Down in its depths glimmered like a glow-worm thread the wraith-road from the dead city to the Nameless Pass
Glow-worms were creatures associated with lights that glimmered in a dark environment.[1]
On 10 March T.A. 3019,[2] as Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, and Gollum climbed the Stairs of Cirith Ungol to avoid continuing on to Minas Morgul, the wraith-road was likened to a "glow-worm thread" in the dark at one point when Frodo glanced down into the Morgul Vale from high above on the Stairs of Cirith Ungol.[1]
Other versions of the legendarium
In The Book of Lost Tales, Beleg is said to have thought of glowworms when seeing the bright light of Noldo crystal lanterns.[3] Glowworms also dwelt about the dark borders of the deep pools of Murmuran.[4]
Great glow-worms often lurked around the borders of Olórë Mallë, the Path of Dreams.[5] As these creatures are mentioned only fleetingly, it is impossible to say if they were related to the great Worms (wingless Dragons), or if they were giant versions of regular glowworms. One can assume that they glowed in the dark (and therefore perhaps were related to, or were another name for, the spark-dragons).
Other writings
Some glow-worms were seen glowing around the turn of "the crooked fairy lane" in the poem Goblin Feet.[6][7] Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull mentioned on their website that glow-worms are "a form of beetle" in relation to their appearance in Goblin Feet.[8]
Portrayal in adaptations
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Glow-worm monster in The Lord of the Rings Online.
2008: The Lord of the Rings Online:
External links
- "Glowworm" 12 August 2004, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, accessed 10 July 2025
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol", p. 710
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, March 10, p. 1093
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "II. Turambar and the Foalókë", p. 78
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "III. The Coming of the Valar and the Building of Valinor", p. 74
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "I. The Cottage of Lost Play", p. 18
- ↑ G.D.H. Cole and T.W. Earp, Oxford Poetry 1915, pp. 64-5
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien; Christina Scull, Wayne G. Hammond (eds.), The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien, "27. Goblin Feet (1915-c. 1923)"
- ↑ Wayne G. Hammond & Christina Scull, "Addenda and Corrigenda to The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien (2024)", Hammond&Scull.com, accessed 25 December 2025 , entry for "p. 1436"
- ↑ "Deed: Glow-worm Slayer", The Lord of the Rings Online Community, accessed 23 October 2010
- ↑ "Bestiary: Glow-worm Matriarch", ZAM, accessed 23 October 2010
- ↑ "Monster: Glow-worm", The Lord of the Rings Online Community, accessed 23 October 2010