Simbelwyne

[Meoshi]

'Hither shall the flowers of simbelwyne come never unto world's end'

About the quote from Aragorn above; What does it mean? What or who are the simbelwyne? And is there any indication in any of the books as to what is behind the door in the Paths of The Dead? (I'm running an RPG right now whose purpose is to solve the door question)

[Legolas]

Simbelmynë is a white flower. It means 'evermind,' literally, and is often found along gravesites because those buried there are 'ever (in the) mind(s)' of their loved ones.

Gandalf points them out in Edoras as they observe the tombs of Rohan's fallen kings:

'Look!' said Gandalf. 'How fair are the bright eyes in the grass! Evermind they are called, simbelmynë in this land of Men, for they blossom in all the seasons of the year, and grow where dead men rest. Behold! we are come to the great barrows where the sires of Théoden sleep.'
'Seven mounds upon the left, and nine upon the right,' said Aragorn. 'Many long lives of men it is since the golden hall was built.'

This is why Aragorn says what he does later - note the part of the quote you left out, speaking of the 9 and 7 mounds:

Aragorn did not touch him, but after gazing silently for a while he rose and sighed. ‘Hither shall the flowers of simbelmynë come never unto world’s end,’ he murmured. ‘Nine mounds and seven there are now green with grass, and through all the long years he has lain at the door that he could not unlock. Whither does it lead? Why would he pass? None shall ever know!

What Aragorn is saying is that the flowers will never grow there, meaning no one shall ever know his intent, mourn his loss, or keep him in memory (he being the body they find at the door); some are remembered (as the kings are) and some pass with no one's notice (the body Aragorn finds).

They're also mentioned in the appendices:

'Helm was brought from the Hornburg and laid in the ninth mound. Ever after the white simbelmynë grew there most thickly, so that the mound seemed to be snow-clad. When Fréaláf died a new line of mounds was begun.'

[Finwe]

I think that the simbelmynë flowers could represent the honor accorded to the kings of Rohan. On Helm Hammerhand's tomb, the flowers grew thickly, since he was one of the most famous kings. For Baldor (the skeleton in front of the Paths of the Dead), they never grew, since he was regarded as "that crazy guy" for claiming that he would pass through the Paths of the Dead (a drunken oath to be sure!).

[Meoshi]

And so, since he had no honor but that of his family, and he had accomplished nothing, the flowers of Simbelwyne would never come to honor him. *sniff*

[Finwe]

I know, it is a sad story, but it also gives a physical example of the importance placed on practicality by Tolkien. I don't think he was the type who really liked people running off on foolish dares. In the words of Mercedes Lackey, "Glorious Destinies only get you Glorious Funerals." Baldor may have tried to do something "glorious", and he didn't even get a funeral to top it all off!

[The Saucepan Man]

And so, since he had no honor but that of his family, and he had accomplished nothing, the flowers of Simbelwyne would never come to honor him. *sniff*

Or it may just have been because his bones were lying in a cave. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Birdland]

Or it may just have been because his bones were lying in a cave.

(Birdie comes with extention cord, Gro-Lite, and a packet of seeds - in order to do homage to Baldor.) "SOB!"