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Farmer Giles of Ham is a short children's story written by J.R.R. Tolkien's in 1937. It is about the reluctant hero Farmer Gilles and his run-in with the arrogant dragon Chrysophylax. It takes place during a fictional time in England with knights, giants and talking animals.

It was published by George Allen & Unwin in 1949 and was illustrated by Pauline Baynes. The story was included in both The Tolkien Reader in 1966 and the compilation Tales from the Perilous Realm in 1997. A special edition was published in 1999 on the book's 50th anniversary. The edition included:

  • The original Latin title
  • The original illustrations
  • Tolkien's original text
  • A map of the Little Kingdom
  • Tolkien's notes for a sequel
  • Introduction and notes by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond

An audiobook was released of the story in 1999, narrated by actor Derek Jacobi.

Farmer Giles of Ham Roger Garland

"Farmer Giles of Ham", by Roger Garland

A 2008 reprint on the book's 60th anniversary included illustrations by Alan Lee and an introduction by scholar Tom Shippey.

Synopsis[]

The story begins with Farmer Giles leading a quiet life in the countryside of the Middle Kingdom. One night, a giant, practically blind and deaf, comes blundering onto Giles' property and kills his favorite cow. Giles is able to ward off the giant using a firearm called a blunderbuss, causing him to become renowned as a hero throughout the kingdom. The king in reward gives him an old sword from his treasury, thinking the weapon worth little. This sword turns out to be a famous dragon-slaying sword called Caudimordax ("Tailbiter"). Farmer Giles enjoys his fame, but this enjoyment is short-lived because the dragon Chrysophylax comes to investigate the Middle Kingdom. Farmer Giles tries to ignore the the villagers who are pressuring him to take on the dragon, but he is forced to fight. When Giles and the Dragon meet, Caudimordax does almost all the work for the farmer, and he easily drives the dragon into town. He makes a deal with the dragon for it to either bring back its horde or perish. The dragon agrees, yet does not keep its word; the king sends Giles and several knights after it. The knights are unhelpful and the dragon defeats them. Giles, however, conquers the Dragon with the help of his sword. He makes the dragon carry part of its horde back to his house for himself, disobeying the orders of the incompetent king. The king, greatly upset, sends his army to attack Giles, who uses the cowed dragon to scatter the army. The humiliated King admits defeat and Giles becomes Lord of Ham.

Appearances & mentions[]

By type
Characters Species and creatures Locations Factions, groups and titles
Events Objects and artifacts Miscellanea

Characters

  • Agatha
  • Augustus Bonifacius
  • Bellomarius (mentioned only)
  • Bucephelus III
  • Caurus Maximus
  • Chrysophylax Dives
  • Fabricius Cunctator
  • Four Wise Clerks of Oxenford (mentioned only)
  • Galathea
  • Garm
  • George Crassus Worming
  • Giles Redbeard Julius
  • Grey Mare
  • Miller
  • Suovetaurilius

Species and creatures

Locations

Factions, groups and titles

  • Midlanders
    • Midland Knights
  • Wilkinson (mentioned only)
  • Wormwardens

Events

  • Battle of the Bridge of Ham
  • Battle of Otmoor
  • Caurus Maximus's intrusion into Ham
  • Chrysophylax Dives's attack on the Little Kingdom
  • George Crassus Worming's captivity
  • Quest to kill Chrysophylax Dives
  • Raid near Farthinghoe

Objects and artifacts

Miscellanea


Translations[]

Foreign Language Translated name
Arabic المزارع غايل من هام
Aragonese Chil, o torrero de Ham
Basque Giles, Hameko nekazaria
Bengali ফার্মার গিলস অ্যান্ড হ্যাম
Czech Farmář Giles z Hamu (first edition)
Sedlák Jiljí z Oujezda (second and later editions)
Catalan Gil, el granger de Ham
Danish Niels Bonde fra Bol
Dutch Boer Gilles van Ham
Finnish Maamies ja lohikäärme
French Le Fermier Gilles de Ham
Galician O granxeiro Giles de Ham
Georgian ფერმერი ჯაილზ ჰემელი
German Bauer Giles von Ham
Greek Ο Γεωργός ο Γίλης απ΄το Χαμ
Hungarian A sonkádi Egyed gazda
Icelandic Gvendur bóndi á Svínafelli
Italian Il Cacciatore di Draghi
Japanese 農夫ジャイルズの冒険
Norwegian Eigil Bonde fra Heim
Polish Gospodarz Giles z Ham
Portuguese Mestre Gil de Ham
Russian Фермер Джайлс из Хэма
Spanish Egidio, el granjero de Ham
Swedish Gillis Bonde från Ham
Thai พระราชาชาวนา
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