

  Súrion (Tar-Súrion) – From 1394–1556, ninth King of Númenor.

  Súthburg ‘South-fortress’ – The first name given by the Rohirrim to the tower known, after the death of Helm Hammerhand, as the HORNBURG. It had originally been called Aglarond.

  Sutherland – A translation of the Sindarin word Haradwaith.

  Sûza – In the original (as opposed to translated) Hobbit-speech, the name given by Hobbits to the lands between the river Baranduin and the Tower Hills, the region of authority of their Thain, granted to them in perpetuity in 1600 Third Age (by King Argeleb II of Arthedain) and settled the following year. It has been translated from the Red Book as ‘the Shire’.

  Swanfleet – See GLANDUIN.

  Sweet Galenas – See PIPE-WEED.

  Sword of Elendil – NARSIL.

  Sword-that-was-broken – ANDÚRIL.

  Talan (pl. Telain) – The name given by the Galadhrim (Tree-elves) of Lothlórien to the dwelling-platforms (or flets) which they were accustomed to build amid the branches of the Mallorn-trees in their land. It is Sindarin in form.

  Talath Dirnen ‘Guarded Plain’ (Sind.) – The name given by the Elves of Nargothrond – and later by the Men of Brethil – to the region of empty moorland which lay between the rivers Narog and Teiglin, in West Beleriand. It was so-called because it was accounted the north march of the Realm of Nargothrond, and was accordingly frequently patrolled by Elves of that kingdom, in peace and war.

  Talath Rhûnen ‘East Vale’ (Sind.) – The oldest Elven-name for the land of THARGELION.

  ‘The Tale of Adanel’ – The legend of the Fall of Man, in the days before the Edain crossed the Blue Mountains into Beleriand; as repeated by ANDRETH of the First House to Finrod of the Eldar in the debate remembered as the ATHRABETH FINROD AH ANDRETH. The tale, attributed to ADANEL of the Third House, deals with Men’s slow emergence from ignorance, the way in which Melkor corrupted and enslaved them, and the revolt and flight of some of them (the Edain) from his domain. But unlike the Elves, when they reached the coasts of the Sea, they could go no further.1

  ‘The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen’ – A manuscript written in Gondor during the later second century of the Fourth Age by Steward Barahir of Emyn Arnen, who was the grandson of Faramir, Prince of Ithilien and Steward to King Elessar (Aragorn II). As its title indicates, the text deals chiefly with the life, hopes and eventual triumphs of Aragorn II, Chieftain of the Dúnedain of the North who, in his eighty-eighth year, became the first King of both Gondor and Arnor since Elendil himself; and with his long betrothal to the Lady who later became his Queen: Arwen Undómiel, Evenstar of her people and only daughter of Elrond of Rivendell. The union of Aragorn and Arwen was of deep historical significance to both the Eldar of Middle-earth and their heirs, the Dúnedain of Arnor and Gondor. For by this means the two branches of the Peredhil (Half-elven) were reunited at last after more than five thousand years of separation (see LINES OF DESCENT). Moreover Aragorn, who at his birth was accounted merely sixteenth Chieftain of the Dúnedain, was later to become Elessar Telcontar, the Renewer, first King of the Reunited Kingdom. But the granting of Arwen’s hand in marriage was made conditional on the securing of the High-kingship for his House, for reasons which are revealed in the Tale itself. He succeeded in this task and reigned in great glory and splendour until the Year 120 Fourth Age; and his dynasty was firm
ly established in the kingdom of Arnor and Gondor.

  The much-abbreviated section of The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen which appears in Appendix A was in origin added to the Thain’s Book by scribes of Gondor after the Passing of the King, and was afterwards incorporated into the later copy of that famous volume made by Findegil, King’s Writer, in the year 172 Fourth Age. The Thain’s Book was a copy of the Red Book of Westmarch, made by the Tooks at the request of the King and presented to him by Peregrin Took in Year 63; and Findegil’s copy (complete with authoritative correction and annotations) was presented to the Hobbits in return. In this way the Tale, in which Hobbits had played some part, came to the attention of Shire-scholars, and was afterwards incorporated in their Annals.

  ‘The Tale of Grief’ – An alternative name among Men for the NARN I HIN HÚRIN (Tale of the Children of Húrin).

  The Tale of Years – A Chronology of the Third and early Fourth Ages, together with a much-abbreviated approximate chronology of the Second Age, which may be found in most translations from the Red Book of Westmarch in somewhat reduced form (see Appendix B). It was compiled at the request of Peregrin Took, thirty-second Thain of the Shire, by his descendants (who maintained links with Gondor, from which most of the material contained in the chronologies was derived).

