In The Hobbit... - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Child of the 7th Age · 01-14-2003, 08:50 AM

Some of this also relates to the ancient Nordic tales from which Tolkien drew his inspiration.

One of Tolkien's colleagues at Oxford, Helen Buckhust, published a paper in 1928-29 which discussed Icelandic folklore. JRRT was undoubtedly familiar with it.

This paper cited an ancient tale about a household where whoever kept watch on Yule night when the family went to church was found dead or mad the next morning. One year, a young girl volunteered for the job, along with a baby whom she dandled on her knee. By chance, she sang to the baby a lay about an evil "Thing" at her window and also how that Thing was commanded to turn to stone by the time the morning sun rose.

Unbeknown to the girl, there was such a Thing looking in, and the next morning when folk came back from church they found a great stone standing between the ridges of the roof "and there it has stood ever since."

It is also said in Norwegian folktales that when Trolls are caught in the sunlight, they burst into pieces.

[ January 14, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

01-14-2003, 08:50 AM	#6
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Some of this also relates to the ancient Nordic tales from which Tolkien drew his inspiration. One of Tolkien's colleagues at Oxford, Helen Buckhust, published a paper in 1928-29 which discussed Icelandic folklore. JRRT was undoubtedly familiar with it. This paper cited an ancient tale about a household where whoever kept watch on Yule night when the family went to church was found dead or mad the next morning. One year, a young girl volunteered for the job, along with a baby whom she dandled on her knee. By chance, she sang to the baby a lay about an evil "Thing" at her window and also how that Thing was commanded to turn to stone by the time the morning sun rose. Unbeknown to the girl, there was such a Thing looking in, and the next morning when folk came back from church they found a great stone standing between the ridges of the roof "and there it has stood ever since." It is also said in Norwegian folktales that when Trolls are caught in the sunlight, they burst into pieces. [ January 14, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ] __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.