Felaróf was a white horse and first of the Mearas.

HistoryEdit

The horse tamer Léod, father of Eorl the Young, attempted to tame a captured white foal. However, when he attempted to ride the horse it threw him, resulting in his death. His orphaned son Eorl hunted down the horse, but instead of killing it, he demanded that it serve him as payment for causing his father's death. The horse accepted this, taking the name Felaróf, a name said to mean 'very valiant' or 'very strong'. It was said that Felaróf could understand the speech of Men.

Eorl rode Felaróf when he came to the aid of Gondor, the victory which led Steward Cirion to grant the Éothéod the land of Calenardhon, which would become Rohan. Thirty years later, horse and rider met their end fighting the Easterlings in The Wold and were buried together in a mound raised outside the gate of Edoras.

His line, the Mearas, according to tradition could only be ridden by the Lord of the Mark. Gandalf's horse Shadowfax came from the Mearas, making him a descendant of Felaróf himself.

EtymologyEdit

Felaróf was an Old English word that meant "Very strong".

External linkEdit

Felaróf at Tolkien Gateway