Volume 7 Number 1 Article 1

3-15-1980

Tolkien’s Lore: The Songs of Middle-earth

Diane Marchesani

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Recommended Citation Marchesani, Diane (1980) "Tolkien’s Lore: The Songs of Middle-earth," Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature: Vol. 7 : No. 1 , Article 1. Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol7/iss1/1

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Abstract Examines and categorizes the over sixty examples of folk-songs and poems in Middle-earth—songs of lore, ballads, ballad-style, and nonsense songs.

Additional Keywords Folk song; Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings—Songs; Annalee Peoples

This article is available in Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol7/iss1/1 TOLKIEN'S LORE: THE SONGS OF MIDDLE-EARTH BY DIANA MARCHESANI

This paper examines Tolkien's songs as the folk­ own people, the Eldar. He was not only a master of lore of Middle-earth. By defining folklore and cat­ healing but the only living being who remembered the egorizing the verse from the trilogy I hope to show ancient ballads completely as they had been. The that the songs are an integral part of the narrative, wizard's specialty was hobbit-lore. Gandalf Mith- a small though colorful segment of the vast scheme randir, the Grey Pilgrim, was the only one of the of histories and cultures that Professor Tolkien de­ wise, the Istari, to take up such an obscure subject. vised for his creation. One need only explain to His interest extended beyond it, however. He was what purpose these sixty-odd poems are included in the most powerful wizard living. "I once knew every the narrative. spell in all the tongues of Elves or Men or Orcs Folkways and traditions can provide invaluable that was ever used," (for opening doors), he says of insights into the culture and attitudes of a civ ili­ himself. He spoke to all men and other folk in zation. In older and less progressive societies their native languages. than ours one often finds ancient, unbroken customs, Deep knowledge of ancient lore proved as devas­ some of which govern every important step of the tating through some as it was beneficial when emp­ people's lives from birth to death. The habits, loyed by Elrond and Gandalf. Sauron, the Enemy, traditions of long standing, are generally referred whose evil enabled him to create the One Ring—an to as folklore. More specifically, folklore con­ attempt to conquer the world—was finally overthrown sists of: 10 myths, legends, stories: 2) riddles, by his greatest achievement. Yet the destruction he proverbs; 3) charms, spells, omens; 4) ballads; 5) had already caused was enough to bring to a close plant lore and customs. Folklore of a less techni­ the Third Age of Middle-earth. Saruman the White, cal society involves its members actively, while a another of the Istari, had at one time been as pow­ culture such as ours affects a sophistication that erful and learned as Gandalf. His research centered holds such in contempt. Traditionally, a people on the East, where he had often traveled, and later transmit their lore orally from generation to gener­ turned to Sauron. Intensive study of evil and the ation. It serves, if sometimes inaccurately, to re­ Enemy e v e n tu a lly tw is te d h is m ind. cord their history. Besides Aragorn Elessar, heir of the last of J. R. R. Tolkien, in his epic trilogy, presents the kings, the most learned mortal was Denethor, a civilization with,a folklore as alive and complex Steward of Gondor. "There lie in his hoards many as any we know. The Lord of the Rings reveals an records that few now can read, even of the lore mas­ entire wbrld which extends over thousands of years, ters, for their scripts and tongues have become dark beyond three ages. Its folklore appears in the to later men". Like Saruman, Denethor, who lived verse of its folk, taking different forms. Elves, too near the borders of Mordor, succumbed to evil, Men, Hobbits, and other beings call upon the rhymes while Aragorn conquered to reign as the first king of their forefathers for knowledge, aid and enter­ of the Fourth Age. Bilbo was quite a student of tainment. In fact, there are as many different lore in his own right. Evidences of his life's work types of folklore in Tolkien's world as there are in are the narrative of his journey into the East, our own. Tales from history, such as those found in There and Back Again, and the three volumes of the Red Book of Westmarch, and songs reporting great Translations from the Elvish affixed to the Red Book. deeds, from the ancient Fall of Gil-Galad translated Songs and singing were a very serious affair to by Bilbo to his own Song o f Eärendil. are fine exam­ the Eldar or High Elves, the Edain or Fathers of Men, ples of preserved stories, myths and legends. The and their descendants in Middle-earth. Songs had a Hobbit contains some marvelous riddles, and proverbs soothing virtue. Those who sang felt their troubles are frequent in the trilogy. Gandalf's spells, the lifted from them. The verse of the Dunedain and dream prophecy of Faramir and his brother, the