Middle-earth Flora & Fauna

[Tarien Ithil]

Let’s test your knowledge of the flora and fauna of Middle-earth! All you have to do is get the following question right and then continue with another flora/fauna question.

What was the name of the legendary wild oxen that lived near the Sea of Rhûn?


Enjoy,

Tarien

[Niluial]

I believe the answer is the Kine of Araw…

~Niluial

[Telchar]

The cows of Orome???

[Tarien Ithil]

Good answer Nil! That'll do. smilies/smile.gif

[Niluial]

Oh yea, I got it right!!!

The lord of Eotheod, who was named Leod, tried to tame the most beauteous Horse his people had ever seen, but the Horse was wild and proud and threw Leod, who was then killed. What did they name the horse?

~Nilly

[Tarien Ithil]

The horse's name was Mansbane, later called Felarof. I hope I got that right........... smilies/wink.gif

[Niluial]

And right you are! (Looks like Tarien and I are going to be the only ones playing this game… this is going to be funny!) Anyway… your go Tarien!

~Niluial

[Tarien Ithil]

Thanks Nil (and other peopel must also have a turn! smilies/wink.gif)

In which river did the Kraken make its lair?

[Niluial]

This one is easy! And the answer is the River Sirannon!

~Nilly

[Telchar]

This question pussled me! To my knowledge Tolkien NEVER wrote anything about 'a kraken' let alone 'The Kraken', so I did a little research.

It seems that our friend David Day (may someone roast his balls over a slow fire)is on the move again. In A Tolkien Bestiary he describes the watcher in the water as a kraken created by Morgoth, BUT this is as usual his own invention of myth...

The Kraken of Norwegian legend is an enormous sea monster, capable of capsizing a ship. The earliest stories date from the 12th century and tell of a creature the size of an island. In 1752, the Bishop of Bergen described one as being a mile and a half across. Worrying words indeed, especially in a book seriously entitled The Natural History of Norway. In 1830, Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote his poem "The Kraken". By this time, there was huge enthusiasm for the study of the natural world. He combined the Scandinavian legend with his own view of a creature from the deep. We now believe that the Kraken is in fact a giant squid. It is the largest invertebrate predator on earth, growing to more than 20m and has the largest eyes in the animal kingdom. We know they exist. There are reports of them attacking ships in the 1930s, probably mistaking them for whales and one was washed up on a beach in Scotland not so long ago. But although the mystery of the Kraken is solved, the giant squid is still shrouded in mystery: as yet, scientists haven't seen a living specimen.

Pleased to share...
T

[Niluial]

Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote his poem "The Kraken".
I studied that poem in my final year and it was actually included in our exam. It is interesting that you mentioned;

To my knowledge Tolkien NEVER wrote anything about 'a kraken' let alone 'The Kraken' I was wondering where The Kraken was in his books for I have never read anything about it in his books. I was about to leave this question out when I remember my metric year… but I got it right didn’t I? Anyway lets get back on Tolkien and not David Day (Sorry to ask but who is he?)and thank you for sharing with us smilies/biggrin.gif!

Niluial

P.S. Just for anyone who intrested here is Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem:

The Kraken
Below the thunders of the upper deep;
Far far beneath in the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep
The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee
About his shadowy sides; above him swell
Huge sponges of millennial growth and height;
And far away into the sickly light,
From many a wondrous grot and secret cell
Unnumber'd and enormous polypi
Winnow with giant arms the slumbering green.
There hath he lain for ages, and will lie
Battening upon huge seaworms in his sleep,
Until the latter fire shall heat the deep;
Then once by man and angels to be seen,
In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die.

- Alfred, Lord Tennyson

[ October 04, 2003: Message edited by: Niluial ]

[Telchar]

David Day (Sorry to ask but who is he?)

David Day is one of Morgoths many evil creations!

He has written such books as the Above, A Tolkien Compas and The Tolkien Companion and The Hobbit Companion - and they all suck!!!

AVOID ALL BOOKS BY DAVID DAY. No matter how pretty they may seem, Day's Tolkien books bear little resemblance to the Middle-earth Tolkien created. David Day just makes up stuff as he goes along and passes it off as if it's based on real research. Christopher Tolkien has even gone so far as to call Day "a literary burglar".

