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[[File:Grant Gould - LOTR.jpg|thumb|150px|Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli by [[Grant Gould]].]]
[[File:Alan Lee - The Plains of Rohan 1.jpg|right|thumb|''The Plains of Rohan'' by [[Alan Lee]]]]
The "'''Three Hunters'''" was the name that [[Aragorn]] bestowed upon the remnant of the [[Fellowship of the Ring]]—including himself, [[Legolas]], and [[Gimli]]<ref>{{TT|III1}}</ref>—on [[26 February]]{{TA|3019}}<ref name="Great">{{App|Great}}</ref> as they began tracking the [[Uruk-Hai]] that had captured [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]] and [[Peregrin Took]] at [[Amon Hen]].  
 
<center>{{quote|With hope or without hope we will follow the trail of our enemies. And woe to them, if we prove the swifter! We will make such a chase as shall be accounted a marvel among the Three Kindreds: Elves, Dwarves, and Men. Forth the Three Hunters!|Aragorn in ''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[The Departure of Boromir]]"}}</center>
 
The "'''Three Hunters'''" was the name [[Aragorn]] gave to himself, [[Legolas]], and [[Gimli]] when they began pursuing the [[Uruk-hai]] who had captured [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]] and [[Peregrin Took]] by [[Nen Hithoel]] at the [[Breaking of the Fellowship]].
 
==History==
The Three Hunters set out from Nen Hithoel on the evening of [[26 February]] {{TA|3019}}<ref name="Great">{{App|Great}}</ref>. With Aragorn's tracking skill, they followed the Uruks' trail through the night across the [[Emyn Muil]], where they found five Orcs who had been slain by their own company. At dawn, they reached the [[East Wall of Rohan]] and descended into the [[Eastemnet]]. There, Aragorn found Pippin's [[Elven brooches|Elven brooch]], which the hobbit had dropped as a sign to whomever of the Fellowship might follow them.
 
The companions continued swiftly across the plains of Rohan till nightfall, when they faced the dilemma of losing the trail in the dark or losing time by waiting for morning. Though doubting himself, Aragorn chose to rest for the night. When they rose, they found that the Uruks had gone far ahead of them. They tirelessly pursued their quarry north-westward the rest of that day, but sensed the will of [[Saruman]] slowing them down and giving speed to the Uruks. They slept another night and marched another day, growing weary and losing hope.
   
   
The Three Hunters descended [[Emyn Muil]] and entered [[Rohan]]; with Aragorn's tracking skills, they successfully followed the right track and even found Pippin's [[Elven brooches|Elven brooch]], which had been dropped for them to find. The hunt continued for three days.<ref name="Riders">{{TT|III2}}</ref>
After another night's rest, they rose on [[30 February]]<ref name="Great"/> and encountered [[Éomer]] and his [[éored]], who were returning to [[Edoras]] after slaughtering the Orc-band outside [[Fangorn Forest]] the day before. Suspicious of the travellers, Éomer sternly questioned them and almost came to blows with Gimli and Legolas, but Aragorn intervened and gave him an account of themselves and their journey. Éomer marvelled to find that the companions had travelled forty-five leagues<ref group="note">That is, 135 miles or 217 kilometres.</ref> in only three days, for which he called Aragorn [[Wingfoot]]. Éomer told them about Rohan's troubles and requested their aid, but Aragorn refused to desert Merry and Pippin while hope of finding them remained. Acting against Rohan's law by letting strangers wander the land without the king's consent, Éomer lent them two horses, [[Hasufel]] and [[Arod]], and asked them to prove his trust by returning them to Edoras.
   
   
On [[30 February]] they encountered [[Éomer]]<ref name="Great"/> and his [[éored]] who had slaughtered the Orc-band the day before and were on the way back to [[Edoras]]. Éomer demanded their names and business and fighting almost broke out between Gimli and Éomer.  Aragorn prevented the fight and Éomer listened to their story of their journey and the losses of [[Gandalf]], [[Boromir]], and the two young hobbits.  Although Éomer believed that the hobbits must have been slain in the attack, he lent them two horses— [[Hasufel]] and [[Arod]]—and asked them to prove his trust by bringing them back to Edoras.
With their horses, the Three Hunters reached the eaves of Fangorn at evening. Finding no trace of the hobbits before dark, they camped there to wait for daylight. During the night they encountered a vanishing old man and found their horses missing. The next morning, on [[1 March]]<ref name="Great"/>, they found signs of the hobbits that led them into Fangorn, where they met [[Gandalf|Gandalf the White]]. Gandalf shared news and insight with them, among which was that the hobbits were safe with [[Treebeard]]. The three companions discovered that Hasufel and Arod had met Gandalf's horse [[Shadowfax]] in the night, and they rode with Gandalf to the aid of Rohan at Edoras.
 