in­ Elves often took the form of high praise to deserv­ cantation of the barrow-wight, all fit into the ing heroes or even prayer to their protectors over third category—charms, spells, and omens. Both ly­ the Sea. The most beautiful of these is the Refrain ric and narrative ballads are sung or chanted after to ELbereth which is used no less than four times. the fashion of their composers. We are even allowed Elbereth Gilthoniel was the queen of the Valar, an­ a glimpse of customs in the funeral rites of fallen gelic guardians of Middle-earth. She set as a star fighters, and of plant lore in the Houses of Healing. a Silm aril, a precious-stone, in the sky through These song-poems record the past experiences and be­ which she watched over the lands. All who prayed to l i e f s o f th e p eo p le who made them. L ike tr u e f o lk her for help were answered. At a painful time, when rhymes, they are held in memory and sung as learned two of his companions had been captured by a war- from others. Bilbo's parting request of Frodo in party of Orcs, Legolas the Elf sang as he paced R iv e n d e ll i l l u s t r a t e s t h i s : "Take as much care o f through the night. "And as he sang the white stars yourself as you can, and bring back all the news you opened in the black vault above" and the light which can, and^any old tales or songs you can come by". pierced the darkness brought comfort. Noble, learned folk who studied the traditions Not all the peoples of Middle-earth had such a of Middle-earth were known as lore-masters. Of high regard for song, or people who studied lore. these the greatest was Elrond Half-elven, and with Beregond of the Tower Guard in Gondor praised his him Gandalf the Grey. Both were ageless and infin­ captain in these words: 'He is bold, more bold than itely knowledgeable. Rivendell, home of Elrond, was many deem; f o r in th e s e days men a re slow to b e lie v e well-stocked with books of history and verse. His that a captain can be wise and learned in scrolls of main interest was, understandably, the lore of his lore and songs, as he is, and yet a man of hardihood and swift judgement in the field. But such is Fara­ This essay is a condensation. D iane m ir. ’ M a r c h e s - ani died M ay 20, 1978, at the age of Hobbits often went as far as ridicule. The el­ 2 3 . O u r thanks to her parents, M arie and John vish strain in Bilbo (from his Fallowhide ancestors), Marchesani, for permission to publish. the part that made him turn out odd bits of verse 3 sind read p o e tr y a t b an q u ets (when e v e r y o n e knows touches on many moments of consequence in Tolkien'S eating is the first order of business), was what led narrative. The history it describes has triggered his neighbors and relatives to think him peculiar. the events which compose the epic. Bilbo and Frodo, his adopted heir, both had a very II. There are many examples of charms, spells un-hobbitish taste for elvish ways. Although they and omens. Gandalf splutters spells through The are merry at times, there is a certain gravity about Fellowship until his disappearance in Moria. them which separates them from their own kind. Omens and p r o p h e c ie s w ere o f much im p ortan ce to "'Not,'" Bilbo admits, "'that hobbits would ever ac­ the inhabitants of Middle-earth." The Eldar, wizards, quire quite the elvish appetite for music and poetry and Dúnedain inherited foresight as a characteristic and tales. They seem to like it as much as food or of their races. Intent on planning the future, they more'". Merry and Pippin are more typical. Frodo were often known to receive a vision of the order of takes them at their word when they sing of leaving things to come. Conversely, Mithrandir and Elrond before dawn. Pippin quickly rejects this unheard-of both sighed at times, "the end is dark to me. . . . proposal. "'Oh! That was poetry!'" he replies. I cannot see how it w ill come out." On his return Despite their carefree attitude the three hob­ from the Lonely Mountain, Bilbo realized that his bits who travel with Frodo learn the true signifi­ efforts had helped to bring about the fulfillm ent of cance of song. Sam twice receives aid from Elbereth, the ancient prophecies. Through their efforts to crying out in melodic relief. On the verge of a project, however uncertainly, the results of future battle Merry pleads to be allowed to ride: "'I events, we see that theirs is a fated, determined would not have it said of me in song only that I was universe. Eru, creator of Middle-earth acknowledged always left behind'". To Pippin, sworn into service as the "One-God" of ELves and Men, controls his cre­ of the stem Steward of Gondor, enlightenment comes a t io n . more severely. When asked if he can sing, Pippin Prophecies occur in two other forms in the tri— replies: 'Well, yes, well enough for my own people. logy: the direct prediction, passed down tradition­ But we have no songs fit for great halls and evil ally until it comes to pass, and the dream-prophecy. times, lord.'