[Tarien Ithil]

Pardon me, but Telchar, I totally disagree!

David Day writes useful and clever reader companions which have help me a lot with the understanding of Tolkien. I have purchased one of his books and it is a wonder. Sorry, but i don't know wherethe heck you're coming from! smilies/frown.gif

Back on subject, correct Nil! Your go.

[Telchar]

The disrespect David day have earned from more or less everybody who studies Tolkien seriously, should be enough to convince you, besides that even Christopher Tolkien (that profits highly the more hype there is around the works of his father) chritisises David Day for being an writer that knows little about Tolkiens works and still writes book about it for profit - Biggist problem is that a lot of people that doesnt know this about David Day takes what he writes for given fact... which I think is sad!

That you enjoy the books is fine, but please dont use anything found in David Day books as the base material for questions about the works of JRR Tolkien

[Niluial]

Ok, ok I think it is enough about David Day for one day (sounds funny). Lets stop arguing and get on with the quizzes!

In the War of the Ring, the Mearas did great service. Give an example of when they did great service!

Clue: something to do with Snowmane

Niluial

[Tarien Ithil]

Thank you, Telchar, for sharing that! I will be more cautious of him! smilies/tongue.gif

Anyway, I'll post something about Day in the Books forum, so i don't interupt this quiz! smilies/wink.gif

Sorry, Nil, was it because Snowmane carried Theoden into the Battles of Hornburg and the Pelennor Fields?

[Niluial]

And again you are correct! Um… I really do wish other people would answer the questions!

[Tarien Ithil]

OK, Telchar, you acn have my go. smilies/smile.gif
I think other peeps should get a turn!

[Telchar]

OK, thanks.

What was the Sindarin word for westmansweed and what was it?

[Arestevana]

The Sindarin word was 'Galenas', and the plant was pipeweed.

[Telchar]

Indeed that is correct! Please proceed Arestevana smilies/smile.gif

[The Saucepan Man]

Well, things seem to have calmed down on the David Day front. smilies/rolleyes.gif

But, just for future reference, the topics in this forum are not for discussion of the pros and cons of the various commentators on Tolkien's works, nor indeed for any in depth discussion related to Tolkien's works. There are other fora specifically dedicated to that purpose, and I am glad to see that Tarien Ithil took the discussion concerning Day to the Books forum, where it belongs.

Let's keep to Quiz questions and answers, folks. smilies/smile.gif

[Arestevana]

In The Hobbit, what animal carries messages for the dwarves?

[Evisse the Blue]

The raven. Roac to be precise.

[ October 07, 2003: Message edited by: Evisse the Blue ]

[Arestevana]

Correct!

[Evisse the Blue]

what was the horse who mourned his master's passing?

[Niluial]

Damn I cant remember the horses name! I know it… its somewhere locked in my mind!!

Nilly

[Estanesse]

Is it Rochallor the horse of Fingolfin?
Who died of sorrow.

[Evisse the Blue]

Yes, that's the one.
Please proceed, Smiley face! smilies/smile.gif

[Telchar]

Interesting - I never came across that - where is that from?

[Telchar]

Interesting - I never came across that - where is that from?

[Estanesse]

How old was the son of Carc in the year 2789 of the third age.

Interesting - I never came across that - where is that from?

It’s from the history of middle earth

[Telchar]

Róac was probably taking flying lessons at the time being but a single year old ;o)

[Estanesse]

you have outstanding bird knowledge Telchar smilies/biggrin.gif

[Telchar]

Give me the names of at least 6 living things that flew in the 3rd age. (For example Gwaihir - and not eagle)

[The Saucepan Man]

Gandalf, Bilbo, Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, Oin, Gloin, Fili, Kili, Ori, Dori, Nori, Bifur, Bofur and Bombur.

There, that's fifteen. smilies/wink.gif

OK, seriously:

Smaug, Scatha, Roac, Carc, Gwaihir and Landroval.

[ October 16, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]

[Telchar]

Cool answer Saucepans. I actually think that Scatha was refered to a 'the worm' and I always took he for being more like Glaurung, meaning not a winged dragon, and therefore not flying.

My substitute was Meneldur, but I think you should go on, on acount of your creative answer smilies/biggrin.gif

[Gwaihir the Windlord]

'Worm' is simply an old word for dragon. I have heard that in HoME it is said that Scatha flew.

