Firienholt: Difference between revisions
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{{location | |||
| image= | |||
| name=Firienholt | |||
| type=Forest | |||
| location=On the border between [[Rohan]] and [[Gondor]], north of the [[Ered Nimrais]] | |||
| inhabitants=Beacon-wardens | |||
| othernames=Firien Wood, The Whispering Wood, ''Eryn Fuir'' | |||
| etymology= | |||
}} | |||
<center>{{quote|Yonder is the '''Firienholt'''. But what lies beyond no man knows.|''[[The War of the Ring]]'', Part Three, Many Roads Lead Eastward, pg. 318}}</center> | <center>{{quote|Yonder is the '''Firienholt'''. But what lies beyond no man knows.|''[[The War of the Ring]]'', Part Three, Many Roads Lead Eastward, pg. 318}}</center> | ||
'''Firienholt''' was a | '''Firienholt''' was a small forest that stood on the borders of [[Rohan]] and [[Gondor]], about and upon the slopes of the [[Halifirien]].<ref>{{RK|Map}}</ref> | ||
The [[Mering Stream]] arose in the cleft between the [[Halifirien]] and the rest of the [[Ered Nimrais]]. It then turned northwest and watered the densest stands of trees in the forest. The stream marked the precise border between the [[Eastfold]], and the [[Gondor|Gondorian]] land of [[Anórien]] and thus part of the woods belonged to either realm. The great West Road passed through a cutting in the wood to avoid the wet lands to the north. From the road there was also a path to the summit of the Halifirien maintained by the Beacon-wardens.<ref name="Cirion">{{UT|Cirion}}, (iii) ''Cirion and Eorl'''</ref> | |||
==History== | |||
The road that cut through the northern bounds of the wood had been built by the [[Exiles of Númenor]] soon after the founding of [[Arnor]] and Gondor.<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}, (iii) ''Cirion and Eorl''', note 32</ref> | |||
At the end of the [[War of the Last Alliance]], [[Isildur]] took his nephew [[Meneldil]] and a company of trusted friends on a ride about the borders of Gondor. Returning from the northern boundary, Isildur came to the Firienholt and had a path made to the summit, which was green and treeless. There they raised a mound for a casket to be the tomb and memorial of [[Elendil]]. This spot was chosen because it stood near to the center of the lands claimed by the South Kingdom.<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}, (iv) ''The Tradition of Isildur''</ref> | |||
In {{TA|2510}}, after [[Eorl]] and his riders from [[Éothéod]] had saved the Steward [[Cirion]] and the army of Gondor at the [[Battle of the Field of Celebrant]],<ref>{{App|TA}}</ref> Cirion brought Eorl through Firienholt to the Halifirien to grant him the land of [[Calenardhon]], thus founding the realm of [[Rohan]].<ref name="Cirion"/> | |||
In {{TA|2864}} King [[Folca]] hunted and slew the great boar of [[Everholt]] in the Firien Wood, but died of the wounds the beast had given him.<ref>{{App|Mark}}, 13. ''Folca''</ref> | |||
In March of {{TA|3019}} [[Théoden]] and the host of the [[Rohirrim]] passed through Firienholt on their way to [[Minas Tirith]].<ref>{{App|Great}}</ref> Months later the funeral escort of Théoden would travel through the Firienholt on the way back to [[Edoras]].<ref>{{App|Chief}}</ref> | |||
==Other names== | ==Other names== | ||
The older [[Sindarin]] name for the wood had been '''''Eryn Fuir''''', "North Wood" (becoming obsolete with the coming of the [[Rohirrim]]).<ref>{{VT|42a}}, p. 20</ref> | The older [[Sindarin]] name for the wood had been '''''Eryn Fuir''''', "North Wood" (becoming obsolete with the coming of the [[Rohirrim]]).<ref>{{VT|42a}}, p. 20</ref> Because of the unnatural silence that lay upon the land in the Common Speech the Firienholt acquired the name "the Whispering Wood".<ref name="Cirion"/> | ||
==Etymology== | ==Etymology== | ||
''firien holt'' means "mountain wood", though it is rather more commonly referred to simply as the '''''Firien Wood''''', taking its name from Halifirien.<ref name="Nomen">{{HM|N}}, p. 770</ref> | ''firien holt'' means "mountain wood", though it is rather more commonly referred to simply as the '''''Firien Wood''''', taking its name from Halifirien.<ref name="Nomen">{{HM|N}}, p. 770</ref> |
Revision as of 01:35, 19 March 2012
Firienholt | |
---|---|
Forest | |
General Information | |
Other names | Firien Wood, The Whispering Wood, Eryn Fuir |
Location | On the border between Rohan and Gondor, north of the Ered Nimrais |
Type | Forest |
Inhabitants | Beacon-wardens |
- "Yonder is the Firienholt. But what lies beyond no man knows."
- ― The War of the Ring, Part Three, Many Roads Lead Eastward, pg. 318
Firienholt was a small forest that stood on the borders of Rohan and Gondor, about and upon the slopes of the Halifirien.[1]
The Mering Stream arose in the cleft between the Halifirien and the rest of the Ered Nimrais. It then turned northwest and watered the densest stands of trees in the forest. The stream marked the precise border between the Eastfold, and the Gondorian land of Anórien and thus part of the woods belonged to either realm. The great West Road passed through a cutting in the wood to avoid the wet lands to the north. From the road there was also a path to the summit of the Halifirien maintained by the Beacon-wardens.[2]
History
The road that cut through the northern bounds of the wood had been built by the Exiles of Númenor soon after the founding of Arnor and Gondor.[3]
At the end of the War of the Last Alliance, Isildur took his nephew Meneldil and a company of trusted friends on a ride about the borders of Gondor. Returning from the northern boundary, Isildur came to the Firienholt and had a path made to the summit, which was green and treeless. There they raised a mound for a casket to be the tomb and memorial of Elendil. This spot was chosen because it stood near to the center of the lands claimed by the South Kingdom.[4]
In T.A. 2510, after Eorl and his riders from Éothéod had saved the Steward Cirion and the army of Gondor at the Battle of the Field of Celebrant,[5] Cirion brought Eorl through Firienholt to the Halifirien to grant him the land of Calenardhon, thus founding the realm of Rohan.[2]
In T.A. 2864 King Folca hunted and slew the great boar of Everholt in the Firien Wood, but died of the wounds the beast had given him.[6]
In March of T.A. 3019 Théoden and the host of the Rohirrim passed through Firienholt on their way to Minas Tirith.[7] Months later the funeral escort of Théoden would travel through the Firienholt on the way back to Edoras.[8]
Other names
The older Sindarin name for the wood had been Eryn Fuir, "North Wood" (becoming obsolete with the coming of the Rohirrim).[9] Because of the unnatural silence that lay upon the land in the Common Speech the Firienholt acquired the name "the Whispering Wood".[2]
Etymology
firien holt means "mountain wood", though it is rather more commonly referred to simply as the Firien Wood, taking its name from Halifirien.[10]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Map of Rohan, Gondor, and Mordor"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan", (iii) Cirion and Eorl'
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan", (iii) Cirion and Eorl', note 32
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan", (iv) The Tradition of Isildur
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The House of Eorl", "The Kings of the Mark", 13. Folca
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Chief Days from the Fall of Barad-dûr to the End of the Third Age"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 42, July 2001, p. 20
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings" in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 770