A Dictionary of Tolkien Read online

  Though Ents at times had great gatherings, called Entmoots, for the most part they were a solitary folk living apart from one another in isolated Ent houses in the great forests. Often these were mountain caverns plentifully supplied with spring water and surrounded by beautiful trees. In these places they took their meals, not solid food but clear liquid stored in great stone jars. These were Ent-draughts and the magical fluid glowed with gold and green light. And in the Ent houses they took their rest, often finding refreshment in standing beneath the crystal coolness of a waterfall cascading throughout the night.

  So the Ents lived out their wise, almost immortal lives, and the many races of the Earth thrived and declined around them without troubling their greatness. Only when the foul Orcs came armed with weapons of steel were the Ents roused in wrath. The Dwarves too were not loved by Ents, for they were axe-bearers and hewers of wood. And it is said that in the First Age of the Sun the Dwarf-warriors of Nogrod, who had sacked the Grey-elven citadel of Menegroth, were caught by Ents and utterly destroyed.

  Ents, in the years of Starlight, had been both male and female, yet in the Ages of the Sun the Entwives became enamoured of the open lands where they might tend the lesser Olvar – the fruit trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses and grain; whereas the male Ents loved the trees of the forests. So it was that the Entwives went to the open Brown Lands, where they were worshipped by the race of Men who learned from them the art of tending the fruits and the crops of the Earth.

  Yet before the end of the Second Age of the Sun, the gardens of the Entwives were destroyed, and with the gardens went the Entwives. Among them was the spouse of Treebeard, Fimbrethil, who was called Wandlimb the Lightfooted. No tale tells of their fate. Perhaps the Entwives went to the South or East; but, wherever it was, it was beyond the knowledge of the Ents of the Forests, who wandered in search of them for many long years.

  So, though Ents could not die in the manner of Men, through age, they became a dwindling race none the less. They were never numerous, and some were slain with steel and fire, and no new Entings came after the departure of the Entwives. As well, the vast forests of Eriador where many once roamed had, by the Third Age, been hewn down or burnt, so only the Old Forest, which bordered the Shire, and the great Entwood of Treebeard remained.

  By the War of the Ring Treebeard was counted among the three eldest Ents who had come forth under the stars at the Time of Awakening. Besides Treebeard, there was Finglas, which means “Leaflock”, and Fladrif, which means “Skinbark”, but the latter two had withdrawn even from the affairs of other Ents. Finglas had retreated in Ent fashion into the nature of his being and had become “treeish”. He moved but little and few could tell him from the trees. Fladrif had battled alone against the Orcs, who had captured his birch groves, slain many of his Entings, and had wounded him with axes. He eventually fled to live along on high mountain slopes.

  Though only Treebeard of the elders remained limb-lithe and active, there were many younger Ents. Throughout the Entwood there was discontent because the Ents were being harassed by the servants of Saruman who inhabited neighbouring Isengard. So they entered the War of the Ring, and this was the great March of the Ents. Rank upon rank of the Ents marched on the stronghold of Isengard. With them came the Huorns, the Tree-spirits whom the Ents commanded and whose strength was nearly as great as their own. The very walls of Isengard were torn down and destroyed by Entish wrath and the power of Saruman was shattered. The Huorns advanced into the Battle of the Hornburg like a marching forest, and the legions of Saruman were exterminated.

  After the War of the Ring, the Ents again lived on peacefully in the Entwood, yet they continued to wane and the Fourth Age was believed to be their last.

  Entwood

  The large and ancient forest at the southern end of the Misty Mountains in the vales of the Anduin River was known as Entwood because it was inhabited by those ancient and powerful creatures called Ents, the Tree-herds and forest guardians. At the time of the War of the Ring, this forest was most often called the Fanghorn Forest after Fanghorn (or “Treebeard”), the oldest living Ent on Middle-earth and the master of the forest.

  Éomer

  Northman, prince of Rohan. Born in 2991 of the Third Age, Éomer was the nephew of King Théoden of Rohan, and like nearly all of his race was tall, strong and golden–haired. Before the War of the Ring, Éomer was a marshall of Riddermark, but through his friendship with Gandalf and his concern about the evil influence of the king’s adviser, Gríma Wormtongue, he fell out of favour. During the War of the Ring he fought with distinction at the battles of Hornburg, Pelennor Fields and at the Black Gate of Mordor. When King Théoden received his mortal wounds on Pelennor Fields, he named Éomer his heir. He became the eighteenth king of Rohan and ruled until the year 63 of the Fourth Age. In 3020, he married Princess Lothíriel of Dol Amroth, who soon after bore his son and heir, Elfwine the Fair.

