Thain's Book

From Tolkien Gateway
Thain's Book
Manuscript
LocationGreat Smials
OwnerTook Family
AppearanceSeveral volumes bound in leather
CreatorBilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins, Findegil, Barahir
Between Fo.A. 13 and 63

The Thain's Book was a copy of the Red Book of Westmarch made in the Shire and later augmented with additions made in Minas Tirith.

History[edit | edit source]

King Elessar requested a copy of the Red Book of the Periannath from the Shire, and this book was the first copy ever made, and had most of its original contents, such as Bilbo's "Translations from the Elvish". Thain Peregrin Took brought it to Gondor in Fo.A. 63. In Minas Tirith, this book received many annotations and corrections (particularly of Elvish names, words, and quotations).[1] A Gondorian commentator noted on that book that Frodo Baggins could not understand well the Sindarin spoken by the Galadhrim because of their "accent".[2]

It was also enhanced with an abbreviated version of "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen" (originally written by Barahir, the grandson of Faramir) concentrating on the parts outside of the context of the War of the Ring.[1]

It is believed that the great-grandson of Peregrin requested in turn an exact copy of that book, and in Fo.A. 172, the King's Writer, Findegil, made an exact copy of the book in Minas Tirith, and that copy was brought and kept in the Great Smials.[1]

Other subsequent copies of the Red Book omit Bilbo's "Translations", so the copy of the Great Smials was of particular interest, as they are preserved only there.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "Prologue", "Note on the Shire Records"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F, "The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age", "Of the Elves"