The Withywindle was the lesser tributary of the Brandywine River that flowed through theBarrow-downs and the Old Forest and passed into Buckland on the borders of The Shire. The Withywindle valley was said to be the source of all the strange occurrences in the Old Forest. Tom Bombadil lived here in his house on top of a hill between the Barrow-downs and Old Forest.
History
Long ago in an unknown age, Tom Bombadil met Goldberry, the River-daughter, in a pool down the Withywindle. He later brought her to his home north of the river and every summer would gather water-lilies for her along the river side. He was on his last trip of the year when he met Frodo Baggins and the rest of his company on September 26, 3018.
When Frodo, Sam, Merry andPippin were passing through the valley of the Withywindle, they encountered Old Man Willow, an ancient tree who showed bitter hatred to all other living creatures in Middle-earth people and trees alike. The Hobbits were lulled to sleep under his spell all except Frodo and Sam who regained consciousness in time to save Merry and Pippin who had been trapped inside the old willow's trunk. Tom Bombadil happened to be strolling along the river at the time and rescued them all by demanding that he let them go. He was the only person that could control the evil tree's temper.[citation needed]
Geography
According to The Atlas of Middle-earth, it was about three miles in length and began at a waterfall that probably cut into the cliff at the edge of the Barrow-downs near the house of Tom Bombadil.
At the mouth of the Withywindle there was a haven in the north bank called Grindwall. The Grindwall was not under the protection of the High Hay therefore it was guarded by a fence that was built extending into the waters shallows. There was a small village called Breredon on the other side of the Grindwall between the Brandywine and the High Hay.[1]
Etymology
The word withy means 'willow' (common element in English place-names) and windle meaning spindle or reel and is supposed to be translated from Hobbitish.[citation needed]
Translations around the world
Foreign Language | Translated name |
Albanian | Gisht i shelgut |
Arabic | الصفصاف المغزل |
Armenian | Ւիտհյւինդլե |
Azerbaijani | Söyüd şpindel |
Bulgarian Cyrillic | Уилоу вретено |
Cambodian | ដើមសូលផ្លែរហាត់ |
Chinese (Hong Kong) | 柳蘇河 |
Croatian | Vrba vretena |
Czech | Vrba vřeteno |
Danish | Pilspindel |
Dutch | Wilgspil |
Esperanto | Saliko ŝpinilo |
Estonian | Paju spindli |
Finnish | Halavainen |
French | Tournesaules |
Georgian | ტირიფი ლილვი ? |
German | Weidenwinde |
Greek | Ιτέα ατρακτος |
Gujarati | વિલો સ્પિન્ડલ |
Hebrew | ווילו צִיר |
Hindi | विलो स्पिंडल |
Hungarian | Fűztekeres |
Irish Gaelic | fearsaid Saileach |
Italian | Salice mandrino |
Japanese | 古森の枝垂川 |
Kannada | ವಿಲೋ ಸ್ಪಿಂಡಲ್ |
Korean | 윌로우 스핀들 |
Kyrgyz Cyrillic | Саясында ийик |
Latvian | Vītols vārpstas |
Lithuanian | Gluosnis velenas |
Macedonian Cyrillic | Врба вретено |
Maltese | Żafżafa magħżel |
Marathi | विलो आस |
Mongolian Cyrillic | бургас спиндель |
Nepalese | विलो स्पिन्डल |
Norwegian | Seljespindel |
Persian | بید اسپیندل |
Polish | wrzeciono Wija |
Portuguese | Fuso de salgueiro |
Punjabi | ਵਿਲੋ ਸਪਿੰਡਲ |
Romanian | Salcie axul |
Russian | Ивлинка |
Serbian | Врба вретено (Cyrillic) Vrelno vreteno (Latin) |
Sinhalese | විථ්ය්විඳ්ලෙ |
Slovak | Vŕbové vreteno |
Slovenian | Vrba vretena |
Spanish | Tornasauce |
Swedish | Videaxel ? |
Tamil | வில்லோ சுழல் |
Tatar | тал орчык |
Telugu | విల్లో కుదురు |
Thai | วิลโลว์แกน |
Turkish | Söğüt mili |
Ukrainian Cyrillic | Вертушка верби |
Vietnamese | Cây liểu trục chính |
Welsh | Helyg gwerthyd |
Yiddish | ווילאָו שפּינדל |
Nunduinë • Siril | |
Glanduin • Gwathló • Hoarwell • Lune • Sirannon • Withywindle | |
Anduin • Celebrant • Forest River • Gladden • Greylin • Langwell • Limlight • Nimrodel • Redwater • River Running | |
Anduin • Ciril • Erui • Gilrain • Harnen • Lefnui • Mering Stream • Morgulduin • Poros • Ringló • Serni | |
Adorn • Entwash • Isen • Mering Stream • Snowbourn | |
Brandywine River • Shire-water • Shirebourn | |
Adurant • Ascar • Brilthor • Duilwen • Gelion • Legolin • Little Gelion • Thalos | |
Aros • Dry River • Esgalduin • Mindeb • Narog • Rivil • Taeglin | |
Brithon • Celebros • Celon • Malduin • Nenning • Ringwil • Sirion |
References
- ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings, "On the Barrow-downs"