  Eönwë

  Maia herald of Manwë. Eönwë is mightiest of the Maiar and standard-bearer of Manwë, the King of the Valar. Eönwë’s strength in battle rivals that of even the Valar. His trumpet announced the coming of the Valar, Maiar and Eldar into the War of Wrath that destroyed Angband and ended Morgoth’s reign forever. After the Great Battle, it was Eönwë who judged the Elves and gave the Edain their great wisdom and knowledge.

  Eorl

  Northman, king of Rohan. Eorl succeeded his father, Léod, as Lord of the Éothéod while still a youth. For this reason he was called Eorl the Young. Eorl gained fame for taming Felaróf, the sire of the legendary Mearas, the white “horse princes” of Rohan. In the year 2510, Eorl’s cavalry rescued the Men of Gondor from certain defeat at the Battle of Celebrant. In gratitude, the Steward of Gondor gave his allies the province of Calenardhon which was renamed Rohan, meaning “horse land”. Eorl ruled as the King of Rohan from 2410 until 2545, when, at the age of sixty years, he was slain battling against the Easterlings in the Wold.

  Eorlingas

  In the fair and rolling grasslands that, in the Third Age of the Sun, lay north of the White Mountains, there lived a race of Men who were named the Rohirrim, the “horse-lords”. They often called themselves the Eorlingas, in honour of Eorl the Young, the first in their line of kings. It was he who first tamed the Mearas, the “horse-princes”, and led his people in victory against the Easterlings. Five centuries of rulers of Rohan descended from this one great king.

  Éothéod

  Among those Northmen who lived east of the Mountains of Mist there arose a strong and fair race that entered the histories of the Westlands in the twentieth century of the Third Age of the Sun. They were led into the Vales of Anduin, between the Carrock and Gladden, by a chieftain named Frumgar. These people were named the Éothéod and they were great horsemen and men-at-arms. The son of Frumgar was named Fram and he slew Scatha the Worm, a Dragon of the Grey Mountains. Of Frumgar’s line was Léod and his son, Eorl the Young, who first tamed the Horse Felaróf, sire of the Mearas, the princes of Horses. Eorl led the Éothéod cavalry into the Battle of the Field of Celebrant and crushed the Balchoth and the Orcs who had broken the shield-wall of Gondor’s army. For that rescue Cirion, Ruling Steward of Gondor, made a gift of the southern province of Calenardhon (which was called the Mark) to the Éothéod, who came south willingly and afterwards were known as the Rohirrim, the “horse-lords”. Eorl became the first in the line of Kings of the Mark, who were rulers of that rich and rolling grassland for five hundred years and more.

  Éowyn

  Northwoman, shield-maiden of Rohan. At the time of the War of the Ring, Éowyn was the beautiful, golden-haired niece of King Théoden of Rohan and sister of Prince Éomer. During the War of the Ring, Éowyn fell in love with Aragorn. Despairing at his assumed death, and frustrated by her inability to fight for her people, Éowyn disguised herself as a warrior called Dernhelm, and rode with the Rohirrim in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. There she won the greatest fame of any warrior by standing over the mortally wounded King
Théoden and fighting the Witch-king, the lord of the Ringwraiths. Protected by the prophecy that he could not be slain by the hand of Man, Éowyn revealed that she was a shield-maiden, and with her sword killed the Winged Beast on which he rode. Then – with the help of the Hobbit, Meriadoc Brandybuck – she slew the Witch-king himself. In that struggle, however, Éowyn was overcome by the poison “Black Breath” of the Ringwraith and fell into a death-like sleep. She was eventually brought out of this coma by Aragorn, using the magical herb called Athelas.

  After the War of the Ring, Éowyn recovered from both the evil spell of the Witch-king and her infatuation with Aragorn. She then married Faramir, the Steward of Gondor and Prince of Ithilien.

