Post by Móreadhiel on Jan 16, 2007 14:06:56 GMT -5
Beorn Beorn by Ted Nasmith
Man who could turn into a bear. Beorn was of the race of Men, but he was a skinchanger who had the ability to transform into a large black bear. In his original form as a Man, Beorn was large with strong arms and legs and he had black hair, bushy eyebrows, and a beard. He was gruff and quick to anger but he was good at heart and was considered a great person by Gandalf the Grey.
Beorn's origins are unknown. He may have been akin to the first Men who lived in Northern Middle-earth. Gandalf speculated that Beorn may once have lived in the Misty Mountains. Beorn was familiar with the tunnels under the mountains and he hated the Orcs who lived there. He vowed that one day the Orcs of the Misty Mountains would perish and he would return.
Beorn lived between Mirkwood and the Anduin, directly east of the Carrock - a great rock in the middle of the river where Beorn had carved paths and stairs. Beorn's home was in a wood of oak trees north of the Old Forest Road. A thorn hedge surrounded his compound and inside were stables, barns, and sheds made of wood. His house was a long, low hall with two wings and a veranda.
Beorn grew flowers and clover and he had hives full of bees. A number of animals lived with him including cows, sheep, horses, ponies, and dogs. Beorn loved animals and he did not kill them for food. He ate mainly bread, honey, cream, and fruit and he had a secret recipe for twice-baked honeycakes.
Beorn kept mainly to himself though he was acquainted with some of the people who lived in the area including Radagast the Brown. In the summer of 2941, Gandalf came to visit with Bilbo Baggins and thirteen Dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield. Gandalf told Beorn that they had slain the Great Goblin of the Misty Mountains and had been pursued by Orcs and Wargs.
That night Beorn changed shape and held a meeting of bears from the surrounding area. Then Beorn crossed the Anduin and captured an Orc and a Warg who confirmed Gandalf's story. Beorn learned that the Orcs were still hunting for the Dwarves and were gathering their forces to seek revenge. The next day Beorn gave the Dwarves supplies and advice and lent them ponies to ride to the Forest Gate of Mirkwood.
Later that year, Beorn came to the Battle of the Five Armies in the form of a bear. He came to the aid of Thorin, who was gravely wounded, and carried the Dwarf out of the fray. Then Beorn slew the Orc leader Bolg and the other Orcs began to flee in terror. The Dwarves, Elves, and Men were filled with hope and they rallied and won the battle.
After the battle, Beorn resumed the form of a Man and he returned home accompanied by Gandalf and Bilbo. They celebrated Yuletide together and Beorn invited many Men from miles around to join them for a feast. Beorn became a great chief and his people were called the Beornings. His realm was a wide land in the Vales of the Anduin between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood. The Orcs did not dare to enter their land and the Beornings kept the High Pass and the ford across the Anduin open for travelers.
Beorn died sometime before the War of the Ring. He was succeeded by his son Grimbeorn. It was said that his descendants for many generations were skinchangers with the ability to assume bear form.
Etymology:
Beorn is an Old English word meaning "man, warrior." It originally meant "bear" and was derived from the word béo meaning "bee" in reference to a bear's love of honey.
The name Beorn is also related to the the Old Norse word bjorn meaning "bear." Bjorn - or Bjarni - was a man in the Norse legend "The Saga of Hrolf Kraki" who was cursed to become a bear by day and man by night. Bjorn's son Bothvarr Bjarki was able to send a bear-form into battle. Bjarki means "little bear."
Sources:
The Hobbit: "Queer Lodgings," passim; "The Return Journey," p. 302, 305-307
The Fellowship of the Ring: "Many Meetings," p. 241
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter #144
The Annotated Hobbit by Douglas Anderson: "Queer Lodgings," p. 164 note 4, 165 note 5
J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century by Tom Shippey: "The Hobbit - Reinventing Middle-earth," p. 31-32
Grimbeorn Decipher card of Grimbeorn
Leader of the Beornings during the War of the Ring. Grimbeorn was the son of Beorn - a Man with the ability to change into the form of a bear. Beorn's descendants were said to have this ability for many generations, so Grimbeorn may also have been a skinchanger.
Grimbeorn ruled many Men who lived in the Vales of the Anduin between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood. He and his people were valiant and trustworthy. Orcs and Wargs did not dare to enter their lands. The Beornings kept the High Pass and the fords across the Anduin open for travellers, though they charged high tolls.
Other Names:
Called Grimbeorn the Old.
Etymology:
Grimbeorn means "fierce warrior." The word grim means "fierce" and beorn means "man, warrior" in Old English.
