What was Gollum?

[Frodo2968thewhite]

Gollum, or Smeagol, was a hobbit of the Stoor strain, born in a settlement near Gladden fields. Around the year 2463, he obtained the ring, and odious to his family and friends, so he was driven out of the Stoor community, then he went into the Misty Mountains until 2941, when Bilbo found it. Gollum's real name, though, was Trahald, a northern Mannish name, meaning "burrowing"; the Anglicized Mannish equivalent to Trahald was "Smeagol". He was named Gollum by his family, because after he found the ring, he made an odd noise in his throat (almost like a purring sound). But the orcs of Cirith-Ungol called him "Her Sneak" because he served Shelob. Of course, he called himself "Precious". And Sam called him "slinker" or "stinker", depending on if he was "Good Smeagol" or "Evil Gollum".