Were-worms: Difference between revisions
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{{quote|Tell me what you want done, and I will try it, if I have to walk from here to the [[East]] of East and fight the wild '''Were-worms''' in the [[Last Desert]].|[[Bilbo Baggins]], from ''[[The Hobbit]]'', "[[An Unexpected Party]]"}} | {{quote|Tell me what you want done, and I will try it, if I have to walk from here to the [[East]] of East and fight the wild '''Were-worms''' in the [[Last Desert]].|[[Bilbo Baggins]], from ''[[The Hobbit]]'', "[[An Unexpected Party]]"}} | ||
[[Image:were_worms.jpg|frame|"Were-worm" by Angus McBride]] | |||
'''Were-worms''' were creatures of an unknown kind, possibly mythical and presumably related to [[Dragons]], that were said to dwell in the [[Last Desert]]. | '''Were-worms''' were creatures of an unknown kind, possibly mythical and presumably related to [[Dragons]], that were said to dwell in the [[Last Desert]]. | ||
Revision as of 19:51, 19 March 2010
- "Tell me what you want done, and I will try it, if I have to walk from here to the East of East and fight the wild Were-worms in the Last Desert."
- ― Bilbo Baggins, from The Hobbit, "An Unexpected Party"
Were-worms were creatures of an unknown kind, possibly mythical and presumably related to Dragons, that were said to dwell in the Last Desert.
Tolkien only ever mentions Were-worms once, in the quote given above, so we know almost nothing about them. We cannot even be certain that they actually existed — the Hobbits had a rich folklore full of fantastic creatures, and Were-worms quite possibly fall into that category.
Etymology
The element "were-" is a Germanic term that refers to humans. It suggests a shapeshifting creature like the werewolf of modern-day folktales. In Middle-earth, "Werewolves", such as Draugluin, did not shapechange and the name perhaps refers to the size and intelligence.
Thus Were-worms, if they did exist, could be a human-like type of Dragon, though this must remain in the realm of speculation.