  The chronologies also include plentiful information supplied by Meriadoc Brandybuck, who kept in close touch with Rohan and as a consequence came to learn much of the history of the House of Eorl. Meriadoc also visited Rivendell on several occasions, and doubtless it was from the libraries of Rivendell that many of the (largely conjectural) dates for the Second Age were derived; for in Rivendell, even after the departure of Elrond, there were many Elves whose memories reached back into those distant times.

  Taniquelassë – One of the FRAGRANT TREES of Númenor.

  Taniquetil ‘High-white-peak’ (Q.) – One of the oldest names given by High-elves of Eldamar to that mountain known as Oiolossë.

  Tar- ‘High [Royal]’ (Q. from orig. tara, ‘lofty’; fem. tari) – An ancient word-element in the High-elven tongue which was used as a royal name-prefix by all Kings and Queens of Númenor, excepting Vardamir (son of Elros) and five of the last six rulers who took Adûnaic – Ar-prefixed – names. It also occurs in the High-elven form of the (Sindarin) name Elbereth: Elentári ‘Star-queen’; it may likewise be found in many of the royal names adopted by rulers of Arnor and Gondor (e.g. Atanatar, Tarcil, Tarondor, Tarannon, Envinyatar), and in many other names besides.

  See also AR(A).

  Tarannon ‘Royal-gate’ (Q. +Sind.) – The birth-name of the twelfth King of Gondor, later known as Falastur, ‘Lord-of-the-Coasts’.

  Taras – The westernmost of all the mountains of Middle-earth during the First Age. It was a promontory in the south-west of Nevrast, and looked over the Sea. On its slopes Turgon of the Noldor built his first dwelling in Middle-earth, the sea-facing halls of Vinyamar.

  Tarcil – From 435–515 Third Age, the sixth King of Arnor.

  Tarciryan ‘Royal-ships’ (Q.) – The younger brother of Tarannon (Falastur), who was twelfth King of Gondor and first of the fabled ‘Ship-kings’. Falastur was the first ruler of Gondor to die childless, and Tarciryan’s eldest son succeeded him (as Eärnil I).

  Targon ‘Royal-stone’ (Sind.) – A Man of Gondor. During the War of the Ring he was a member of the Third Company of the Citadel Guard of Minas Tirith, in charge of the butteries and storehouses of that Company.

  Tárion (Q.) – An alternative name for Valanya, the sixth and last day of the week in the Elvish Calendar of Imladris, and the seventh and last in the Kings’ Reckoning of Númenor and Middle-earth.

  Tarkil – The original (as opposed to translated) name given in the Common Speech (the Westron) to a member of the race of Gondor. It appears to be a worn-down form of the Quenya word Tarcil. The epithet tark, used by some tribes of Orcs to mean a Man of Gondor, was doubtless a further debased version of tarkil.

  Tarlang’s Neck – A narrow pass through a southern spur of the White Mountains, which opened the way from Morthond Vale to the province of Lamedon.

  Tarmasundar ‘Roots of the Pillar’ (Q.) – The five ridges which were extensions of the mountain Meneltarma in Númenor.

  Tarmenel ‘King-of-the-Heavens’ (Q.) – An Elvish poetic reference, possibly a term for Oiolossë, the highest of the Mountains of Valinor (the Pelóri). If this is so, then it may be assumed that the Meneltarma, highest mountain in Númenor, was named after this greater peak, as it bears a (subtly diminished) form of the same name.

  Tarn Aeluin ‘Blue-mere’ (Sind.) – The name given by the Grey-elves and the Edain to a small lake in the centre of the Dorthonion highland, at the entrance of the shallow pass which led to Ladros. This name was remembered by the Edain for its associations with Barahir, and his twelve comrades, who based their guerrilla activities around this desolate place in the three years following the Dagor Bragollach.

  Tarondor – From 515–602 Third Age, the seventh King of Arnor. Also the name of the twenty-seventh King of Gondor who ruled from 1636–1798 Third Age, longest to reign of all the Line of Anárion. He succeeded his uncle Telemnar, twenty-sixth King, who was slain, together with all his children, in the Great Plague of 1636 Third Age; and to Tarondor fell the arduous task of reordering the Realm. As many folk had fled from Osgiliath – which had been particularly ravaged by the pestilence – he removed the King’s Seat to Minas Anor, where he planted a seedling of the White Tree to replace that which had died during the Plague.

