Tolkien was an avid reader of Scandinavian legends. His work on Beowulf is still read today. In fact, he and his students (I don't remember exactly where) started a Viking club where they sat around, drank ale, and discussed Scandinavian epics and legends. He got the names of the 13 Dwarves in The Hobbit from characters of Scandinavian legend. He also got Gandalf's character from the Kalevala. He also loved Celtic mythology. In fact, that is where he got his Elves from. They are very similar to the Sidhe in Celtic folklore.
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But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.
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06-23-2003, 12:31 PM
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