Tolkien Society Education Packs

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Runes
In The Hobbit Tolkien introduces his readers to the use of RUNES. This pack gives some more
information about the real runes and their many uses, and suggests some entertaining ways of
using them.

Historical Uses
Runes were a form of writing used across Northern Europe during the early Middle Ages - the
time of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. Tolkien adapts a few of the real signs and gives a key to
translating them.

It is important to point out that runes have NO connection with the occult, with witchcraft, or
necessarily with paganism. They have been misused by the unwise and those who pretend to
have occult powers. In reality, runes were used to express Christian ideas and ideals as well as
for more practical purposes. They were thought to have magical powers because ALL language
was once thought to have magical power. The power of runes was used to protect and heal, to
show devotion and to express faith in the way later forms of writing have been used to write out
prayers, and set down knowledge.

Two of the most famous examples of the use of runes are both Christian in intention. The runes
on the Franks casket c. 700 AD form a border around a carving of the Coming of the Magi as
well as around a carving of the myth of Weland the Smith. Here they mark the transitional stage
between the pagan Norse beliefs and the conversion to Christianity.

The second example is the Ruthwell Cross which was carved in the 8th century with runes that
tell part of the story of The Dream of the Rood in the Northumbrian dialect. The Dream of the Rood
is a lament in the form of a poem, and it expresses the sorrow the Cross itself because it is being
used for the Crucifixion of Christ. The Cross itself speaks of Christ as a hero who accepts his
death for the greater good.

The runic alphabet was known as the futhorc from the first seven signs with which it began.
Each rune had a name and it could 'mean' its name.

Example: æ, its name was æsc, meaning 'ash-tree'. It could refer to an ash-tree, or be used in a
word that needed the 'a' sound we say in words like 'hat'. The rune þ is called 'thorn' and could
be used to refer to a thorn on a plant, or as part of a word where a 'th' sound is needed.

If you look at the names of the runes you will find out a little about what was important in the
society that used them. The ash-tree was important because spear shafts were made from it.

There was more than 1 futhorc and the forms of the runes varied from country to country.

These differences are reflected in the way Tolkien refers to dwarf runes and Daeron's runes.

He also used altered forms of runes, and runic spellings that pick up these differences in the
runic inscriptions on The Hobbit map.

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The Futhorc
Here is one version of the Old English futhorc.
All the names of the letters are given beneath,
together with what they meant.

Starting from top left and listing the runes

according to their modern letters, the names
of the runes and their meanings are as
follows:

 a - called 'ac', means 'oak'

 æ - called 'æasc', means 'ash-tree'
 b - called 'beorc', means 'birch tree'
 c - called 'cen', means 'torch'
 d - called 'dæg', means 'day'
 e - called 'eh', means 'horse'
 f - called 'feoh', means 'wealth'
 g - called 'gyfu', means - 'gift'
(pronounced as in 'yet')
 g - called 'gar', means 'spear'
(pronounced as in 'get')
 h - called 'hægl', means 'hail' (frozen
rain, not a greeting)
 i - called 'is', means 'ice'
 k - called 'calc', means 'chalk'
(pronounced as in 'cat')
 l - called 'lagu', means 'water'
 m - called 'man', means 'man'
 n - called 'nyd', means 'need';
'affliction'
 the next rune is called Ing and was the
name of a fertility god. It has an 'ng'
sound as in 'ring'; 'long'; 'fang' etc.
 - called 'os' we don't know what this
meant
 p - called 'peorð' we don't know what
this meant either
 r - called 'rad', means 'riding'
 s - called 'sigel', means 'sun'
 t - called 'tir' the name of a god, also spelt 'Tiw' from which we get Tuesday.
 þ - called 'thorn', means 'thorn'
 u - called 'ur', means 'aurochs' (the name of a very large form of cattle)
 w - called 'wynn', means 'joy' (the shape of this rune is easy to confuse with the modern
'p', and with the 'þ' [thorn] rune. Note the differences: wynn is more pointed than a
modern 'p', while 'þ' [thorn] has a tall ascender [the bit above the bulge].
 x - called 'eolhx', another rune whose meaning is unknown to us
 y - called 'yr', and another

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Real runes found in England can be of Scandinavian origin rather than being native Anglo-Saxon
runes because Anglo-Saxon England was frequently invaded and settled by Danes and other
vikings. Even within Anglo-Saxon England runes would be used according to the dialect of the
region in which they were being used. So words in a runic inscription made in Wessex would be
spelled differently from the same words used in a runic inscription made in Mercia or
Northumbria.

