Wolves

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The name Wolves refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Wolf (disambiguation).
Orc-mounts by Quinton Hoover

Wolves were of old allied with the Dark Lord;[1] Morgoth bred the two greatest of their kind, Draugluin and Carcharoth, and Sauron was wont to take the form of a great Wolf. The lesser kinds were sometimes used as steeds by the Orcs.

Wolf is also used as a short form of Werewolf.

Names

In Quenya, one of the words for "wolf" is ñarmo or narmo. Cognates of the same meaning are Doriathrin garm, and Noldorin garaf. (A "wolf-howl" is naule in Quenya, and gaul in Noldorin.)[2]

Another Quenya word for "wolf" is ráka. Cognates, also meaning "wolf", are Exilic Noldorin draug and Doriathrin drôg.[3]

In Gnomish, one of Tolkien's early conceptions of an Elven language, "wolf" is harog or harw; "a she-wolf" is harach;[4] Qenya has ulku "wolf".[5]

Inspiration

"Only a few hundred yards beyond the houses [in Bloemfontein] was the open veldt where wolves, wild dogs, and jackals roamed and menaced the flocks, and where after dark a post-rider might be attacked by a marauding lion."
J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography

Portrayal in adaptations

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Wolves are found in nearly every corner of Middle-earth. They are a popular mount of goblins, especially in Moria and Mirkwood.

See also

References


Wolves
Individuals: Carcharoth · Draugluin · Hound of Sauron · (Wolf-Sauron)
Races: Wargs · Werewolves · White Wolves