The Black Squirrel of Mirkwood. - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Pitchwife · 10-21-2010, 12:20 PM

ad 1. Oh, but there actually are black butterflies; see e.g. here. No idea though whether any of these occurred in Britain in Tolkien's lifetime.

ad 2. Oh yes, the Green Squirrel, fiercest of all variants, feared by the forces of darkness. When Mirkwood was cleansed after the War of the Ring and became Eryn Lasgalen again, it repopulated its ancient haunts in the forest and drove the Black ones out, scattering them all over the rest of Middle-earth... or so the rumour goes

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10-21-2010, 12:20 PM	#20
Pitchwife Wight of the Old Forest Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Unattended on the railway station, in the litter at the dancehall Posts: 3,329	ad 1. Oh, but there actually are black butterflies; see e.g. here. No idea though whether any of these occurred in Britain in Tolkien's lifetime. ad 2. Oh yes, the Green Squirrel, fiercest of all variants, feared by the forces of darkness. When Mirkwood was cleansed after the War of the Ring and became Eryn Lasgalen again, it repopulated its ancient haunts in the forest and drove the Black ones out, scattering them all over the rest of Middle-earth... or so the rumour goes. __________________ Und aus dem Erebos kamen viele seelen herauf der abgeschiedenen toten.- Homer, Odyssey, Canto XI