3 ms·
The case of gentle snow-trolls susceptible to tickling existing in Tolkien's universe made me quite curious. The following turned up after a brief research sess
by maxFlow 4y ago
The case of gentle snow-trolls susceptible to tickling existing in Tolkien's universe made me quite curious. The following turned up after a brief research session:
> Snow-trolls are mentioned only once in Tolkien's works, in reference to Helm Hammerhand stalking his enemies "like a snow-troll" during his sorties against the Dunlendings in the Long Winter. The trolls who lived in the Coldfells in western Eriador may have been similar to these. [1]
And the actual passage, from The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The House of Eorl":
> Helm [Hammerhand] held the fortress during the Long Winter. He blew his great war-horn, and broke through the Dunlending ranks, clad in white, stalking men like a snow-troll slaying them with his bare hands. However, his sons Haleth and Háma were slain and Helm grew gaunt because of grief and famine; still his horn would fill the Dunlendings with fear each time it was heard. During one of his night sorties Helm died, possibly from famine and cold; his body was discovered frozen in the snow still standing. [2]
I would say the "stalking" and the subsequent "slaying" similitudes rule out the gentle qualities of the snow-troll.
For the record I haven't watched RoP yet; something feels wrong about this interpretation of Tolkien's work and I think I'll save myself the disappointment.
[1] https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Snow-trolls https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Snow-trolls
[2] https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Helm#cite_note-Helm-5 https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Helm#cite_note-Helm-5