Rhymes of Lore: Difference between revisions

From Tolkien Gateway
m (Bot Message: fixed unnecessary piped-link to Anárion)
(Oops. I removed a space in my previous edit. Putting it back.)
(5 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
'''A Rhyme of Lore''' is a poem found in Book 3, Chapter XI ([[The Palantir]]) of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.  It is sung by [[Gandalf]] when he is travelling to [[Minas Tirith]] with [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]]. The text is as follows:
'''Rhymes of Lore''' are small poems that refer to ancient events of history. Rhymes of Lore seem to originate from the [[Dúnedain]] of [[Arnor]], some were known to the [[Hobbits]] who also had some Rhymes of their own.<ref>{{TT|Palantir}}</ref> The [[Long List of the Ents]] may also be an example of Rhymes of Lore.<ref name=guide>{{HM|Guide}} p. 329</ref>


:''Tall ships and tall kings<br>Three times three,<br>What brought they from the foundered land <br>Over the flowing sea? <br>Seven stars and seven stones <br>And one white tree.''
On his way to [[Minas Tirith]] [[Gandalf]] mumbled to himself a Rhyme about the [[Downfall of Númenor]], causing [[Pippin]] to inquire about it.
 
:''Tall ships and [[High Men|tall kings]]<br>Three times three,<br>What brought they from the [[Númenor|foundered land]] <br>Over the [[Belegaer|flowing sea]]? <br>Seven stars and [[palantíri|seven stones]] <br>And one [[White Tree|white tree]].''<ref group=note>The rhyme is titled "A Rhyme of Lore"</ref>
The ships are the nine ships that survived the fall of [[Númenor]], sailed by [[Elendil]], [[Isildur]] and [[Anárion]].  The foundered land is Númenor itself.  The seven stones are the [[palantíri]], and the white tree is the sapling of [[Nimloth of Númenor|Nimloth]] preserved by Isildur before it was destroyed.
 
In his explanation of the poem to Pippin, Gandalf implies that this is one of many ''Rhymes of Lore''.  He also suggests that this one originates with the [[Dúnedain]] of [[Arnor]].


==Inspiration==
[[Robert Foster]] describes the Rhymes of Lore as a medium that aids the retention of ancient facts.<ref name=guide/> They are comparable to [[Wikipedia:Gnomic poetry#Medieval_and_early_modern_gnomic_literature|Gnomic Verses]] that preserve important ideas of the Anglo-Saxon society. Their rhyme make them easy to remember.<ref>{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.tolkiensociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Anglo-Saxon-Part-1.pdf|articlename=Tolkien Society Anglo-Saxon Study Pack 1|dated=2014|website=[http://www.tolkiensociety.org The Tolkien Society]}}</ref>
==Adaptations==
A musical version of this poem was recorded by the [[Tolkien Ensemble]] on their album ''A Night in Rivendell''.
A musical version of this poem was recorded by the [[Tolkien Ensemble]] on their album ''A Night in Rivendell''.
 
{{references|notes}}
[[Category:Poems by J.R.R. Tolkien]]
[[Category:Poems by J.R.R. Tolkien]]

Revision as of 09:06, 1 May 2018

Rhymes of Lore are small poems that refer to ancient events of history. Rhymes of Lore seem to originate from the Dúnedain of Arnor, some were known to the Hobbits who also had some Rhymes of their own.[1] The Long List of the Ents may also be an example of Rhymes of Lore.[2]

On his way to Minas Tirith Gandalf mumbled to himself a Rhyme about the Downfall of Númenor, causing Pippin to inquire about it.

Tall ships and tall kings
Three times three,
What brought they from the foundered land
Over the flowing sea?
Seven stars and seven stones
And one white tree.
[note 1]

Inspiration

Robert Foster describes the Rhymes of Lore as a medium that aids the retention of ancient facts.[2] They are comparable to Gnomic Verses that preserve important ideas of the Anglo-Saxon society. Their rhyme make them easy to remember.[3]

Adaptations

A musical version of this poem was recorded by the Tolkien Ensemble on their album A Night in Rivendell.

Notes

  1. The rhyme is titled "A Rhyme of Lore"

References