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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
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Organization: Banzai Institute
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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