  Tarostar ‘Royal-forts’ (Q.) – The birth-name of the eighth King of Gondor, later known as Rómendacil I.

  Tasarinan – See NAN-TASARION.

  Taurelilómëa, Tauremorna, Tauremornalómë ‘Forest-many-shadowed, Forest-of-darkness, Forest-black-shadowed’ (Q.) – Three somewhat discouraging terms for the ancient Forest of Fangorn, used by Treebeard the Ent in various chants and songs. They are all High-elven in form but Entish in style.

  Taur e-Ndaedelos – See GREENWOOD THE GREAT.

  Taur-en-Faroth ‘Forest of the Hunters’ (Sind.) – The name given in West Beleriand to the highlands which lay upon either side of the Narog, actually the westernmost outlier of the Andram. Deep underneath these tree-clad heights lay the caves of Nargothrond. Also called High Faroth.

  Taur-im-Duinath ‘Forest-between-the-rivers’ (Sind.) – The name given by the Grey-elves of Beleriand to the great region of scrub and woodland, largely uninhabited except by individual wandering Wood-elves, which lay between the Bay of Balar and the lower reaches of the Gelion. The [two] rivers implied in the name are Gelion and Sirion.

  Taur-na-Neldor Forest-of-Beeches (Sind.) – See NELDORETH.

  Taur-nu-Fuin ‘Forest-under-Nightshade’ (Sind.) – See DORTHONION.

  Tauron ‘The Forester’ (Q.) – One of the earliest names among the Eldar for the Vala OROMË THE GREAT.

  Tawarwaith ‘Wood-elves’ (Sind.)

  Ted Sandyman – The only son of the Hobbiton Miller, and by all accounts a rather ignorant and narrow-minded Hobbit. He was not over-friendly to Samwise and, during the War of the Ring and the Occupation of the Shire, was easily persuaded to abet the agents of Saruman. His eventual fate was never recorded, although there can be little doubt that his later relations with local Hobbits were somewhat strained, to say the least.

  Teeth of Mordor – The Towers of the Teeth, Narchost and Carchost.

  Tehta (pl. tehtar) ‘Sign’ (Q.) – The tehtar were an informalised series of diacritic marks used in the Fëanorian alphabet for many purposes, which differed according to the language or ‘mode’ of writing employed. The Fëanorian Alphabet (the TENGWAR) was, of course, fully phonetic, and vowels were held to be merely modifications of consonants; these modifications were shown by using the tehtar in conjunction with the necessary consonantal symbols. Later these marks came to stand for certain consonantal combinations, guides to stress and pronunciation, and as abbreviations for whole words or elements.

 
Note: for examples of the ‘full’ Fëanorian writing (i.e. incorporating the tehtar vowel-substitutes) see inscriptions on the title-pages of The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, and the second inscription under the entry ALPHABET OF FËANOR.

  Teiglin – One of the largest rivers of West Beleriand; it was a tributary of Sirion, rising from three sources in the southern slopes of Ered Wethrin. Like all the rivers of Beleriand, the Teiglin flowed southerly for many leagues before turning east, south of the Forest of Brethil, to join the Sirion. From source to confluence it was fifty leagues long. For the second half of its journey the Teiglin was a single great rapid, flowing through deep gorges called the Ravines of Teiglin. (The highest of these cliffs was CABED-EN-ARAS.)

  Telchar – A great Dwarf-smith of the First Age; he dwelled in the city of Nogrod in the Blue Mountains, most renowned of all the craftsmen of that city. He is chiefly remembered as the maker of the sword Narsil (Andúril) and the dagger Angrist, which Beren used to cut the Silmaril from the Iron Crown of Morgoth.

  Telco – The Quenya or High-elven word for ‘stem’, but more properly the title of one of the two primary brush-strokes upon which most of the Fëanorian Tengwar (‘letters’) were constructed. Each telco was vertical, and its size and position relative to the central line of the ‘stave’ indicated the tyelle or ‘grade’ of the letter, i.e. its phonetic series. See also LUVA.

  Telcontar ‘Strider’ (Q.) – The dynastic name adopted by King Elessar (Aragorn II) after his accession to the Throne of the Reunited Kingdom in 3019 Third Age. Curiously, two of Aragorn’s royal names – Elessar (‘Elf-stone’) and Telcontar – were chosen for him in their original forms by folk later to become his subjects, which may explain his later reluctance to abandon either of them. Aragorn was also known as Envinyatar, ‘The Renewer’ (Q.).