| Poems by J.R.R. Tolkien | |
| "Long live the Halflings! Praise them with great praise!" | |
|---|---|
| Poem Information | |
| Written | Between 1938 and 1954 |
| Revised | Between 1938 and 1954 |
| Published | The Return of the King, Sauron Defeated |
| Subject(s) | Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee |
"Long live the Halflings! Praise them with great praise!" is the first line of a chorus of praises and thanks sung in Westron, Quenya, and Sindarin by the Men of Gondor on the Field of Cormallen, honoring the Ring-bearers for their valiant efforts in the destruction of the One Ring.[1]
Poem
Long live the Halflings! Praise them with great praise!
Cuio i Pheriain anann! Aglar'ni Pheriannath!
Praise them with great praise, Frodo and Samwise!
Daur a Berhael, Conin en Annûn! Eglerio!
Praise them!
Eglerio!
A laita te, laita te! Andave laituvalmet!
Praise them!
Cormacolindor, a laita tárienna!
Praise them! The Ring-bearers, praise them with great praise!
Background
In an early draft of the praise, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote the following:[2]
Long live the Halflings! Praise them with great praise! Cuio i Pheriannath anann! Aglar anann! Praise them with great praise! Wilcuman, wilcutnan, Fróda and Samwís! Praise them! Uton herian holbytlan! A laita te, laita te. Andave laituvalmetl Praise them! The Ringbearers, praise them with great praise![2]
It was noted by Christopher Tolkien that this version included some Old English words in addition to Westron, Quenya, and Sindarin.[2]
In a letter to Rhona Beare on 8 June in 1961, J.R.R. Tolkien explained that lines 2, 4, and 6 were in Sindarin while lines 7 and 9 were in Quenya. Tolkien's translations of the Elvish parts are listed below:[3]
Line 2: "May the Halflings live long, glory to the Halflings"[3]
Line 4: "Frodo and Sam, princes of the west, glorify (them)"[3]
Line 6: "glorify (them)"[3]
Line 7: "Bless them, bless them, long will we praise them"[3]
Line 9: "The Ring bearers, bless (or praise) them to the height"[3]
According to Tolkien himself, this song marks the point of eucatastrophe in The Lord of the Rings, bringing tears to his eyes as he wrote it.[4]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Field of Cormallen", pp. 951-7
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Sauron Defeated, "Part One: The End of the Third Age: V. The Field of Kormallen", p. 47
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 230, (dated 8 June 1961), p. 308
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 131, (undated, written late 1951)