  Erebor

  In the Third Age of the Sun, Erebor the “Lonely Mountain” could be found in Rhovanion, south of the Grey Mountains and between Mirkwood and the Iron Hills. In the year 1999 it was settled by the Dwarf King Thrain I and became known as the Kingdom under the Mountain.

  For over seven centuries the Dwarf-kingdom of Erebor grew wealthy and powerful, but in the year 2770 the winged, fire-breathing dragon called Smaug the Golden destroyed the realm, and drove out the Dwarves. For nearly two hundred years Smaug lived in Erebor and slept upon a vast treasure hoard in a great lair within its chambers. In the year 2941, the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins and the Dwarves of Thorin and Company disturbed the Dragon, but when Smaug came out in vengeful wrath, he was slain by Bard the Bowman. The Dwarves returned to Erebor, and King Dáin II re-established the wealth and fame of the Kingdom under the Mountain. During the War of the Ring, the forces of Sauron attacked and besieged Erebor. However, once the One Ring was destroyed, the forces of darkness melted away and the Dwarves and their allies the Men of Dale drove off the Orc and Easterling army that had besieged them. In the Fourth Age, Erebor retained its wealth and independence, but became closely allied to the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor under King Elessar.

  Eregion

  West of the Misty Mountains in the woodland below the Dwarf-kingdom of Khazad-dûm during the Second Age of the Sun was the realm of Eregion. Called Hollin by Men, Eregion is Elvish for “land of holly”. It was first settled in the year 750 of the Second Age by the Gwaith-i-Mírdain, the Elven Smiths who with Sauron forged the Rings of Power. Its primary city was Ost-in-Edhil, but the city and the realm were entirely destroyed by 1697 of the Second Age during the War of Sauron and the Elves. By the end of the Third Age and the passage of the Fellowship of the Ring there were few who knew anything of the history of this empty forest realm.

  Eriador

  The vast tract of land between the Blue Mountains and the Misty Mountains was called Eriador. During the First Age of the Sun Eriador was inhabited by Men who were under the evil influence of Morgoth the Dark Enemy. In the Second Age, it was largely Sauron’s power that held sway, and many of the dark-haired Men of Eriador, who were ancestors of the Dunlendings, made alliances with the Dark Lord. It was not until the coming of the Dúnedain and the founding of the Kingdom of the North in the year 3320 that Sauron’s influence diminished. During the first half of the Third Age, the whole of this land was the Kingdom of the North, the realm of Arnor. But by the time of the War of the Ring, plagues, floods and wars with the Witch-kingdom of Angmar had wiped out this once wealthy and highly populated land. There was only a handful of settlements remaining: the Hobbitland of the Shire, the Men of Bree and the Elves of Rivendell.

  Eruhíni

  The “Ainulindalë” tells that in the time of the Ordering of the World, it was Eru, who is called Ilúvatar, who brought into being the races of Elves and Men. So it is that these races were in the Elvish tongue called the Eruhíni, which in Westron would be the “children of Ilúvatar”.

  Erusën

  The races of Elves and Men were made by Eru and were given life with the Flame Imperishable. The Elves therefore called these races His children and named them Erusën, the “children of Eru”.

  Esgaroth

  There was a city of Men during the Third Age, just to the northeast of Mirkwood and south of Erebor, the Lonely Mountain. This was Esgaroth, the city of the Men of the Long Lake. The city was built upon pylons driven into the Long Lake and connected to the land by a wooden bridge. Because Esgaroth was just south of the Dwarf-kingdom of Erebor and downriver from the Woodland Elves, the Lake Men had become wealthy traders. It was ruled by a Master elected from among its people. In the year 2270, their trade with the Dwarves of Erebor ceased when Smaug the Golden Dragon took possession of the mountain. Still Esgaroth survived, although its neighbouring city of Dale was utterly destroyed. In the year 2941, Smaug the Golden came in a fiery wrath and attacked Esgaroth itself. Although the Dragon was killed, Esgaroth was burned down. Yet all was not lost, for with the vast wealth of the Dragon hoard, the city was rebuilt and its prosperity restored.

  Estë

  Valar called “the Healer”. In the gardens of Lórien in Valinor is the Isle of Estë in the midst of Lake Lórellin, the home of the Dream Master’s wife, Estë the healer, who’s name means “rest”. Estë is one of the seven queens of the Valar and she is called the “gentle one”. Her robes are grey and healing sleep is her gift to the world.

