Black Arrow: Difference between revisions
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{{quote|Arrow!" said the bowman. "Black arrow! I have saved you to the last. You have never failed me and always I have recovered you. I had you from my father and he from of old. If ever you came from the forges of the true king under the Mountain, go now and speed well!|[[ | {{quote|Arrow!" said the bowman. "Black arrow! I have saved you to the last. You have never failed me and always I have recovered you. I had you from my father and he from of old. If ever you came from the forges of the true king under the Mountain, go now and speed well!|[[Bard]], [[Fire and Water]]}} | ||
{{objects | |||
| image=[[File:Anke Eißmann - Bard the Bowman.jpg|250px]] | |||
| name=The Black Arrow | |||
| othernames= | |||
| derivation= | |||
| location=[[Lonely Mountain]], [[Lake-town]] | |||
| ownedby=[[Girion]], [[Bard]] | |||
| maker=Dwarves of [[Erebor]] | |||
| appearance= | |||
| references= | |||
|}} | |||
According to [[Bard|Bard the Bowman]], the [[Black Arrow]] had originated in the Lonely Mountain and had been passed down to him from his father and grandfather of the line of [[Girion]]. It was magical for him and whenever he shot it, he always recovered it. | |||
When the [[Dragons|dragon]] [[Smaug]] attacked [[Lake-town]], after being disturbed by Thorin and Company in [[ | When in {{TA|2941}}<ref>{{App|TA}}</ref> the [[Dragons|dragon]] [[Smaug]] attacked [[Lake-town]], after being disturbed by [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[Lonely Mountain]], the '''Black Arrow''' was the last arrow left in Bard's quiver. | ||
Bard fired the arrow through a bare patch in the armor on Smaug's underbelly, described to him by the [[Thrushes|Thrush]]. The arrow penetrated Smaug's heart, killing the dragon immediately.<ref>{{H|Fire}}</ref> | |||
==Inspiration== | |||
[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] may have found inspiration for the weapon that achieves its goal and then perishes in ''[[Beowulf (poem)|Beowulf]]''. In that story Beowulf's sword cannot kill Grendal's mother but another sword, an ancient blade found in her lair, can destroy her and slice off Grendel's head. However, the sword then melted down to the hilt.<ref>{{HH|Death}}, (ii) ''The Black Arrow'', p. 558</ref> | |||
{{references}} | |||
{{weapons}} | {{weapons}} | ||
[[Category:Weapons]] | [[Category:Weapons]] | ||
[[fi:Musta Nuoli]] | [[fi:Musta Nuoli]] | ||
Revision as of 08:56, 11 May 2015
- "Arrow!" said the bowman. "Black arrow! I have saved you to the last. You have never failed me and always I have recovered you. I had you from my father and he from of old. If ever you came from the forges of the true king under the Mountain, go now and speed well!"
- ― Bard, Fire and Water
| The Black Arrow | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Lonely Mountain, Lake-town |
According to Bard the Bowman, the Black Arrow had originated in the Lonely Mountain and had been passed down to him from his father and grandfather of the line of Girion. It was magical for him and whenever he shot it, he always recovered it.
When in T.A. 2941[1] the dragon Smaug attacked Lake-town, after being disturbed by Thorin and Company in the Lonely Mountain, the Black Arrow was the last arrow left in Bard's quiver.
Bard fired the arrow through a bare patch in the armor on Smaug's underbelly, described to him by the Thrush. The arrow penetrated Smaug's heart, killing the dragon immediately.[2]
Inspiration
J.R.R. Tolkien may have found inspiration for the weapon that achieves its goal and then perishes in Beowulf. In that story Beowulf's sword cannot kill Grendal's mother but another sword, an ancient blade found in her lair, can destroy her and slice off Grendel's head. However, the sword then melted down to the hilt.[3]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Fire and Water"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, John D. Rateliff (ed.), The History of The Hobbit, Return to Bag-End, The Second Phase, "The Death of Smaug", (ii) The Black Arrow, p. 558
| Weapons in Tolkien's legendarium | |
| Arrows: | Black Arrow · Dailir · Red Arrow |
|---|---|
| Axes: | Dramborleg · Durin's Axe |
| Bows: | Belthronding · Bow of Bregor · Bow of the Galadhrim |
| Knives: | Angrist · Barrow-blades · Morgul-knife · Sting |
| Maces: | Grond |
| Spears: | Aeglos |
| Swords: | Anglachel/Gurthang · Anguirel · Aranrúth · Dagmor · Glamdring · Glend · Gúthwinë · Herugrim · Narsil/Andúril · Orcrist · Ringil · Sword of Manwë |
