Bears
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] Only one Quenya word for "bear" is given, sharing a root with brôg: morco.[3]
Other versions of the legendarium
In the earliest outlines of The Fall of Gondolin, Tuor was clad in the skins of bears.[7] The sinews of bears were also used to make bowstring[8] and harp strings.[7]
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.[9]
- Karhu, the Great Polar Bear, helped Father Christmas writing his letters by making side comments. Other polar bears were Paksu and Valktukka.[10]
Portrayal in adaptations
2003: Sierra's The Hobbit:
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Queer Lodgings"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Treebeard"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "The Etymologies", entry MOROK
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "The Etymologies", entry LIS-
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Patrick H. Wynne (ed.), "Eldarin Hands, Fingers & Numerals and Related Writings", published in Vinyar Tengwar #47 (February 2005), pages 3-42, esp. 14
- ↑ Didier Willis, Elfling, message 4007
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "The Fall of Gondolin"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lays of Beleriand, "The Lay of the Children of Húrin", line 1073 (page 47)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Mr. Bliss, page 13
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Baillie Tolkien (ed.), Letters from Father Christmas
- ↑ The Hobbit (2003 video game), "The Clouds Burst"