[Keeper of Dol Guldur]

Let me be the first to say that getting rid of junk topics. I may have attributed to some terrible or irreverent topics but at least I attempted at some intelligent debate. Anyway, onward...

Of Beorn...

"...His name is Beorn. He is very strong, and he is a skin-changer."

Of course we all know Beorn transforms into a great black bear. (Not a Black Bear, merely a huge, black colored bear).

"He changes his skin: sometimes he is a huge black bear, sometimes he is a great strong black-haired man with huge arms and a great beard."

The great, dark beard is not entirely disimilar to those that the Istari wear. His physical prowess, see below.

"Some say that he is a bear descended from the great and ancient bears of the mountains that lived there before the giants came. Others say that he is a man descended from the first men who lived before Smaug"

Or maybe both?

"At any rate he is under no enchantment but his own."

Gandalf then further mentions that Beorn can talk to animals and ventures far and wide (as a bear) to search for news.

Beorn as a bear once said, "The day will come when they will perish and I shall go back!" Gandalf (who of course speaks bear) heard this, and definitely believes that he is from the Misty Mountains.

When Beorn grew mildly suspicious Gandalf mentioned that he was "cousin" to Radagast the Brown. That at least kept Beorn from too much suspicion. (He made mention of Radagast's home in Southern Mirkwood. Beorn then said he knew Radagast, "not a bad fellow as wizards go."..."I used to see him now and again." Gandalf also answered Bilbo's inquiry, and stated that Beorn was "a man, no doubt a bit of a sorcerer, but a man."

Tolkien included Beorn as his tribute to the legendary Beowulf (Bee-Wolf (Bear)). Obviously he had to be a great warrior, entirely capable of tearing the arm right off a man or goblin (or grendel anyhow). He merely incorporated his bear form to go with the name. Beorn was great, one of the greatest and most unique men in history.

BUT WAIT! Didn't the all the descendents of the Maia have strange and wonderful power? You see, I believe Beorn is the son of a Maia and a human. More specifically Radagast and a human woman. Looking at it this way opens up room for comments, for sure. Luthien was daughter of a Maia (and a substantially powerful elf, which attributes her other gifts). She transformed into a vampire bat, transformed Beren into Draugluin. Elwing transformed into a beautiful swan to fly to Earendil. She was descendent of Luthien. And these were two of the greatest elves. Both direct descendants of Maiar. Beorn alluded that he once saw Radagast from time to time. He wasn't very open to the strangers, he may have actually seen Radagast frequently. If Radagast was his father, all the more likely. Indeed Beorn's tendencies to talk to animals and wander afar looking for news from beyond his oak forest and bee fields were not disimilar at all. Beorn was a bit of a sorceror. Not too many elves, men or dwarves could shapeshift and not be descendended of Maia. Felagund chanted to make Beren and his own elves look like orcs. Others had great powers, like Feanor or Galadriel. Humans never changed shape like that. Only the children of Maia ancestry. Sort of inbred enchantment, (an enchantment of his own). Elwing could skin-change, and she was descended from Melian the Maia, then Luthien. Tolkien wrote that all the descendents of Beorn, the Beornings could take the shape of the bear. (Although never as great as Beorn himself).

On the subject of the mountains, no doubt he was from higher in them. In the friendlier times Radagast may have gone there as well.

Radagast was the brown, brown bearded no doubt. Beorn had a black beard, but tanned, brownish skin.

As far as a descendent of the men before Smaug or a bear before the Orcs of the Misty Mountains, if Radagast was involved he could have been in man or bear form. That really can't be answered. As a matter of fact, this is all really educated speculation. But sound speculation.