Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site randvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!sdcrdcf!randvax!jim From: jim@randvax.UUCP (Jim Gillogly) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers,net.books Subject: Tolkien's dwarf names Message-ID: <2651@randvax.UUCP> Date: Sat, 17-Aug-85 14:44:09 EDT Article-I.D.: randvax.2651 Posted: Sat Aug 17 14:44:09 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 25-Aug-85 05:46:30 EDT Distribution: net Organization: Banzai Institute Lines: 67 Xref: watmath net.sf-lovers:9727 net.books:2219 There I was, reading Snorri Sturluson's "The Prose Edda" (Translated from Icelandic by Jean I. Young; originally written in the 13th century) and minding my own business, when I ran across the following section, where Snorri is quoting from the Sibyl's Vision: There many dwarfs resembling men they made in earth as Durin said. And the sibyl gives these as their names: Nyi, Nidhi, (I'm using dh for a d with slash through it) Nordhri, Sudhri, Austri, Vestri, Althjof, Dvalin, Nar, Nain, Niping, Dain, Bifur, Bafur, Bombor, Nori, Ori, Onar, Oin, Mjodhvitnir, Vig and Ganndalf, [Footnote on Ganndalf: "Sorcerer-elf"] Vinndalf, Thorin, Fili, Kili, Fundin, Vali, Thror, Throin, Threkk, Lit, Vit, Nyr, Nyradh, Rekk, Radhsvidh, And these too are dwarfs and they live in rocks, but the above- mentioned live in the earth: Draupnir, Dogthvari, Haur, Hugstari, Hledhjolf, Gloin, Dori, Ori, Duf, Andvari, Heptifili, Har, Sviar. The following, however, came from Svarin's grave-mound to Aurvangar in Joruvellir, and from these have sprung Lovar; their names are Skirvir, Virvir, Skafidh, Ai, Alf, Ingi, Eikinskjaldi, [Footnote on this says "With-oak-shield"] Fal, Frosti, Fidh, Ginnar. ------ There were footnotes on some of the others, but these were the only ones that seemed to have meaning to Tolkien fans. So if any of you want to write about more dwarves, here are some likely ones... Dennis McKiernan, are you in need of any for your world? Funny thing ... each time I read "The Hobbit" it seems that the dwarf names are silly and invented for their alliteration and rhyming. Little did I know! -- Jim Gillogly {decvax, vortex}!randvax!jim jim@rand-unix.arpa