. . . He did not relish the idea of Malbeth, called the Seer, a Dúnadan with unusual singing any song of the Shire to the Lord of Minas powers of foresight, predicted the coming of Elen- Tirith, certainly not the comic ones he knew best. d il's heir who would free the spirits dwelling under Tolkien's World is so consistent that the char­ the mountains beyond Dunharrow. When Aragorn choos­ acteristics of the different folk who populate it es to ride the Paths of the Dead in a short cut to appear in their songs. The ballads of the ELves can Gondor's aid, he fu lfills this rhyme. Of the second belong to no one else, and the hobbit-songs are as type, an example is the verse which haunts every merry and fond of creature-comforts as they. character in The Lord of the Rings. Faramir's dream, related by Boromir at Elrond's Council, predicts the Four Types of Folklore doom of Middle-earth, draws together all the lore of LOBE the past two ages. Of the variety of song-poems those considered III. Amid other Bhymes of Lore we glimpse the lore or lore rhymes in this context are not necessar­ folk medicine of these people. Athelas, asea aran­ ily musical in nature because they have another spe­ ion, commonly called K ingsfoil, had previously been cific function than giving pleasure. The types of used, only to clear the air of a sick room or ease a verse from the trilogy which belong in in this cate­ headache. However, the herb-master remembers: gory come from the second, third and fifth sections When th e b la c k b r e a th b low s of the folklore definition: riddles and proverbs, to and death's shadow grows which I add the Rhymes of Lore; charms, spells, and and all lights pass, omens or prophecies; plant lore and customs. come athelas! come athelas! I. When seeking the answer to a problem these Life to the dying folk often turned to proverbs. Sam's Gaffer was a In the king's hand lying! veritable goldmine of stored sayings. The 'Elves re­ "Doggerel" undoubtedly, yet it holds the answer to peat the one most frequently used to Frodo when he many perplexities. Aragom saves the lives of Fara— asks for advice in The Fellowship: "Do not meddle mir, now Steward of Gondor since his father's sui­ in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and cide, Eowyn of Bohan, and Merry Brandybuck by his quick to anger". Even the Elves aren't certain how application of the herb. In this way he was first to deal with the Istari. Frodo smiles and returns revealed as the predicted king to his people for, with a Shire by-line. "And it is also said: Go not "the hands of the king are the hands of a healer, to the Elves for counsel, for they w ill say both no and so shall the rightful king be known". and yes". Our ancient cliches sometimes offer tried BALLADS solutions to fresh problems. Such were these pro­ Tolkien embellishes his narrative with many verbs of Middle-earth which spoke real truths in songs. Those classified as ballads a r e distinguish­ their unpretentious fashion. able from the other songs by a content of more strin­ A marvelous tête-à-tête between Gollum and Bil­ gent intensity, a higher compositional quality, and bo occurs in The Hobbit through which we learn sev­ a higher sense of lyricism. eral popular riddles. Some are already familiar to The lyric ballads tend to be a deep and person­ us, and each of them reflects the character of the al expression often sung by someone overwhelmed with questioner. emotion. In The Two Towers Aragorn looks over the The most influential song-poems under this plains to Gondor, the city of his hereditary king­ heading are the Bhymes of Lore. Gandalf mentions dom. He is embarked on an almost hopeless rescue their existence first in The Two Towers, but they which w ill carry him far from it. "Not yet," he continually enter the narrative as significant ev­ sighs, "does my road lie southward to your bright ents arise. The palantir of Orthanc, a seeing-stone streams". Then, unable to contain his thoughts, he used somewhat like a two-way crystal ball, came ac­ bursts forth in verse. The lyrics a r e simple, but ross the Sea with the Men of Numenor. After its highly charged. He expresses in them all his doubts discovery at the conference with Saruman Gandalf re­ about the future, not only the wish to reach Gondor. lates part of its history. Others include the Ents' This song is not really melancholy bub keenly sensi­ and the Lore of Living Creatures, both introduced by tive; full of the life and longing and love of the Fangom. The most consequential lore-rhyme, however man who s in g s i t . in The Lord of the Bings appears in The Fellowship. Folk ballads that we know fam iliarly often tell The two lines inscribed in Elvish on the inside of a story musically. The suspense builds through rep­ Frodo's ring come from this verse "long known in etition, incremental or refrain, dealing with a pre­ Elvish lore". The whole poem condenses the history sent situation, and narrative detail, sometimes of the Bings of Power forged by the Elves and Sauron flashback. Usually the story revolves around one at a time previous to his estrangement from the free incident in climax. Narrative ballads of Middle- peoples. Even when superficially explained it earth on the other hand relate lengthy histories,

