Lament of the Rohirrim

Lament for the Rohirrim

Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?
Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow.
Who shall gather the smoke of the dead wood burning,
Or behold the flowing years from the Sea returning?

Aragorn recites this poem as he approaches Edoras, accompanied by Gandalf, Legolas and Gimli. He recites it first in the language of the Rohirrim,and then translates it for his companions. It recalls "how tall and fair was Eorl the Young... and his steed Felarof, father of horses."

I sometimes skim the poems in LOTR, or read them only for the historical information. But when I looked at this one recently, it occurred to me that it is written in one of Tolkien's favored literary forms. It is a riddle. Most Tolkien fans recall the famous "Riddles in the Dark", and in many preliterate societies, riddles are an important form of literature.

What's the answer? Where is "the hand on the harpstring"? "Who shall gather the smoke of the dead wood burning"? Clearly, ol' J.R.R. himself. The poem is a riddle, and the author is the answer.

p.s. What have I got in my pocket?

It is clearly a derivation from Anglo-Saxon poetry. Compare it with this bit of "The Wanderer" from the Exeter Book - see the repeated "where...where...where?" and look out for eorl and theoden.

"Hwær cwom mearg? Hwær cwom mago? Hwær cwom maþþumgyfa?
Hwær cwom symbla gesetu? Hwær sindon seledreamas?
Eala beorht bune! Eala byrnwiga!
Eala þeodnes þrym! Hu seo þrag gewat,
genap under nihthelm, swa heo no wære.
Stondeð nu on laste leofre duguþe
weal wundrum heah, wyrmlicum fah.
Eorlas fornoman asca þryþe,
wæpen wælgifru, wyrd seo mære,
ond þas stanhleoþu stormas cnyssað,
hrið hreosende hrusan bindeð,
wintres woma, þonne won cymeð,
nipeð nihtscua, norþan onsendeð
hreo hæglfare hæleþum on andan.
Eall is earfoðlic eorþan rice,
onwendeð wyrda gesceaft weoruld under heofonum.
Her bið feoh læne, her bið freond læne,
her bið mon læne, her bið mæg læne,
eal þis eorþan gesteal idel weorþeð!"

Interesting, W. (although my comprehension is limited). It fits my theory, I suppose, in that Tolkien the scholar is one of the few that can still sing the story. What is the Exeter Book?

Here is the poem + translation. There seem to be several in the net, don´t know if it is a good one.

http://faculty.arts.ubc.ca/sechard/oewand.htm

"What is the Exeter Book?"

The Exeter Book is a manuscript book dating from 10th or early 11th century held in the library of Exeter Cathedral, Devon, England.
It is quite possibly the most important collection of Anglo-Saxon literature anywhere. It contains several poems and, just for you and JRRT, a lot of riddles.

Quote:

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"Hwær cwom mearg? Hwær cwom mago? Hwær cwom maþþumgyfa?
Hwær cwom symbla gesetu? Hwær sindon seledreamas?
Eala beorht bune! Eala byrnwiga!
Eala þeodnes þrym! Hu seo þrag gewat,
genap under nihthelm, swa heo no wære.
Stondeð nu on laste leofre duguþe
weal wundrum heah, wyrmlicum fah.
Eorlas fornoman asca þryþe,
wæpen wælgifru, wyrd seo mære,
ond þas stanhleoþu stormas cnyssað,
hrið hreosende hrusan bindeð,
wintres woma, þonne won cymeð,
nipeð nihtscua, norþan onsendeð
hreo hæglfare hæleþum on andan.
Eall is earfoðlic eorþan rice,
onwendeð wyrda gesceaft weoruld under heofonum.
Her bið feoh læne, her bið freond læne,
her bið mon læne, her bið mæg læne,
eal þis eorþan gesteal idel weorþeð!"

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WOW, if I didn't know any better, I would have sworn that this was written in Icelandic! Several of the letters used are indeed unique to the Icelandic language... (ð), (þ) … Interesting...

Where's Lokasenna? He could probably give a comprehensive explanation of the relationships between 10th century West Saxon and modern Icelandic.