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'''Lebethron''' was a tree that grew in [[Gondor]]; little is known of it, except that it was fair, and beloved by the woodworkers of that land. The staves given by [[Faramir son of Denethor II|Faramir]] to [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[Sam]] were made of lebethron wood, as was the casket in which he brought the [[Crown of Gondor]] to the coronation of [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]].
'''Lebethron''' was a hardwood tree that grew in [[Ithilien]].
 
==History==
Lebethron was said to befair, and beloved by the woodworkers of Gondor.<ref name="XR">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', ''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[Journey to the Cross-Roads]]"</ref> The staves given by [[Faramir son of Denethor II|Faramir]] to [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[Sam]] were made of lebethron<ref name="XR", as was the casket in which he brought the [[Crown of Gondor]] to the coronation of [[Aragorn II|Elessar]].<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', ''[[The Return of the King]]'', "[[The Steward and the King]]"</ref>
==Etymology==
==Etymology==
May originate in the word “lebed”=finger in [[Sindarin]] and it might have to do with the shape of its leaves.
''Lebethron'' was a [[Gondor Sindarin]] word. The fist element was ''lebeth'', was related to [[Quenya]] ''lepsë'',<ref name="PE17">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Christopher Gilson]] (ed.), "Words, Phrases & Passages in ''The Lord of the Rings''", published in [[Parma Eldalamberon]] [[Parma Eldalamberon 17|#17]] (July [[2007]]), page 89.</ref> "finger".<ref name="etym">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Christopher Tolkien]], ''[[The Lost Road and Other Writings]]'', "[[The Etymologies]]"</ref> The second element was said to be derived from ''[[oron]]'', "tree", though a later addition also ties it to the [[Sundocarmë|root]] ''RUN'', "rub, grind, smooth, polish". In this light, the tree was named ''lebethorn'', and the wood of the tree ''lebethron'', and the two words merged into one over time.<ref name="PE17"/> [[Didier Willis]] has speculated that it was the "finger-oak", or ''Quercus Digitata'',<ref>[[Didier Willis]], "[http://www.jrrvf.com/hisweloke/site3/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=62 Un arbre mystérieux : le lebethron]" (original, in French), "[http://www.jrrvf.com/hisweloke/site3/file/lebethron-part1.pdf Behind the leaves of the ''lebethron'': Tree and Oak]" (English draft), [http://www.jrrvf.com/hisweloke/site3/index.php?lng=fr Hiselokë], [[2003]]</ref> though the identification of the second element as ''oron'' rather than ''[[doron]]'', "oak", made that interpretation questionable.  


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[[Category:Trees]]
[[Category:Trees]]

Revision as of 21:22, 13 February 2009

Lebethron was a hardwood tree that grew in Ithilien.

History

Lebethron was said to befair, and beloved by the woodworkers of Gondor.[1] The staves given by Faramir to Frodo and Sam were made of lebethronCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many

Etymology

Lebethron was a Gondor Sindarin word. The fist element was lebeth, was related to Quenya lepsë,[2] "finger".[3] The second element was said to be derived from oron, "tree", though a later addition also ties it to the root RUN, "rub, grind, smooth, polish". In this light, the tree was named lebethorn, and the wood of the tree lebethron, and the two words merged into one over time.[2] Didier Willis has speculated that it was the "finger-oak", or Quercus Digitata,[4] though the identification of the second element as oron rather than doron, "oak", made that interpretation questionable.

References