Gladden River

"River Ninglor" by David Lecossu

The Gladden (called Sîr Ninglor "River Goldwater" by the Elves) was a short but important river of the Vales of Anduin.

Course

The source of the river begun as two unnamed arms in the central Misty Mountains, near an important pass. It then flowed eastwards to the Great River Anduin, which it met in a series of marshes called the Gladden Fields.

History

After the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, Isildur, heir of Elendil and bearer of the One Ring, was assailed by Orcs near the Gladden Fields, and the One Ring was lost here in the Gladden river.

Much later during the Third Age some Stoors lived near the streams of Gladden, and from them came Déagol who found the ring, and was killed by Sméagol (Gollum), who long held the Ring. Gollum eventually followed the stream up to its source, ending up in forgotten caves near Goblin-town.

Saruman searched the Gladden extensively during his search for the Ring, but never found the ring, although he seems to have found Isildur's remains.

In T.A. 3018 some of the scouts sent out by Elrond after the arrival of the hobbits in Rivendell crossed the Misty Mountains over the pass at the source of the Gladden to seek the wizard Radagast at Rhosgobel, but he was not at home, and they return through the Dimrill Stair.

Etymology

Gladden (From Old English glædene) is another name for the "flag" or "iris", now usually spelt gladdon.

Sîr Ninglor is a Sindarin name meaning "River Water-gold", apparently consisting of sîr ("river"), nîn (pl. of nen ("water") + glaur ("gold").

Portrayals in adaptations

The Gladden River in The Lord of the Rings Online

2019: The Lord of the Rings Online:

As it drops from the Misty Mountains, the Gladden River flows through the ruins of "Kidzul-kâlah", an abandoned outpost of Khazad-dûm. Immediately past it, the river forms the large lake "Gladdenmere", from which it drops into the Gladden Fields through the "Gladden Falls" waterfall.

The present course of the Gladden River is not natural. During the fighting at the end of the Second Age, massive quakes shook the Misty Mountains. At Kidzul-kâlah, new passages opened leading deep below the surface, where Nameless things dwelt. The River-maiden of Gladden, "Gultháva", sensed the approach of evil that was about to corrupt her waters. She bade the dwarves leave, and called forth the waters to flood their mines. The waters of the Gladden did not drown the Nameless creatures as she hoped, but their spread to the surface was halted. The changed course of the Gladden carried the sediment downstream, choking the Gladdenmere until its banks overflowed. Water poured over the cliff, flooding the valley and submerging its roads. In this way, the Gladden Fields became a wide marsh of reeds and dark pools. In time the level of the lake was restored, and the Gladden Falls became the narrow torrent that can be observed in the present day.