Bilbo’s fellow adventurers in The Hobbit are Dwarves and the Wizard Gandalf. While most people
who have read up on the inspiration of The
Hobbit probably know that these names are taken from the Eddas, it is still interesting to look
at the poem from which most of the names are taken and who Durin was in the
Norse mythology.
The Eddas
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| Depiction of Andvari, a dwarf, by F. Von Stassen, 1914 |
The two Eddas are the texts in which most of the Norse mythology is written
down. The first poem in the Elder Edda
is the Völuspá, and tells of the creation of the cosmos, the gods and the
happenings at Ragnarok; the doom of the gods.
Part of this poem tells of the dwarfs and lists them by name. The Codex Regius (the manuscript containing
the Elder Edda) describes the
creation of the lord of the dwarfs out of the blood of Brimir and out of the
limbs of Bláin (Lindow2008:99). In the Gylfaginning
in the Younger Edda, the dwarfs are
said to have been created out of the maggots in the corpse of the giant Ymir. One
of the stanzas in the Dvergartál; The Naming of the Dwarfs reads as follows:
Then Motsognir became the greatest of
all the dwarfs, and Durin another;
Many manlike figures they made,
dwarfs from the earth, as Durin recounted.
(Larrington2008:5)
In Tolkien’s work, dwarves are referred to as the “Durin’s
Folk”, obviously a reference to the Durin named in the Norse myths, and in The HobbitThorinOakenshield (the leader
of the dwarven company in The Hobbit)
says: “Durin, Durin!... He was the father of the fathers of the eldest race of
Dwarves, the Longbeards, and my first ancestor: I am his heir.” (Tolkien 2010:50)
Tolkien also gave names from the Dvergartál to his band of dwarves. The complete list of names are,
however, many more than those in The
Hobbit. The name “Gandalf” is also one of the names of the dwarfs in the
poem. A few of the names contain “alf” (elf), showing how blurred the line
between the dwarfs and elves is in the mythology.ThorinOakenshield’s name is
actually made up of two of the dwarfs named in the poem. The dwarfs are here
referred to as the “dwarfs in Dvalin’s lineage”, but then called “the people of
Lofar”. Here are the names in full**:
The Naming of the
Dwarfs and Dwarves
In Larrington’s translation the names of the dwarfs are
translated as follows (note that the meaning of all the names are not clear):
New-moon and Dark-of-moon, North and South
East and West, Master-thief, Delayer,
Bivor, Bavor, Bombur, and Nori,
An andAnar, Great-grandfather and Mead-wolf.
Liquor and Staff-elf, Wind-elf and Thrain,
Known and Thorin, Thror, Colour and Wise,
Corpse and New-advice: now I have rightly
- Regin and Counsel-sharp – reckoned up the dwarfs.
Fili and Kili, Foundling and Nali,
Haft anfVili, Hanar and Svíur,
Frar and Hornborer, Fræg and Sea-pool,
Loamfield, Iari, Oakenshield.
Time it is to tally up the dwarfs in Dvalin’s lineage,
the people of Lofar,
those who sought out from the stony halls
the dwelling of Loamfield on Iorovellir.
There were Draupnir and Dolgthrasir,
Greyhair, Mound-river, Lee-plain, Glow,
Elf and Yngvi, Oakenshield.
Fialar and Frosty, Finn and Betrayer;
they’ll be remembered while mankind endures,
the long tally of ancestors of Lofar.
(Larrington 2008:5-6)
Another translation of these stanzas can be found in John
Rateliff’sThe History of The Hobbit: Part Two Return to Bag-End(2008). The
Old Norse text he uses is that byFinnurJónsson (1905), while the English text
is the translation by Ursula Dronke’s
which is also a wonderful, albeit highly annotated work and not meant
for light reading.†I’m only giving the English text here, with the dwarves in The Hobbit’s names given after their
translation:
There did Mootsucker
become most esteemed
of all dwarfs,
andDoorward next.
They fashioned many
figurines,
these dwarfs, out of earth,
asDoorward told:
‘New Moon and No Moon,
North and South,
East and West,
All-thief, Dawdler (Dwalin),
Trembler (Bifur), Trumbler (Bofur),
Tubby (Bombur), Shipper (Nori),
Friend and Fighter,
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| One of the banners from the new movie versionof The Hobbit |
Old Father (Oin), Mead Wolf,
Potion and Sprite Elf (Gandalf),
Wind Elf, Yearner,
Docile and Darer (Thorin),
Thrive, Clever and Colour,
Corpse and New Counsellor –
now I have the dwarfs
- Power and Plan-wise –
Correctly counted.
Trunky (Fili), Creeky (Kili),
Found, Needly,
Handle, Drugde,
Craftsman, Dwindler,
Brilliant, Horn Borer,
Famous and Lagooner,
Loam Lea, Earthy,
Oakenshield.
It is time to trace the dwarfs
in Dawdler’s troop,
for men’s progeny,
back to Praiser –
those dwarfs who sought,
from Mansion’s Stone,
the homes of Loam Leas
at Earth Plains.
There was Dripper
And Strife Eager,
High, Grave Treader,
Shelter Field, Gleamer (Gloin),
Joiner, Groiner,
Crooked Finn, Old Father,
Elf and Yngvi,
Oakenshield,
Hider and Frosty,
Finn and Potent.
Uplifted in memory
as long as the world lives
will be this list
ofPraiser’s lineage.’
(Dronke 1997:9 – 11)
However, a few of the names given to the dwarves are only
found in the Younger, or Prose Edda. In the Gylfaginning
a list of dwarfs are given again, but this time the list includes the names
Dori, Ori, Dain and Nain (Rateliff 2008:868).
Great Craftsmen
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| Freya wearing the Brisingamen - artwork by J Penrose 1890 |
Like Tolkien’s dwarves, the dwarfs in Norse myths are also
creators of great objects, including the goddess Sif’s hair, the Brisingamen
necklace, Thor’s hammer and Odin’s spear and the ring Draupnir. They also
fashion the fetter with which the wolf Fenrir is bound until Ragnarok and the
mead of poetry.
In Tolkien’s world the Elves and Dwarves are two very
distinct races, each with their own history and language. The script of the
dwarves in Tolkien’s work is the runes used by various Germanic peoples and
which can still be found on various stones and artifacts.
More Books
For more information on the different races, their creation
and history in Middle-Earth can be read in The
Silmarillion. Although this book is much darker than The Hobbit and many times even as The Lord of the Rings, it is extremely beautiful epic stories and I
can really recommend it to anyone who wants to read more about Middle-Earth.
I really enjoy CarolyneLarrington’s translation of the Elder Edda as it is translated in a
contemporary English that reads very smoothly. It is definitely a good version
to read when you’re just starting out with the Elder Edda. Jesse Byock’stranslation of the Younger Edda is also a very good translation and contain a very
informative introduction. Unfortunately, it does not contain the Háttatál,but it is a good place to
start. The mythology is also easier to understand if you start with the Younger Edda and then move on to the
poems of the Elder Edda.
Sources quoted:
(For those wondering why “dwarfs” and “dwarves” are used in
this post – the correct plural is “dwarfs”, but Tolkien uses “dwarves”
throughout his fiction.)
** For those reading here who understand Dutch – head overto my Afrikaans blog for Marcel Otten’s Dutch translation of the poem.
† In a side note – the third volume of Dronke’s great work
is now available. I’m crossing my fingers that either the varsity library buys
it or I win the lotto…