4 unified topically or biographically. Naturally the ally tricky. Bhyme schemes are intricate, often in­ selections we read are fragments. Like English folk volving internal rhymes and extended use of same- songs they exist in fluid forms. Their merit de­ sounds. Different kinds of repetition complicate pends largely upon the skill of the narrator. Elves the patterns and add to their euphonious quality. and Aragorn were the most consistently capable story­ tellers. The finest is undoubtedly the Tale of Tin- There is a simpler kind of nonsense song, which úviel. It blends the beauty of expression found in tr ills good-humoredly about something pleasant. the lyrical ballads with historical narrative. Pippin's Bath Song has an unassuming technique. The Throughout, the sensitivity to sound-image gives the inverted "water hot" every fourth line calls atten­ song much of its merit, helping to set up the com­ tion to the major topic of interest. Here is noth­ plex relationships between the setting and mood as ing spectacular; mere philosophical expoundings upon they are affected by the Elf-queen and her mortal the virtues and uses of hot water. lo v e r . The Ent and the Entwife is closest in style of While reviewing these forms of folklore Tol­ all Tolkien's songs to traditional ballads of Fran­ kien's "scheme" becomes clear. The songs are integ­ cis J. Child vintage. Two obvious sim ilarities are ral to the narrative. They tell parts of the story the standard question/answer format and use of in­ themselves in a way that could not be accomplished cremental repetition. These techniques emphasize by prose alone, because verse has a different effect the theme: disagreement and desire for reconcilia­ upon us. When Frodo's muffled song in the Old For­ tion between the farm— and field —loving Entwives and est dies out finally, the stillness and stifling their wild, forest-loving mates. pressure feels more depressing to the reader as well as the hobbits. The rhymes serve to intensify, ra­ BALLAD-STILE ther than lighten as some have remarked, the circum­ The common folk of Middle-earth fa ll into verse stances they define. The mood introduced by the nearly as easily as Elves and Dunedain. The light, sweetly sad Tale of Tinuviel is a startling preface easy style in which they rendered their feelings to the murderous attack of the Nazgûl on Weathertop. mirrors somewhat elven ballads. These songs, writ­ Through his songs Tolkien's characters reveal their ten in a "ballad-style," are most often original, f e e lin g s and p e r s o n a lit ie s q u ite as much or more even spontaneous. They include walking-songs, short than through their prose dialogue and their actions. elegies, and traditional songs. They differ from Bilbo, pausing on the threshold at his final depar­ the ballads in their simpler style, often awkward ture from Bag End, softly pours out the urgent de­ phrasing, and generally uneven meters. sire to follow the road. We and Gandalf feel a qui­ et thrill as he slips off into the night with the NONSENSE three dwarves. Throughout the trilogy Tolkien's nonsense Tolkien's verse is indispensable to his narra­ rhymes remain one of its most purely enjoyable fea­ tive. It is as varied as his characters and situa­ tures. These songs are at once carefree, silly and tions, for every being and event delivers something clever, but above all fun. Tolkien seems to have of itself to its song. Close study of the poems had as much fun with them as the readers do. They from the traditions of each race reveal these quali­ are generally rhythmic rather than metrical. A few, ties. The strongly marked style of Eohirric songs such as The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late, have (all of which we read in Westron) are easily dis­ regular feet and a consistent number of stressed tinguishable from those of the dwarves or hobbits, syllables per line. In writing these, Tolkien em­ Elves or Dunedain. The manner of phrasing, the ver­ ployed extensive assonance, consonance, alliteration, sification, mirrors in every case the characteris­ and single word repetition. The phrasing is unusu­ tics of the kind of folk.

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