This is notably my favorite of Tolkien's songs from The Hobbit. Maybe because of the song in the movie? Maybe because of the way Tolkien paints such vivid depictions of what the song is describing? I don't have the whole thing committed to memory, but I'm working on it. Although, it must also be noted that my favorite LOTR song would have to be:
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with weary feet,
Until it meets some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.
And wither then? I cannot say.
(Frodo, The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter Three: Three is Company)
I have that one committed to memory. Eventually, I'll take the time to write a post about it. But, for now, let's just focus on...
Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold
by J. R. R. Tolkien
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away ere break of day
To seek the pale enchanted gold.
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,
While hammers fell like ringing bells
In places deep, where dark things sleep,
In hollow halls beneath the fells.
For ancient king and elvish lord
There many a gleaming golden hoard
They shaped and wrought, and light they caught
To hide in gems on hilt of sword.
On silver necklaces they strung
The flowering stars, on crowns they hung
The dragon-fire, in twisted wire
They meshed the light of moon and sun.
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We away, ere break of day,
To claim our long-forgotten gold.
Goblets they carved there for themselves
And harps of gold; where no man delves
There lay they long, and many a song
Was sung unheard by men or elves.
The pines were roaring on the height,
The winds were moaning in the night.
The fire was red, it flaming spread;
The trees like torches blazed with light.
The bells were ringing in the dale
And men looked up with faces pale;
Then dragon's ire more fierce than fire
Laid low their towers and houses frail.
The mountain smoked beneath the moon;
The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.
They fled their hall to dying fall
Beneath his feet, beneath the moon.
Far over the misty mountains grim
To dungeons deep and caverns dim
We must away, ere break of day,
To win our harps and gold from him!
Tagline:
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day,
To find our long-forgotten gold.
I call that last stanza a "tagline" because I really don't now what else to call it. It is sort of part of the song, but it's set apart from the rest of the song by a good thirteen pages (according to my book). The song, itself, is sung by all thirteen dwarves in Bilbo's living room, while the "tagline" is sung only by Thorin, when he's alone in Bilbo's guest room (presumably as he's falling sleep) thirteen pages later.
Now, those of you who saw An Unexpected Journey may be thinking, "But, the song in the movie wasn't that long." No, it wasn't. The song in the movie (arranged by Howard Shore, and sung by Richard Armitage, et al.) only consisted of one stanza and the "tagline" of the original song, probably due to time restraint:
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day,
To find our long-forgotten gold.
The pines were roaring on the height,
The winds were moaning in the night.
The fire was red, it flaming spread;
The trees like torches blazed with light.
In all fairness, they did try to get some of the other stanzas in there. If you listen really carefully to Bilbo's opening narration, you can hear slight variations of some of the other stanzas. I suggest watching the 8-10 minute prologue with the subtitles on and a copy of the entire song in hand. You will recognize some of the details.
What Is This Song?
As far as I can tell, it's a Ballad of Remembrance created and sung by the Dwarfs to help remind them of the tragic events of the loss of The Lonely Mountain.
Why A Song of Remembrance?
The cultures of the various peoples of Middle Earth - Men, Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, etc. — seem to be steeped in oral tradition. Occasionally, someone will write a book or song (such as Bilbo chronicling his adventures, and later when Frodo writes down his own adventures), but most written materials are the chronicles of certain kings, or personal letters from one Hobbit to a certain group of Dwarves in a Mountain far away (for example).
The people of Middle Earth make up songs and ballads for important events (Aragorn's coronation), tragic events (the loss of Erebor, the death of Boromir, etc.), or just because they can (Pippin's bath song). Sometimes it feels like there's a song for everything:
I stubbed my toe
On a rock.
It hurt so badly,
And there was blood.
My foot is bruised.
We really need shoes
To save our feet
From rock and thorn.
Okay, maybe its' not that bad. But, you get the idea. (And, yes, I made up that example.)
Who Needs to Be Reminded?
Pretty much everyone.
The dwarves teach their future generations of the tragic loss of Erebor in the same way we teach future generations about World War 2 or September 11th. We even have songs about September 11th (There She Stands by Michael W. Smith, etc.).
The loss of Erebor to Smaug, although tragic, is part of Dwarf history, just as September 11th is part of ours. We teach our kids about September 11th because it is important for future generations to know what happened on that day, why the world is the way it is now, and also so that the memory of the people who died will not be lost.
It's the same with Erebor. It is important for younger generations of Dwarves to learn about what happened so that they have a better understanding of why the world they live in is the way it is, so that they understand why a Dwarf Prince labors at an anvil in a village of Men, and so that the memory of Smaug's many victims will not be forgotten.
I was nine years old when the World Trade Center came down, so I don't remember it very well. The only evidence that I even knew something had happened is a picture I drew of the towers exploding (not historically accurate, I know, but I was nine). My little brothers were about 3 and 2, and my little sisters weren't born yet, so I kinda doubt they have any memories of 9/11.
Fili and Kili weren't born yet, and their mother (Thorin's sister, Dis) was about 10, when Erebor was attacked (and taken) by Smaug. According to the "family tree" I located in Appendix A of Return of the King, Dwalin, Oin, and Gloin weren't born yet, either.
In fact, I'm willing to bet that the only members of Thorin's company who actually lived in Erebor prior to the attack, and witnessed said attack were Thorin and Balin.
Therefore, Dwalin, Oin, Gloin, Fili, and Kili all heard the tale through oral tradition. More than likely, Dori, Nori, Ori, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur all learned about it in the same way. Hearing the story told by Thorin or Balin would be like listening to a World Trade Center or Pentagon survivor recount their personal experiences on September 11th.