So translations may reveal different languages or different dialects.

Runes had various functions:

 magical - for creating spells;

 practical - for sending messages;
 monumental - for commemorating people, actions, events
 decorative - runes were used to decorate swords and rings among other things. They
might spell out the name of the sword or the name of the man who owned it. But runes
used for decoration are not always translatable for the runes themselves were seen as
having magical powers. At the time when runes were most in use all writing was
considered magical to some extent because so few people could understand it (our
modern word 'grammar' is related to the word 'glamour' which used to mean magic or
enchantment). Runes, however, may have been less obscure to ordinary people.

At all times translating runes needs great care. RUNES ARE TRICKY. They were developed to be
used to write short messages on wood or bone or antler - hard material, cheap and easily
available - that could be scratched on. Paper was unknown in north-western Europe when runes
were being used, and parchment and vellum, made from animal hide, were very expensive and
used only for very important writing such as Bibles, other religious books, and legal documents,
all of which were written by hand.

 It is possible to write with a pen and ink on parchment and vellum, and in a cursive hand
(flowing), but this cannot be done on wood, bone or antler because the material is not
smooth enough, so runes are made up of straight lines which can be cut or scratched
into the surface with a knife.
 Because of their form, runes can easily be mistaken for simple scratches, and simple
scratches may be mistaken for runes - and embarrassing mistake for any archaeologist
who tries to translate them! Just to make matters worse, runic inscriptions have been
found written from right to left, and even upside down!
 Tolkien is clearly aware of the ease with which this mistake can happen when Aragorn
consults Frodo on Weathertop, asking his opinion about some marks on a stone. Aragorn
is not sure whether they are Gandalf's 'G' rune, hastily scratched on the stone, or just
ordinary scratches on its surface.
 If you are writing runes, remember, one wrong 'scratch' or stroke can alter the shape of
the rune and change the meaning of a word. Similarly, if you are reading and translating
runes, observe every small stroke carefully.

Tolkien uses runes in The Hobbit as a phonetic alphabet, as they were originally used.

When people first used runes they were designed for sounds that we no longer use, so they may
look strange in translation, but give an idea of how the original language looked and sounded.

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The map inscriptions from The Hobbit show some changes to the standard A/S runic forms, and
some use of A/S spelling. If you compare the futhorc given above, you will see that Tolkien has
altered some the rune shapes.

Runes and Other Language Games

Runes had various functions:

 magical - for creating spells or charms to protect or heal.

 practical - for sending messages;
 monumental - for commemorating people, actions, events
 decorative - runes were used to decorate swords and rings among other things. They
might spell out the name of the sword or the name of the man who owned it.

Activity
1. Using runes or plain English write a 'spell' or 'charm' to stop a water elf. But first you will
need to decide what a water elf is and why you might need a charm against it! (There was
a real spell against a water elf.)
2. Write a spell which uses the names of plants or flowers to heal an illness or a pain.
(Aragorn does this when Frodo is wounded on Weathertop in LotR)

Additional information: there are many 'real' spells which date from the time of
the Anglo-Saxons. They do not conflict with Christianity. They are not all written
in runes. They were used for many purposes. Some have strange names like the
charm against a water elf, and the Nine Herbs Charm. This is a healing charm and
very interesting because it uses herb lore as it sets nine good herbs against nine
flying venoms or illnesses. The nine good herbs are: mugwort, plantain (called
waybread in Anglo-Saxon), lambscress, camomile, nettle, crab apple, thyme,
fennel, and attorlaþe (means poison's bane, but we don't know it's modern
identity).

The charm says: 'Pound the herbs to dust, mix with the sap and the pulp of the
apples. Work a paste of water and ash, take the fennel, boil it in the paste and
heat with beaten eggs, then apply the paste. Before and after, sing this spell over
the mighty herbs, three times before using them, and over the apple also. And
then sing the same spell in the mouth and in the ear and over the wound before
applying the salve'.

3. Write a message in runes to a friend.

4. Draw a sword, a dagger, a ring, and write a protecting or strengthening charm on it, or
find a small stone and write your name in runes on it. You could write a 'protecting' spell
on the stone and give it to a friend.
5. Experiment with writing on different material: small pieces of wood, small stones, scraps
of leather (or fake leather), scraps of cloth (silk if you can get it) large leathery leaves (e.g.
rhododendron and magnolia, maple). All have been used. Can you use pen, pencils, or a
pointed piece of stick most easily? (try cocktail sticks, and the points of dividers)

Although runes were important ways of writing messages, inscriptions, and spells, any
written language was thought to have some kind of magical power, and the way

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 language was used added to that magic, so rhymes and alliteration (words beginning
with the same latter) were also important ways of adding to the power of language.