  Evermind

  The fair white flowers that in the Westron tongue of common Men were called Evermind grew over the grave barrows of the kings of the Mark near Edoras in the land of Rohan. These flowers, which were called Simbelmynë in the Rohirrim tongue, were like glittering crystals of snow that blossomed in all seasons, glinting always with starlight on the tombs of these kings. And to the Rohirrim and common Men alike these white flowers on the green swards were always a reminder of the power of the strong kings of the Mark.

  Ff

  Fair Elves

  Of all the Elvish race, those most favoured and loved are the First Kindred of the Vanyar, for they are the wisest Elves and they always sit at the feet of Manwë, High Lord of all the Powers of Arda. They are called Fair Elves and have resided longest in the bright Light of the Trees of the Valar, and their eyes burn most brilliantly of all Elves with that Light. Furthermore, they are a blonde race, and their hair and skin is fairest of the Eldar. They seem golden and powerful, and their king, who is named Ingwë, has always been High King of all the Elves of the World.

  Fair Folk

  From the beginning, before the making of Arda and the Count of Time, Ilúvatar planned to bring the race of Elves into the World. In his grand plan these were to be the first people to be born and the fairest of all races to come into being. And so ever afterwards, by all but their evil enemies, the Elves were usually called the Fair Folk.

  Falas

  Among the Grey-Elf kingdoms of Beleriand was the coastal realm of West Beleriand, called the Falas. This was the home of the Falathrim, the sea-loving Elves who were ruled by Lord Círdan, later called Círdan the Shipwright, for his people were the first on Middle-earth to master the art of ship building. The chief ports of the Falas (the Elvish name for “coast”) were Brithombar and Egla-rest, and though they long resisted, during the War of Jewels these cities were destroyed by the might of Morgoth the Enemy. And though the Falas were taken, the Falathrim themselves did not perish for Círdan took his people in their white ships to the safety of the Isle of Balar. Later when all the lands of Beleriand sank into the sea, Círdan’s people survived by sailing once again to the Gulf of Lune and founding a new port in the land of Lindon known as they Grey Havens.

  Falathrim

  The Falathrim, the Elves of the Falas, lived on the coast lands of Beleriand in the years of Starlight and the First Age of the Sun, ruled by the lord Círdan. They were of the Teleri kindred, but, when Ulmo the Ocean Lord came to the Teleri, Círdan and his people refused the final journey to the Undying Lands and so were divided from their kindred. The Falathrim lived by the sea for a long time and they were wisest of the sea-folk on Middle-earth. They were the first to build ships in Mortal Lands. The ships of Círdan were magical and they were able to make that far journe
y into the Undying Lands, even after the Change of the World, when Middle-earth and the Undying Lands were drawn apart for ever. Then only the Elven-ships of the Falathrim could make that lonely journey.

  For a time after the departure of the Teleri to the Undying Lands, the Falathrim lived alone on the shores of Beleriand, and they built there two great havens named Eglarest and Brithombar. But after a period of peace under starlight, they discovered that another part of the Umanyar had become powerful in the Wood of Doriath just east of the Falas. The king of these Elves was Elwë Singollo, who had been lost, and with him was Melian the Maia, who was his queen. At this time Círdan and the Falathrim came to know these brethren, the Grey-elves, once again and after a while they became allied with these people, for they spoke the tongue of the Grey-elves and took all their causes to their hearts. In the years of strife that came with the Rising of the Sun, the Falathrim fought for them against Morgoth the Enemy, who arose in the North.

  In that First Age of the Sun, the Falathrim were besieged by Orcs for a time, and later still their havens fell to Morgoth, but they took their ships and sailed to the Isle of Balar, and no power of Morgoth was able to come on the sea, for he greatly feared the Ocean Lord, Ulmo. There the Falathrim remained safe until the War of Wrath, when Beleriand itself was thrown down into the sea with the destruction of Angband. Again the ships of the Falathrim sailed and went south to the Gulf of Lune in the land of Lindon, the last of the Elf-realms of Beleriand to survive the holocaust of that Great Battle. Here Círdan built the last haven of the Elves on Middle-earth. This was called the Grey Havens and from this place the last Elven-ship sailed for ever from Mortal Lands.