Turtle-fish: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:Fell turtles.jpg|frame|''Fell turtle'' by [[Quinton Hoover]]]]  
[[Image:Fell turtles.jpg|frame|''Fell turtle'' by [[Quinton Hoover]]]]  
'''Turtle-fishes''' were a legendary race of giant sea monsters, mentioned only in [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] verse. The last of the Turtle-fishes was named ''[[Fastitocalon]]''.<ref name=Poem>{{AB|Fastitocalon}}</ref>
'''Turtle-fish''' was a legendary race of giant sea monsters, mentioned only in [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] verse. The last of the Turtle-fish was named ''[[Fastitocalon]]''.<ref name=Poem>{{AB|Fastitocalon}}</ref>


The turtle-fishes appeared as treacherous islands, really being monsters capable of drowning seafarers.<ref name=L255>{{L|255}}; see also "[[Eileen Elgar 5 March 1964]]" (letter)</ref><ref name=Poem/>
Turtle-fish appeared as treacherous islands, really being monsters capable of drowning seafarers.<ref name=L255>{{L|255}}; see also "[[Eileen Elgar 5 March 1964]]" (letter)</ref><ref name=Poem/>


==Inspiration==
==Inspiration==
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==Portrayal in adaptations==
==Portrayal in adaptations==
''[[Middle-earth Role Playing]]'':'''
''[[Middle-earth Role Playing]]'':'''
:Turtle-fishes, also called ''Fell Turtles'' and ''Festitycelyn'', are described as monsters that can grow as large as fifty feet in length, and that live both in the seas and in the large rivers and lakes.<ref>{{ICE|2012}}</ref><ref>{{ICE|2025}}</ref><ref>{{ICE|8040}}</ref>
:Turtle-fish, also called ''Fell Turtles'' and ''Festitycelyn'', are described as monsters that can grow as large as fifty feet in length, and that live both in the seas and in the large rivers and lakes.<ref>{{ICE|2012}}</ref><ref>{{ICE|2025}}</ref><ref>{{ICE|8040}}</ref>


''[[Middle-earth Collectible Card Game]]'':'''
''[[Middle-earth Collectible Card Game]]'':'''

Revision as of 20:26, 16 October 2010

Turtle-fish was a legendary race of giant sea monsters, mentioned only in Hobbit verse. The last of the Turtle-fish was named Fastitocalon.[1]

Turtle-fish appeared as treacherous islands, really being monsters capable of drowning seafarers.[2][1]

Inspiration

J.R.R. Tolkien was inspired by an Old English bestiary, appearing in the Exeter Book. The idea of giant marine turtles ultimately derives from Eastern myths, and in the European versions the monster is often confused with whales.[2]

The fastitocalon also reminds of the biblical/kanaanite leviathan.[3]

Other version of the legendarium

It is never explained whether the turtle-fish was an actual race or just a fictional character for the poem "Fastitocalon". In an earlier version of the legendarium, Ulmo, Lord of the Waters, uses his giant whale, Uin, to drag Tol Eressëa towards Aman.[4] This whale reappears in J.R.R. Tolkien's story Roverandom. It is thinkable that Tolkien, in an early phase of the mythology, imagined the fastitocalon to be another one of Ulmo's creatures.

Portrayal in adaptations

Middle-earth Role Playing:

Turtle-fish, also called Fell Turtles and Festitycelyn, are described as monsters that can grow as large as fifty feet in length, and that live both in the seas and in the large rivers and lakes.[5][6][7]

Middle-earth Collectible Card Game:

The card "Fell Turtle", released in the set METW, is a Hazard Creature.

References

Legendary races of Arda
 Animals:  Dumbledors · Gorcrows · Hummerhorns · Pards · Swans of Gorbelgod · Turtle-fish
Dragon-kind:  Sea-serpents · Spark-dragons · Were-worms
Evil Races:  Ettens · Giants · Half-trolls · Hobgoblins · Ogres · Snow-trolls · Two-headed Trolls
Other:  Badger-folk · Great beasts · Lintips · Mewlips · Nameless things · Spectres
Individuals:  Talking Gurthang · Talking purse · The Hunter · Lady of the Sun · Lonely Troll · Man in the Moon · The Rider · River-woman · Tarlang · Tim · Tom · White cow