Bears: Difference between revisions

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'''Bears''' were large and ferocious animals; the most famous were those under the command of [[Beorn]] the skin-changer in the [[Vales of Anduin]].
[[Image:Bear Mirkwood bfme.jpg|thumb|250px|right|A bear in [[Mirkwood]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'']]
{{quote|I should say there were little  bears, large bears, ordinary bears, and gigantic big bears, all dancing outside from dark to nearly dawn.|[[Gandalf]]<ref name="Queer"/>}}
'''Bears''' were large and ferocious animals, notorious for their love of honey.<ref>{{HM|TT}}, "[[Treebeard (chapter)|Treebeard]]"</ref>


[[Category:Mammals]]
==History==
Bears lived in the [[Misty Mountains]] for some time, though by the late [[Third Age]], their number had diminished. [[Gandalf]] told [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]] that [[giants]] had taken up their homes in that mountain range. One of the alleged origins of [[Beorn]], the skin changer, was that he had descended from them.<ref name="Queer">{{HM|H}}, "[[Queer Lodgings]]"</ref>
 
==Etymology==
Early [[Noldorin]] had two words for ''bear'': ''[[brôg]]''<ref name="morok">{{HM|LR}}, "[[The Etymologies]]", entry [[MOROK]]</ref> and ''[[megli]]'' (with the variation ''[[meglivorn]]'' "Black bear")<ref>{{HM|LR}}, "[[The Etymologies]]", entry [[LIS]]-</ref> In [[Sindarin]], only the word ''[[graw]]'' is attested,<ref>{{VT|47a}}, p. 12 (note 3)</ref> though [[Didier Willis]] also suggested the "updated" word ''Medli''.<ref>[[Didier Willis]], ''[[Elfling]]'', [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/elfling/message/4007 message 4007]</ref> A [[Quenya]] word for "bear" is given as ''morco'', sharing a [[Sundocarmë|Root]] with ''brôg''.<ref name="morok"/> A variant Quenya name for "bear" is given as ''morokō'' (and ''mor(o)kē'', "she-bear").<ref>{{PE|21}}, p. 82</ref>
 
==Other versions of the legendarium==
In the earliest outlines of ''[[The Fall of Gondolin]]'', [[Tuor]] was clad in the skins of bears.<ref name="Fall">{{HM|LT2}}, "[[The Fall of Gondolin]]"</ref> The sinews of bears were also used to make bowstring<ref>{{HM|LB}}, "[[The Lay of the Children of Húrin]]", line 1073 (page 47)</ref> and harp strings.<ref name="Fall"/>
 
==Other fiction==
Bears play a significantly bigger role in other stories, most notably ''[[Mr. Bliss]]'' and ''[[The Father Christmas Letters]]''.
* The former included three mischievous bears [[Archie]], [[Teddy]] and [[Bruno]], who more resemble teddybears in Tolkien's drawings.<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[Mr. Bliss]]'', page 13</ref>
* [[Karhu]], the Great Polar Bear, helped [[Father Christmas]] writing his letters by making side comments. Other polar bears were [[Paksu]] and [[Valkotukka]].<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Baillie Tolkien]] (ed.), ''[[Letters from Father Christmas]]''</ref>
 
==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2003: [[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]:'''
:[[Beorn]] appears only in the shape of a black bear.<ref>[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]], "The Clouds Burst"</ref>
 
'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Bears appear as wildlife in the map "Mirkwood".<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'', "Mirkwood"</ref>
 
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Bears are found in many places of Middle-earth and range in size of large dog to the size of a small elephant. They are typically not agressive, but will fight if the player threatens them. Players that are lore-masters are able to use a bear as a combat pet.
 
{{references}}
 
[[Category:Animals]]
[[de:Bären]]
[[de:Bären]]
[[fi:Karhut]]
[[fi:Karhut]]

Revision as of 23:59, 28 September 2013

"I should say there were little bears, large bears, ordinary bears, and gigantic big bears, all dancing outside from dark to nearly dawn."
Gandalf[1]

Bears were large and ferocious animals, notorious for their love of honey.[2]

History

Bears lived in the Misty Mountains for some time, though by the late Third Age, their number had diminished. Gandalf told Bilbo that giants had taken up their homes in that mountain range. One of the alleged origins of Beorn, the skin changer, was that he had descended from them.[1]

Etymology

Early Noldorin had two words for bear: brôg[3] and megli (with the variation meglivorn "Black bear")[4] In Sindarin, only the word graw is attested,[5] though Didier Willis also suggested the "updated" word Medli.[6] A Quenya word for "bear" is given as morco, sharing a Root with brôg.[3] A variant Quenya name for "bear" is given as morokō (and mor(o)kē, "she-bear").[7]

Other versions of the legendarium

In the earliest outlines of The Fall of Gondolin, Tuor was clad in the skins of bears.[8] The sinews of bears were also used to make bowstring[9] and harp strings.[8]

Other fiction

Bears play a significantly bigger role in other stories, most notably Mr. Bliss and The Father Christmas Letters.

Portrayal in adaptations

2003: The Hobbit (2003 video game):

Beorn appears only in the shape of a black bear.[12]

2006: The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth:

Bears appear as wildlife in the map "Mirkwood".[13]

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Bears are found in many places of Middle-earth and range in size of large dog to the size of a small elephant. They are typically not agressive, but will fight if the player threatens them. Players that are lore-masters are able to use a bear as a combat pet.

References