Sources:
The Hobbit: "The Return Journey," p. 307
The Fellowship of the Ring: "Many Meetings," p. 241
Old English Made Easy
Man who could turn into a bear. Beorn was of the race of Men, but he was a skinchanger who had the ability to transform into a large black bear. In his original form as a Man, Beorn was large with strong arms and legs and he had black hair, bushy eyebrows, and a beard. He was gruff and quick to anger but he was good at heart and was considered a great person by Gandalf the Grey.
Beorn's origins are unknown. He may have been akin to the first Men who lived in Northern Middle-earth. Gandalf speculated that Beorn may once have lived in the Misty Mountains. Beorn was familiar with the tunnels under the mountains and he hated the Orcs who lived there. He vowed that one day the Orcs of the Misty Mountains would perish and he would return.
Beorn lived between Mirkwood and the Anduin, directly east of the Carrock - a great rock in the middle of the river where Beorn had carved paths and stairs. Beorn's home was in a wood of oak trees north of the Old Forest Road. A thorn hedge surrounded his compound and inside were stables, barns, and sheds made of wood. His house was a long, low hall with two wings and a veranda.
Beorn grew flowers and clover and he had hives full of bees. A number of animals lived with him including cows, sheep, horses, ponies, and dogs. Beorn loved animals and he did not kill them for food. He ate mainly bread, honey, cream, and fruit and he had a secret recipe for twice-baked honeycakes.
Beorn kept mainly to himself though he was acquainted with some of the people who lived in the area including Radagast the Brown. In the summer of 2941, Gandalf came to visit with Bilbo Baggins and thirteen Dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield. Gandalf told Beorn that they had slain the Great Goblin of the Misty Mountains and had been pursued by Orcs and Wargs.
That night Beorn changed shape and held a meeting of bears from the surrounding area. Then Beorn crossed the Anduin and captured an Orc and a Warg who confirmed Gandalf's story. Beorn learned that the Orcs were still hunting for the Dwarves and were gathering their forces to seek revenge. The next day Beorn gave the Dwarves supplies and advice and lent them ponies to ride to the Forest Gate of Mirkwood.
Later that year, Beorn came to the Battle of the Five Armies in the form of a bear. He came to the aid of Thorin, who was gravely wounded, and carried the Dwarf out of the fray. Then Beorn slew the Orc leader Bolg and the other Orcs began to flee in terror. The Dwarves, Elves, and Men were filled with hope and they rallied and won the battle.
After the battle, Beorn resumed the form of a Man and he returned home accompanied by Gandalf and Bilbo. They celebrated Yuletide together and Beorn invited many Men from miles around to join them for a feast. Beorn became a great chief and his people were called the Beornings. His realm was a wide land in the Vales of the Anduin between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood. The Orcs did not dare to enter their land and the Beornings kept the High Pass and the ford across the Anduin open for travelers.
Beorn died sometime before the War of the Ring. He was succeeded by his son Grimbeorn. It was said that his descendants for many generations were skinchangers with the ability to assume bear form.
Etymology:
Beorn is an Old English word meaning "man, warrior." It originally meant "bear" and was derived from the word béo meaning "bee" in reference to a bear's love of honey.
The name Beorn is also related to the the Old Norse word bjorn meaning "bear." Bjorn - or Bjarni - was a man in the Norse legend "The Saga of Hrolf Kraki" who was cursed to become a bear by day and man by night. Bjorn's son Bothvarr Bjarki was able to send a bear-form into battle. Bjarki means "little bear."
Sources:
The Hobbit: "Queer Lodgings," passim; "The Return Journey," p. 302, 305-307
The Fellowship of the Ring: "Many Meetings," p. 241
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter #144
The Annotated Hobbit by Douglas Anderson: "Queer Lodgings," p. 164 note 4, 165 note 5
J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century by Tom Shippey: "The Hobbit - Reinventing Middle-earth," p. 31-32
Grimbeorn Decipher card of Grimbeorn
Leader of the Beornings during the War of the Ring. Grimbeorn was the son of Beorn - a Man with the ability to change into the form of a bear. Beorn's descendants were said to have this ability for many generations, so Grimbeorn may also have been a skinchanger.
Grimbeorn ruled many Men who lived in the Vales of the Anduin between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood. He and his people were valiant and trustworthy. Orcs and Wargs did not dare to enter their lands. The Beornings kept the High Pass and the fords across the Anduin open for travellers, though they charged high tolls.
Other Names:
Called Grimbeorn the Old.
Etymology:
Grimbeorn means "fierce warrior." The word grim means "fierce" and beorn means "man, warrior" in Old English.
Sources:
The Hobbit: "The Return Journey," p. 307
The Fellowship of the Ring: "Many Meetings," p. 241
Old English Made Easy