[The Saucepan Man]

Interesting point about Scatha. I had assumed that he had wings. To avoid further discussion here, I have posted a new topic on the subject (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi) in the Books forum.

And now, a question.

Name three varieties of invertebrate mentioned in Tolkien's works as growing to a large size.

[Telchar]

Here goes:

The Watcher in the water
Ungoliant/Shelob big spiders

And thirdly (and Im just not sure): Ents/Hourns

[The Saucepan Man]

To clarify, I mean invertebrates that we have in our world, but which feature in Tolkien's works in larger varieties.

We don't know what the Watcher in the Water was. It may have been a giant squid or octopus, but we just can't be sure, so I'm not counting that one (good answer, though).

I don't get the sense that Ents and Huorns are larger than standard trees. And plants don't count as invertebrates*.

But you got one: Spiders are definately in there.

Two more to go ...

*Edit: Interesting side question - did Ents have backbones? Anyone fancy raising that on the Books forum? smilies/wink.gif

[ October 17, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]

[Arestevana]

Bees? Specifically, Beorn's honeybees?
Spiders, of course.
And the large snails Bilbo's friend the thrush was cracking?

[Telchar]

I think that Arestevana has the bees correct, then the spiders and thirdly the black moth of Mirkwood that were rather big smilies/evil.gif

[The Saucepan Man]

You are correct, Arestevana. Well done. smilies/smile.gif

Spiders, Beorn's bees, the snails of Erebor and the moths of Mirkwood were the four that I had in mind.

Since you got three of the four first, Arestevana, the thread is yours (but Telchar gets an honourable mention for getting the fourth smilies/wink.gif ).

[Arestevana]

Okay, following the Mirkwood theme...

When the dwarves sent Bilbo up a tree to see how close the forest's edge was, what kind of tree was it?

[Eruanna]

It was an oak tree.

[Arestevana]

Yes it was.

[Eruanna]

Still with trees smilies/smile.gif

Name three varieties of tree which grew in Numenor.

[Evisse the Blue]

Well- there was Nimloth and Oiolaire for sure, and I'm guessing there were also Mallorns-

[Eruanna]

Close enough smilies/smile.gif

You could also have had: lairelosse, nessamelda, vardarianna or yavannamire (from "A Description of Numenor" in UT)

Your turn smilies/smile.gif

[Evisse the Blue]

Name three songs /poems from LOTR which feature animals.

[NightKnight]

Frodo's song at the Prancing Pony
"Where is the horse and the rider..."
Sam's poem about the Oliphaunt

[Evisse the Blue]

Correct of course, your go!

[NightKnight]

Which plant was Eregion (and Region) named after?

[Arestevana]

Holly.

[Arestevana]

*bump*

[NightKnight]

You're right. Please continue. smilies/smile.gif

[Arestevana]

This is probably too easy, but here goes.

What is asëa aranion?

[Child of the 7th Age]

Athelas, or the leaf of the Kings....

[Arestevana]

Correct. Please continue... smilies/smile.gif

[Child of the 7th Age]

What are two names commonly given to the watery willow-forest that grew up in central Beleriand where the River Narog met the Sirion?

child

[NightKnight]

Nan-tathren, Tasarinan and Nan-tasarion. I don't know which two you're looking for.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Any two out of the three would do... The floor is yours.

Child

[Child of the 7th Age]

It's been ten days so I'm going to try again with another question....

His eyes were long and very narrow and slanted, and gleamed both red and green. but his great grey whiskers were as stout and sharp as needles. His purr was like the roll of drums and his growl like thunder, but when he yelled in wrath it turned the blood cold, and indeed small beasts and birds were frozen as to stone, or dropped lifeless often at the very sound.

This character is one of my very favorites!
smilies/wink.gif

What is the name of this character and where in Tolkien's writings does he appear?

Child

[ November 21, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[NightKnight]

I'll take a guess at Tevildo, Morgoth's big kitty. smilies/biggrin.gif He was in the tale of Beren and Luthien in the Book of Lost Tales 2, I think.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Correct again, Nightknight!

Please do put forward your own question.

Child

[NightKnight]

I just forgot about this one last time.
How big was Thorondor's wingspan?