Ringló

From Tolkien Gateway
Ringló
River
General Information
LocationBetween Anfalas and Belfalas in Gondor, south of the White Mountains
TypeRiver
DescriptionSouth-west flowing river known for its cold waters
History
EventsAragorn's ride to Pelargir

The Ringló was a cold and swift river[1][2] in the central regions of Gondor[3].

Course[edit | edit source]

The Ringló arose in a valley in the eastern part of Lamedon[4] in a high snowfield , which fed an icy pool that spread into a shallow lake at the snowmelting season[1][2]. From this source it flowed south-west for about 50 miles to Ethring where the road from the Hill of Erech to Linhir crossed the river.[4] The Ringló continued south-west for another 50 miles to its confluence with the river Ciril and then flowed southwest for another 50 miles to its confluence with the river Morthond upstream of Edhellond before emptying near Cobas Haven[5] into the Bay of Belfalas.[3]

History[edit | edit source]

Near the confluence of the Ringló and the Morthond was the ancient Elf-haven of Edhellond. This refuge had been founded at the beginning of the Second Age by a remnant of Elves from Doriath.[6]

After the founding of Gondor, the Ringló served as the boundary between Anfalas to the west and Belfalas to the east.[4]

During the War of the Ring on 9 March 3019[7] Dervorin, the son of the lord of Ringló Vale arrived in Minas Tirith on foot with a company of three hundred men to aid in the city's defence.[8] On 10 March T.A. 3019[9] Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, the Grey Company, and the Army of the Dead crossed the Ringló on their way from Erech to Pelargir[10].

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Ringló is a Sindarin name, which means "Chillflood".[1][2] It its composed of the elements ring ("cold", "chill")[11] and ("flood")[12].[1][2]

Its name referred to the river's source, a high snowfield, which fed an icy pool that spread into a shallow lake at the snowmelting season[1][2][13].

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

The course and placement of the Ringló varied greatly as J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings. In the First Map of The Lord of the Rings the Ringló flowed to the sea and the Morthond was set well west of it (and Dol Amroth was far to the west of both).[14] When he developed Outline VI for Book V in The Return of the King he drew a map that showed the Morthond east of the Ringló and the Ringló mostly flowed south to the Sea.[15] When Tolkien made the detailed Second Map there were four rivers – Calenhir, Morthond, Kiril (later Ciril), and Ringló – that flowed independently until they all met just before exiting into Cobas Haven.[5]

In two earlier versions of a note about the element in the name Gwathló, it is mentioned that the Ringló formed marshes or a fenland after its confluence with the river Morthond as the reason for the element ló in the name Ringló. The second revised version mentioned that the river was named Ringnen after its source and later renamed Ringló, because it formed a fenland near its confluence with the Morthond. J.R.R. Tolkien later struck out the fenland as the explanation for the lement and stated in the final version that there is no record of any swamps or marsh in the course of the Ringló, but retained that the river was named after its source and explained it as mentioned above.[1][2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 J.R.R. Tolkien, Carl F. Hostetter (ed.), The Nature of Middle-earth, "Part Three. The World, its Lands, and its Inhabitants: XXII. The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor", entry Ringló, pp. 384-5
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 42, July 2001, p. 9
  3. 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age" [map]
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Map of Rohan, Gondor, and Mordor"
  5. 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Ring, "Part Three: Minas Tirith", "XIV. The Second Map", West, p. 434
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", Amroth and Nimrodel
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 3019, March 9, p. 1093
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Minas Tirith", p. 770
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, March 10, p. 1093
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Last Debate", p. 875
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", ring
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), entry S Ringló p. 96 and entry S Lhûn, p. 136
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Index, entry Ringló
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XV. The First Map of The Lord of the Rings", "Maps IIIA and III"
  15. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Ring, "Part Three: Minas Tirith", "II. Book Five Begun and Abandoned"