They all sing the song, not because they personally remember what happened, but because they don't. The song is all they know about what life was like before Smaug attacked. The song is all they know about the splendor of the Dwarves' Mighty Halls of The Lonely Mountain.
I don't know about anyone else, but when I think about this, I imagine Thorin sitting in a rocking chair with Fili and Kili curled up in his lap, swinging Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold to them as they drift off to sleep. And, although his voice is level and soothing, a tear rolls down his cheek.
So, In Bilbo's Living Room…
…Most of them sing the song in memory of the event, and also to remind them of the true purpose for their quest.
What Does the Song Mean?
The first stanza is just kind of an introduction to the song, and also the Quest of Thorin and Company:
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away ere break of day
To seek the pale enchanted gold.
The next five stanzas tell of the grandeur and splendor of the Halls of Erebor. They speak of the mighty craftsmanship of the Dwarves, and the many treasures forged by the smiths and jewelers of the Mountain. Consider the fourth stanza down to be like a chorus, something to refocus the singer on the reason for the song, and, therefore, the reason for the Quest of Thorin and Company:
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,
While hammers fell like ringing bells
In places deep, where dark things sleep,
In hollow halls beneath the fells.
For ancient king and elvish lord
There many a gleaming golden hoard
They shaped and wrought, and light they caught
To hide in gems on hilt of sword.
On silver necklaces they strung
The flowering stars, on crowns they hung
The dragon-fire, in twisted wire
They meshed the light of moon and sun.
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We away, ere break of day,
To claim our long-forgotten gold.
Goblets they carved there for themselves
And harps of gold; where no man delves
There lay they long, and many a song
Was sung unheard by men or elves.
Now, here's where things start to get interesting. It seems a little out of place in context of the movie, but perhaps Smaug really attacked at night(?). I personally think this is the Dwarves' memory of seeing The Lonely Mountain and surrounding area burning from a distance after the attack. Having just barely escaped Erebor, they now watch from some distance away as the towering pine trees that once bordered their doors roar with dazzling flames. They hear the wind moaning through the trees as it fans the murderously red dragon-flames, causing the fire to spread farther into the woodlands and surrounding area. The once tall, majestic pine trees now blaze against the dark, midnight sky, like torches in the darkest caverns of the now desolate Erebor. But, that's only my interpretation:
The pines were roaring on the height,
The winds were moaning in the night.
The fire was red, it flaming spread;
The trees like torches blazed with light.
This is the main reason I either think the previous stanza is out of place, or that my interpretation is wrong. The next stanza tells off Smaug's brazen attack on the village of Dale, and the death and destruction he caused there. The stanza after this one tells of how the Dwarves of Erebor fled their hallowed halls in Smaug's wake, and how he ruthlessly murdered many of their people:
The bells were ringing in the dale
And men looked up with faces pale;
Then dragon's ire more fierce than fire
Laid low their towers and houses frail.
The mountain smoked beneath the moon;
The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.
They fled their hall to dying fall
Beneath his feet, beneath the moon.
And, finally, a promise to return. Yes, they have been driven from Erebor by Smaug, but they shall return to seek vengeance upon the dragon and reclaim their halls, and (more importantly) their vast treasure:
Far over the misty mountains grim
To dungeons deep and caverns dim
We must away, ere break of day,
To win our harps and gold from him!
And, last but not least, Thorin sings the "chorus" in remembrance of everything he (and his people) have lost:
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day,
To find our long-forgotten gold.
I, personally, like my interpretation of the The pines were roaring stanza. It makes a lot of sense to me. But, maybe I'm wrong.
A Little [Random] Aside
My best friend growing up lived very near the base of a mountain in my home-state. During one of the biggest fires in that area, I remember we could see the pinpricks of orange and yellow flame spread out over the side of the mountain, bright and ominous against the night sky.
I can't help but wonder if that was kind of like what the fleeing Dwarves of Erebor saw as they made their way farther and farther from the Mountain they called home. I wonder if they watched the flames every night like my friend and I did, and thought about their homes (and their treasure). I also wonder if there were any little Dwarf children who watched Erebor slowly burn from a distance, like me and my friend. These are details Tolkien didn't really touch on, and I kinda doubt that Peter Jackson will touch on that any further in the remaining two films, so we may never know.
Shortening The Song (for movie purposes)
The stanza that sticks out to me the most is:
The pines were roaring on the height,
The winds were moaning in the night.
The fire was red, it flaming spread;
The trees like torches blazed with light.
Again, maybe because of the song in the movie? Maybe because of the way Tolkien paints such vivid depictions of what the song is describing? Maybe because it reminds me of the mountain fire my friend and I watched from her living room window? Who knows?
Regardless, although I (and other Tolkien fanatics I know) were saddened by the shortening of Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold, I will go so far as to say I think they picked the perfect two stanzas to summarize Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold. Instead of the long, though beautifully vivid, song, they give us the reason for the Quest:
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day,
To find our long-forgotten gold.
And everything else, the terror of dragon fire and the wanton destruction and death, bundled into my favorite stanza:
The pines were roaring on the height,
The winds were moaning in the night.
The fire was red, it flaming spread;
The trees like torches blazed with light.
We really don't need all the details of what Erebor used to be, or the terrible attack of the dragon upon Dale (in all fairness, we've already seen that in the movie's prologue). What we get, and all we really need at that point in the film, is the reminder of the purpose for the Quest (that this isn't just a fun little adventure between buddies), and the harrowing memory of the dragon's destruction.
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