Turtle-fish: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:Fell turtles.jpg|frame|''Fell turtle'' by [[Quinton Hoover]]]]  
[[File:Quinton Hoover - Fell turtles.jpg|frame|[[Quinton Hoover]] - ''Fell turtle'']]  
'''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>
'''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>


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


==Inspiration==
==Inspiration==


[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] was inspired by an [[Old English]] bestiary, appearing in the [[Wikipedia:Exeter Book|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.<ref name=L255/>
[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] was inspired by an [[Old English]] bestiary, appearing in the [[Wikipedia:Exeter Book|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.<ref name=L255/>
The fastitocalon also reminds of the biblical/kanaanite [[Wikipedia:leviathan|leviathan]].<ref>''The Bible'',  Job 41:1-34.</ref>


==Other version of the legendarium==
==Other version of the legendarium==
Line 15: Line 13:


==Portrayal in adaptations==
==Portrayal in adaptations==
''[[Middle-earth Role Playing]]'':'''
'''1982-2007: ''[[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.<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]]'':'''
'''1995-1997: ''[[Middle-earth Collectible Card Game]]'':'''
:The card "Fell Turtle", released in the set ''[[Middle-earth: The Wizards|METW]]'', is a Hazard Creature.
:The card "Fell Turtle", released in the set ''[[Middle-earth: The Wizards|METW]]'', is a Hazard Creature.
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:''Dread-turtles'', huge reptiles with spiky shells, are possibly inspired by the Turtle-fish. The largest dread-turtle, found in [[Rohan]], is referred to as the Fastitocalon.
{{references}}
{{references}}
{{Legend}}
{{Legend}}
[[Category:Creatures]]
[[Category:Other races]]

Latest revision as of 22:58, 15 February 2021

Quinton Hoover - Fell turtle

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[edit | edit source]

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]

Other version of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

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.[3] 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[edit | edit source]

1982-2007: 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.[4][5][6]

1995-1997: Middle-earth Collectible Card Game:

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

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Dread-turtles, huge reptiles with spiky shells, are possibly inspired by the Turtle-fish. The largest dread-turtle, found in Rohan, is referred to as the Fastitocalon.

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