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Old 05-26-2002, 01:09 PM   #16
piosenniel
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Sting

Tolkien didn't do an artistic illustration of a balrog, but he did do one with words:

This a quote from just before the Balrog steps onto the bridge and Gandalf has not yet forbidden him to cross -

Quote:
His enemy reached the bridge. . . His enemy halted again, facing him, and the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings . . .
ROTK - The Bridge of Khazad-Dhum

And this is just after he has first forbidden the Balrog to cross and it begins to advance -

Quote:
The Balrog made no answer. The fire in it seemed to die,but the darkness grew. It stepped forward slowly on to the bridge, ans suddenly it drew itself up to a great height, and its wings were spread from wall to wall.
ROTK - The bridge of Khazad-Dhum.

Once the bridge breaks,the Balrog was not able to use his wings of shadow -

Quote:
With a terrible cry the Balrog fell forward, and its shadow plunged down, and vanished.
ROTK - The Bridge of Khazad-Dhum
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Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.
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