6. Look at the map from The Hobbit: some of the shapes on it look like letters of the
alphabet. Mountains look like M, the dragon, or great worm, looks like W. the river looks
like a long S, and the trees look like F, but broken and twisted. How many words can you
find beginning with each of these letters that will describe each thing or place?

Examples: there are many mines in the Misty Mountains

The great worm wafts his wide and wizened wings over the withered woods.

The forest is a fearful place. A few friends with furry feet fell into danger.

In The Hobbit and LotR there are many places where you could play this game.

In The Hobbit: Bilbo hears the song of a thrush, can you find more words
beginning with 'S' for song that will help you to say what Bilbo is doing, what he
sees, and what time of day it is?

Bilbo has to escape from many different kinds of danger. Choose your favourite,
and take the first letter and using mostly words beginning with that letter, explain
what happens next.

Example: Bilbo is in a barrel which bowls along in the river until it bounces and
bumps against the bank.

Bilbo has to escape from the sticky snares the spiders have spun among shaggy
trees.

Bilbo sees Smaug, smug in his stony lair, surrounded by shining treasure.
Secretly Bilbo thinks of his sword as he soothes Smaug so the dragon will not
strike at him and scorch him, or smother him in smoke.

If you have read The Lord of the Rings

Lothlorien - how many words can you find that begin with the same letter and can explain what
Lorien is like?

Fangorn - how many words beginning with 'F' can you use to explain to the class/group what this
forest is really like?

Before the Doors of Durin, there is something nasty in the lake, can you remember what it is
called, and can you find other words beginning with the first letter of this 4 word name that
describe what the Company feel as Gandalf seeks for the opening spell?

Look at a poem you like in The Hobbit or LotR and write your own poem using the words that
rhyme in the first 4 lines. You must write a different poem to the one in the book, but it can be
about the same thing, or it can be quite different. You must write 8 lines or more and you must
not use the rhymes more than once.

Tolkien has a special way of using names which comes from the Middle Ages. Throughout
Europe in the Middle Ages people did not have surnames that showed the family to which they
belonged. Some had last names that referred to things that were remarkable about them, and
famous kings and warriors had names that described them - such as Alfred the Great, Louis the

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Pious, Harold Fine-Hair, William Rufus (because he had red hair). Apart from these monarchs
(kings), men named themselves as 'son of', and this is how Tolkien names many of his
characters. [Many English surnames or family names still end in 'son', such as Robinson, = son of
Robin, Wilson, = son of Will (short for William), Jackson, = son of Jack] But family relationships
were also shown in the early Middle Ages by the similarity between the names of fathers, sons,
brothers and so on. And this is the way Tolkien names the dwarves. So, Thorin Oakenshield is
also Thorin son of Thrain son of Thror, Oakenshield describes his strength in battle and his
family relationship is shown by the repetition of the TH and R sounds in the names of fathers
and sons. Look at the names of the other dwarves and make a list of them all so you can see
their relationships.

Fili, Kili belong to one family, Dwalin, Balin to another, Dori, Nori, Ori to yet another, Oin, and
Gloin, to another, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur belong together, which leaves Thorin Oakenshield, who is
Thorin son of Thrain. His name 'Oakenshield' refers to his strength in battle.

We find out in LotR that Balin is son of Fundin, and that Gimli is Gloin's son

In Tolkien's books, many characters have names that show that they belong to the same family.
The family connection is shown in the way the names have similar sounds although they are
different. So Frodo is the son of Drogo - the repeated 'o' sound shows that they belong to the
same family even without using their last name - Baggins. In The Hobbit, the dwarves have names
that show their family ties.

The most complex naming is found in The Silmarillion where several generation of High Elves all
belonging to the same family have names beginning with 'F', such as Fingon, Finarfin, Finrod,
Felagund, and Finwe.

This can be confusing, but can you make up a family that is named to show that it IS a family in
this way? Example: Harry and Garry, sons of Terry and Sally. The sons' names' rhyme, but their
father's name repeats the sound of the double 'r' while their mother's name repeats the sound
of the 'a' in their names.

Can you name the sisters of Harry and Garry? (e.g. Kerry and Molly? Or Alli and Holly?)

Can you make up families for each of the Trolls who capture Bilbo and the Dwarves? And can you
create a family for Legolas? Or for Smeagol?

Remember, language is fun! It is also magical, so use it well and use it wisely!

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