 | |
| Drúadan | |
| Ghân-buri-Ghân | |
|---|---|
| Biographical Information | |
| Other names | Ghân[1] |
| Position | Great headman |
| Location | Drúadan Forest |
| Language | Drúadan language, Westron |
| Birth | Sometime before 13 March T.A. 3019 Middle-earth |
| Death | Sometime after 13 March T.A. 3019 |
| Family | |
| Parentage | Ghân |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | Short[1] |
| Hair colour | "scanty beard"[1] |
| Eye colour | Dark[1] |
| Clothing | "grass about his waist"[1] |
| Gallery | Images of Ghân-buri-Ghân |
I am great headman, Ghân-buri-Ghân. I count many things: stars in sky, leaves on trees, men in the dark. You have a score of scores counted ten times and five. They have more. Big fight, and who will win? And many more walk round walls of Stone-houses.
Ghân-buri-Ghân was the great headman of the Drúedain who inhabited Drúadan Forest in the late Third Age.[1]
History
Ghân-buri-Ghân was the son of Ghân[2] with whom he shared his name, and became the great headman of his people.[1]
On 13 March T.A. 3019 during the War of the Ring, Ghân-buri-Ghân met with King Théoden and the Rohirrim.[3] The great headman of the Woses revealed the existence of the Gondrant[4], an old route running through the Stonewain Valley from the quarries beneath Min-Rimmon to Minas Anor.[5] During the next day, Ghân-buri-Ghân guided the Rohirrim along the road to avoid the Orcs blocking the main road so they could reach Minas Tirith. This allowed the Rohirrim to arrive in time to fight the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. In return, Théoden promised that the people of Rohan would no longer trouble the Drúedain and would drive away the Gorgûn that hunted them.[1]
Following the War of the Ring, Aragorn, as High King of the Reunited Kingdom, issued the decree that the Drúadan Forest belonged to only Ghân-buri-Ghân and his people, and that no one else was allowed to enter the forest without their permission.[6]
Etymology
Ghân-buri-Ghân means "Ghân son of Ghân" in the language of the Drúedain. It is a compound of the name Ghân, the element buri ("son of") and the name Ghân.[2]
Other versions of the legendarium
In all the earlier drafts of the chapter "The Ride of the Rohirrim", Ghân-buri-Ghân remained mostly the same as he is in the published text. Only his dialogue and descriptions concerning the road to Minas Tirith varied heavily in drafts.[7] In this draft, some of his physical appearance is omitted.[8]
In an early draft of the chapter "The Steward and the King", Ghân-buri-Ghân visits Minas Tirith with two headmen "clad in garments of green leaves" where they bow before King Elesser, who grants "them the Forest of Druadan".[9] While writing an early draft of the chapter "Many Partings", Tolkien decided to move Aragorn's interaction with Ghân-buri-Ghân from the previous chapter.[10] In the draft, Ghân-buri-Ghân "stood by the eaves of the trees, and did them homage as they passed".[10] While this omits Aragorn giving them the forest, Tolkien later developed this version, re-introducing elements from the first version. In this draft, Ghân of the Wild Woods approaches Aragorn with "two of his headmen…clad all in garments of green leaves" and bow to him. After Aragorn grants them possession of the forest, they bow once more before leaving. This version was immediately replaced by a version almost resembling the published text.[11]
Portrayal in adaptations
Ghân-buri-Ghân in adaptations
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Ghân-buri-Ghân in Middle-earth Collectible Card Game
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Ghân-buri-Ghân in The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game
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Ghân-buri-Ghân in The Lord of the Rings Online
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Ghân-buri-Ghân in War of the Ring: The Card Game
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2001-2007: The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game:
- Although Ghân-buri-Ghân does not appear in The Lord of the Rings film series, Decipher produced a card for the character. He was portrayed by Wi Kuki Kaa.
2003: Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series):
- The voice of Ghân-buri-Ghân is provided by Ján Króner.
2016: The Lord of the Rings Online:
- Ghân-buri-Ghân has two sons, the younger of whom is Khôr-buri-Ghân and the eldest Bhai-buri-Ghân was recently slain by the orcs, which is what motivates him to assist the outsiders. The player is the first to discover the Woses and after spending some time gaining Ghân-buri-Ghân's trust it is the player who leads him to King Théoden's company.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Ride of the Rohirrim", pp. 830-5
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 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 Ghân buri Ghân, p. 99
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Carl F. Hostetter (ed.), The Nature of Middle-earth, "Part Three. The World, its Lands, and its Inhabitants: XVII. Silvan Elves and Silvan Elvish", footnote 12, p. 363
- ↑ 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), p. 28 (entry "Stonewain Valley"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Many Partings", p. 976
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Ring, , pp. 351-2
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Ring, , Notes, p. 356 (note 14)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Sauron Defeated, "Part One: The End of the Third Age: VI. The Steward and the King", p. 56
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Sauron Defeated, "Part One: The End of the Third Age: VII. Many Partings", pp. 61-2
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Sauron Defeated, "Part One: The End of the Third Age: VII. Many Partings", pp. 67-8