Nan-tathren: Difference between revisions

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'''Nan-tathren''', the "'''Land of Willows'''", was a region in [[Beleriand]]. It was located where the River [[Narog]] met the great River [[Sirion]], a little to the north of the [[Mouths of Sirion]].<ref name=S14/>
'''Nan-tathren''', the "'''Land of Willows'''", was a region in [[Beleriand]]. It was located where the River [[Narog]] met the great River [[Sirion]], a little to the north of the [[Mouths of Sirion]].<ref name=S14/>
==History==
==History==
Famed for its [[willows]] and its flowered meadows, Nan-tathren was a desolate land.<ref name=S14>{{S|14}}</ref> The region played little part in the history of [[Arda]], and was perhaps inhabited by [[Ents]]<ref>{{webcite|articleurl=http://lalaith.vpsurf.de/Tolkien/The_History_of_Ents.html#FA|articlename=History of the Ents|author=[[Andreas Moehn]]|website=[http://lalaith.vpsurf.de/M-earth.html Middle-earth science page]}}</ref>.  
Famed for its [[willows]] and its flowered meadows, Nan-tathren was a desolate land.<ref name=S14>{{S|14}}</ref> The region played little part in the history of [[Arda]], and was perhaps inhabited by [[Ents]]<ref>{{webcite|articleurl=http://lalaith.vpsurf.de/Tolkien/The_History_of_Ents.html#FA|articlename=History of the Ents|author=[[Andreas Moehn]]|website=Lalaith}}</ref>.  


After [[Morgoth]]'s triumph in the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]], his [[Orcs]] and [[wolves]] are said to have roamed even the distant southern lands of Nan-tathren and [[Ossiriand]], causing none of the [[Free Peoples]] in Beleriand to be secure.<ref>{{S|20}}</ref>
After [[Morgoth]]'s triumph in the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]], his [[Orcs]] and [[wolves]] are said to have roamed even the distant southern lands of Nan-tathren and [[Ossiriand]], causing none of the [[Free Peoples]] in Beleriand to be secure.<ref>{{S|20}}</ref>

Revision as of 10:55, 15 November 2012

Nan-tathren, the "Land of Willows", was a region in Beleriand. It was located where the River Narog met the great River Sirion, a little to the north of the Mouths of Sirion.[1]

History

Famed for its willows and its flowered meadows, Nan-tathren was a desolate land.[1] The region played little part in the history of Arda, and was perhaps inhabited by Ents[2].

After Morgoth's triumph in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, his Orcs and wolves are said to have roamed even the distant southern lands of Nan-tathren and Ossiriand, causing none of the Free Peoples in Beleriand to be secure.[3]

The refugees from Gondolin, led by Tuor, rested in Nan-tathren for a while on their long journey south from their city's ruin. They were healed of their wounds and sorrows by Ulmo's power, which was strong in the land from his presence in the River Sirion. There was awakened the sea-longing of Tuor and his son Eärendil.[4]

In the late Third Age, Treebeard remembered Nan-tathren and sang about "the willow-meads of Tasarinan" to Merry and Pippin.[5]

Etymology

Nan-tathren is a Sindarin name, meaning "vale of willows" or "land of willows".[6]

Names

In Quenya, the region was called Tasarinan or Nan-tasarion,[5] meaning "willow-vale".[6]

Other Versions of the Legendarium

In The Fall of Gondolin the 'Land of Willows' is located in roughly the same place as in the later geography of the legendarium, but Tuor visits it before, as well as after, his sojourn in Gondolin. Its beauty caused Tuor to tarry there longer than Ulmo had purposed — only leaving when the Vala appeared to him directly and order him to seek Gondolin. Following the sack of the city the refugees came to the Land of Willows and stayed there several years, until Tuor's 'sea-longing' drove them on to the Mouths of Sirion.[7]

Yet another detail about this region is given in these early version of the tales: the Land of Willows is said to be the place were butterflies of all kinds came into the world, and they remained common there during the First Age.[8]

References