Men of Bree
This article or section needs to be rewritten to comply with Tolkien Gateway's higher standards... |
The Men of Bree were Bree-landers, specifically the Men who lived around the Bree-land, especially the village of Bree.
Origins
The Men of Bree trace their origins from the race of the Pre-Númenóreans who inhabited the northern White Mountains during the Second Age, in the land that would be later known as Calenardhon. As such they were related to the Men of the Mountains and the Dunlendings.
During the Dark Years, some of this folk, migrated northward to the dales south of the Misty Mountains. Eventually they continued to the Barrow-downs before settling the region around the tall, wooded Bree-hill.[1]
History
Around the Bree-hill, the Men of Bree established the settlement of Bree, Staddle, Archet and Combe.
When the Kingdom of Arnor was founded, Bree-land lay inside its borders, and on the road that led to Gondor; as such the Men of Bree became subject of Arnor, and adopted Westron.[1]
In about T.A. 1300, their land was visited by the Halflings who were fleeing the encroaching darkness to the east.[2] They formed a unique society in all Middle-earth where Men and Hobbits lived beside on another. Thus they were affectionally called the "Big Folk" and the "Little Folk".[3]
The Men of Bree endured the Fall of Arnor ({TA|1975}}) and continued living independently, as in before its existence.[3]
During the War of the Ring some Men of Bree like Bill Ferny and Harry Goatleaf were spies of the Ringwraiths and later they joined Saruman's ruffians.[3][4]
Culture
In appearance, these Men were in stature short and broad, and often brown-haired. They were cheerful and provincial. In contrast to other Men, those of Bree were friendly to the other races, Hobbits, Dwarves and Elves.[3]
They seem to have maintained a curious tradition of taking their names from plants and herbs; families of the Men of Bree included Appledore, Ferny, Goatleaf, Heathertoes, Rushlight, Thistlewool and Butterbur.[5]
See also
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F, "The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age", "Of Men"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Hunt for the Ring", "Concerning Gandalf, Saruman, and the Shire"
- ↑ Jim Allan (1978), An Introduction to Elvish, Giving of Names, p.208