Later, after the [[Battle of the Hornburg]] and the Ents' destruction of Isengard, the Three Hunters, in the company of Gandalf and the Rohirrim, reunited with Merry and Pippin at Isengard on [[5 March]].<ref name="Great"/> The Fellowship's paths diverged afterwards, but Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli remained constant companions to the end of the [[War of the Ring]].
   
   
With their horses, the Three Hunters followed Éomer's instructions and reached the outskirts of [[Fangorn Forest]].  As night fell they encountered an old man who vanished, as did their horses.<ref name="Riders"/>  On [[1 March]] Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli met[[Gandalf]] the White and their hunt was over, although it was not until [[5 March]] that they again saw Merry and Pippin at [[Isengard]].<ref name="Great"/>  Later the two hobbits would follow other paths during the [[War of the Ring]] but Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli stayed together to the end.
{{references|notes}}
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[[Category:Epithets]]
[[Category:Epithets]]
[[fi:Kolme ajomiestä]]
[[fi:Kolme ajomiestä]]

Latest revision as of 13:31, 9 November 2022

The Plains of Rohan by Alan Lee
"With hope or without hope we will follow the trail of our enemies. And woe to them, if we prove the swifter! We will make such a chase as shall be accounted a marvel among the Three Kindreds: Elves, Dwarves, and Men. Forth the Three Hunters!"
― Aragorn in The Two Towers, "The Departure of Boromir"

The "Three Hunters" was the name Aragorn gave to himself, Legolas, and Gimli when they began pursuing the Uruk-hai who had captured Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took by Nen Hithoel at the Breaking of the Fellowship.

History[edit | edit source]

The Three Hunters set out from Nen Hithoel on the evening of 26 February T.A. 3019[1]. With Aragorn's tracking skill, they followed the Uruks' trail through the night across the Emyn Muil, where they found five Orcs who had been slain by their own company. At dawn, they reached the East Wall of Rohan and descended into the Eastemnet. There, Aragorn found Pippin's Elven brooch, which the hobbit had dropped as a sign to whomever of the Fellowship might follow them.

The companions continued swiftly across the plains of Rohan till nightfall, when they faced the dilemma of losing the trail in the dark or losing time by waiting for morning. Though doubting himself, Aragorn chose to rest for the night. When they rose, they found that the Uruks had gone far ahead of them. They tirelessly pursued their quarry north-westward the rest of that day, but sensed the will of Saruman slowing them down and giving speed to the Uruks. They slept another night and marched another day, growing weary and losing hope.

After another night's rest, they rose on 30 February[1] and encountered Éomer and his éored, who were returning to Edoras after slaughtering the Orc-band outside Fangorn Forest the day before. Suspicious of the travellers, Éomer sternly questioned them and almost came to blows with Gimli and Legolas, but Aragorn intervened and gave him an account of themselves and their journey. Éomer marvelled to find that the companions had travelled forty-five leagues[note 1] in only three days, for which he called Aragorn Wingfoot. Éomer told them about Rohan's troubles and requested their aid, but Aragorn refused to desert Merry and Pippin while hope of finding them remained. Acting against Rohan's law by letting strangers wander the land without the king's consent, Éomer lent them two horses, Hasufel and Arod, and asked them to prove his trust by returning them to Edoras.

With their horses, the Three Hunters reached the eaves of Fangorn at evening. Finding no trace of the hobbits before dark, they camped there to wait for daylight. During the night they encountered a vanishing old man and found their horses missing. The next morning, on 1 March[1], they found signs of the hobbits that led them into Fangorn, where they met Gandalf the White. Gandalf shared news and insight with them, among which was that the hobbits were safe with Treebeard. The three companions discovered that Hasufel and Arod had met Gandalf's horse Shadowfax in the night, and they rode with Gandalf to the aid of Rohan at Edoras.

Later, after the Battle of the Hornburg and the Ents' destruction of Isengard, the Three Hunters, in the company of Gandalf and the Rohirrim, reunited with Merry and Pippin at Isengard on 5 March.[1] The Fellowship's paths diverged afterwards, but Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli remained constant companions to the end of the War of the Ring.

Notes

  1. ↑ That is, 135 miles or 217 kilometres.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years"
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