Hey! I didn't know that!

[Mithrandir]

The idea of this topic is that you can post something you read in one of Tolkien's books that made you think "Hey! I didn't know that!". Small (or even big) facts that might also have been overlooked by other readers. In other words: something that is not considered common knowledge for the Tolkien-lore-masters!

I'll start!

Théoden, Lord of the Mark, was actually born in Gondor.

[Andúnië]

That's something I have never, in all my readings, ever realized. Where does it say this?

[Lairënuriel]

DARN - You have me digging through my books again - I am trying to reread the Harry Potter series before book 7 comes out.

I remember being very surprised (many years ago) that Elrond was half elven.

[Mithrandir]

That's something I have never, in all my readings, ever realized. Where does it say this?

Appendix A - The Kings of the Mark - 16. Thengel
"She [Morwen of Lossarnach] bore him [Thengel] three children in Gondor, of whom Théoden, the second, was his only son."


Did you know that Tolkien more or less suggests that people in Gondor drove on the right side of the road (unlike in Britain)?

[Bombadil_Ulmo]

Did you know that Tolkien more or less suggests that people in Gondor drove on the right side of the road (unlike in Britain)?

That's pretty neat.  Where does he suggest that?

[Mithrandir]

That's pretty neat.  Where does he suggest that?

I'll provide the quote and let you do the reasoning behind it

"But soon Pippin saw that all was in fact well-ordered: the wains were moving in three lines, one swifter drawn by horses; another slower, great waggons with fair housings of many colours, drawn by oxen; and along the west rim of the road [the South Road] many smaller carts hauled by trudging men."
The Lord of the Rings - Book V - Chapter I - Minas Tirith

[Bombadil_Ulmo]

That's good.  I would've never gotten that.

[kathy5]

I know this is going to sound way stupid but up until a few years ago I did not know that there were any books after the hobbit.
I read the hobbit in the 7th grade for a book report & I really liked it
so I was thirlled to find out that there were more books

[Shelob's Bane]

I never seem to have gotten to that part or most probably missed it.  Thanks.  Now at least I know that I should pay more attention to small, minute details.  Hmmm...

[Melian]

Théoden, Lord of the Mark, was actually born in Gondor.

Any mentioning of why the children where born there and at what age he moved to Rohan?

[Andúnië]

Any mentioning of why the children where born there and at what age he moved to Rohan?

I haven't found anything specifically stating why they were born there, but I'm assuming it's because the aforementioned Morwen of Lossamach was a Gondorian. It's in the same section as the other quote (Appendix A > The Kings of the Mark).

[Mithrandir]

Any mentioning of why the children where born there and at what age he moved to Rohan?

Strange to see you being labelled a newbie Good to see you here!

To answer your question: Andúnië is quite right. Morwen was a Gondorian and Thengel wedded her there. He loved her and Gondor, so they lived there and that's the place where their children were born. When Fengel (Thengel's father) died, Thengel was called back to Rohan to be the king of the Rohirrim. He returned unwillingly, but proved a good king and in his house the speech of Gondor was still used. In Rohan, two more children were born. As for his age: I assume he returned in Third Age 2953 (very soon after Fengel died); that would make him around 48 (and her 31).

[Lord Sauron]

I didn't know that Elrond was half a proper man before I reread Fellowship of the Ring.

[melanin]

i love this thread!

That was the first time i heard that about theoden, i remembered that driving on the right side of the road thing, and I remember knowing that Elrond was half elven, but being surprised that he was immortal, and that his children (mainly Arwen) were given the rights of being full elven. In fact i was mad for a whole week after i saw Fellowship convinced they had ruined everything, then i re-read it and saw that elrond had married Galadriels daughter, celebrian.

Did you know there were reportedly 5 wizards sent to middle earth, but two were slain by a dragon that rhadagast the brown only barely survived and lost most of his wits to?
you probably did, but i thought i'd mention it anyway

[Shiona]

No! I didn't know that!

(But I do know that there's a place not far from where J.R.R. Tolkien lived called Bag End)