Nar (companion of Bilbo)

From Tolkien Gateway

Template:Disputedcanon

The name Nar refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Nár (disambiguation).
Nar
Dwarf
Biographical Information
BirthThird Age
Physical Description
GenderMale
"What fun to be off again, off on the Road with dwarves! This is what I have really been longing for, for years! Goodbye!"
Bilbo Baggins

Nar was one of the Dwarves that helped Bilbo Baggins on the preparations for his big birthday feast.

Bilbo had ordered presents from Erebor and Dale,[note 1] and in September dwarves with long beards and deep hoods driving a wagon came to Hobbiton. Some of them, stayed in Bag End for the following days doing preparations.

After Bilbo's disappearance trick, he returned invisible to Bag End while dwarves were doing work in various rooms, packing and labelling Bilbo's farewell presents. Bilbo took his stuff and had a quarrel with Gandalf about leaving his magic ring behind. After the dialogue, Bilbo whistled and Nar, Anar and Hannar, came and said that everything was ready and labelled. Then they took off.[1]

Other versions

The names of Nar, Anar and Hannar appear in the early writings of the chapter "A Long-expected Party", where Nar was given some dialogue and a bit more development. However, Tolkien later changed his mind, and did not disclose their names in the published book nor gave him any dialogue; the name Nár was given to a different dwarf in the final work.

In that early text also, except the three dwarves who accompanied Bilbo, there was a fourth dwarf, Lofar, who stayed behind, but there is no trace or mention of him in the published book.[2]

Etymology

Nár is a dwarf from the Dvergatal. His name means "Corpse".[3]

Notes

  1. As such, Nar and his companions are probably Dwarves of Erebor.

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "A Long-expected Party"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Return of the Shadow, "The Second Phase: XIV. Return to Hobbiton"
  3. Chester Nathan Gould, "Dwarf-Names: A Study in Old Icelandic Religion", published in Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, Vol 44 (1929), issue #4, pp. 939-967