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A Long Time Ago, in a Middle-Earth Far, Far Away... - Page 4

© Michael Martinez

If there is anything missing from Middle-earth, which otherwise seems so utterly complete and profoundly real, it would have to be folklore, tall tales especially. We see bits and glimpses of the stories which would give rise to folklore, but we seldom see the folklore itself. Tolkien emphasized realism so much that he all but neglected the extravagances of folklore. Folklore was not entirely absent, but it would have been nice to see occasional variations on the story of Isildur, for example. Unfortunately, there were (not so diabolical) forces at work which prevented or delayed the rise and spread of folklore. That is, there were people who remembered the events which normally would have given rise to folklore. Want to know what Isildur was like? Just travel north and find Elrond. Heck, he had people living with him (or relatives) who remembered the likes of Luthien, Thingol, and Melian. It's hard to tell tall tales when Elves are politely hemming and hawing in the corner, whispering, "Well, actually, Isildur was only TWO Rangar high, and he had a scar on his palm...." Folklore cheapens history but it enriches culture. It entertains and preserves a smidgen of good sense. There is often a kernel of good advice in folklore and fairy-tales (such as, don't sell your soul to the devil unless you have a REALLY good lawyer on your side). Sometimes folklore remembers things that are forgotten elsewhere. Some early Germanic myths seem to recall historical events. The myths most likely developed from older stories which were a bit more realistic, with each generation adding a few "refinements" to the tale. Middle-earth's folklore arises where scholarship fails, in the hearths of Hobbits, and in the gossip of old women who aren't involved in winning the great wars. If bears do go lolloping over mountains in Middle-earth, we are not treated to the whys and wherefores of such events recounted to children in nurseries. It would be interesting to hear some of those old stories told in Bree, for example. What did they remember about the ancient wars and the great kings who stood up to the Witch-king? Was he the equivalent of old Scratch? Did the Bree-folk recall ancient duels where the Witch-king traded jibes with High Kings for the souls of lowly hobbits and farmers? The myths and fairy-tales of Middle-earth would probably have been mostly dark. The peoples of the Third Age, especially after the fall of Arnor, lived in a mostly dark world where evil things really did dwell just beyond the horizon. The Bree-folk had their quiet, peaceful woods to themselves most of the time, but after the Rangers left, Bree was beset by enemies and strange creatures. The old bogey-stories started coming true.

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