Gerontius Took, more commonly known as the Old Took, was a Hobbit of the Shire, and the twenty-sixth Shire-thain. He was best known for being the third oldest hobbit in Middle-earth's history, living to the advanced age of 130 years. Only Bilbo Baggins and Sméagol, whose lifetimes were prolonged by the powers of the One Ring, lived longer.
Biography[]
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The Old Took in his younger years
Gerontius was a friend of Gandalf, and was a direct ancestor to many famous hobbits. His great-uncle in the Took family was the renowned and large Bandobras "Bullroarer" Took.
At some point, Gandalf was said to have given him "a pair of magic diamond studs that fastened themselves and never came undone till ordered."
Gerontius married Adamanta Chubb and had twelve children: Isengrim III, Isumbras IV, Hildigrim (great-grandfather to Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck), Isembold, Hildifons, Isembard, Hildibrand (great-grandfather to Fredegar Bolger), Isengar, Hildigard, Belladonna (mother to Bilbo Baggins), Donnamira, and Mirabella (grandmother to Frodo Baggins). He was Shire-thain for 72 years, until his death in TA 2920 (SR 1320).[2]
Line of Tooks[]
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| Gerontius Took |
| Adamanta Chubb | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Hildigrim |
| Rosa Baggins |
| Numerous children | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Adalgrim Took | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Paladin II |
| Eglantine Banks |
| Three daughters |
| Esmeralda |
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| Saradoc Brandybuck | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Pearl |
| Pimpernel |
| Pervinca |
| Peregrin |
| Diamond |
| Meriadoc Brandybuck | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Faramir |
| Goldilocks Gardner | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Etymology[]
The name Gerontius likely derives from the Greek γέρων (gérōn), meaning "old man" or "elder," plus the Latinate suffix "-ius." This is consistent with his status as the third eldest Hobbit (and the eldest Hobbit that did not have his age supernaturally extended).
In adaptations[]
The Hobbit film trilogy[]
Gerontius "The Old" Took is portrayed by Dan Hennah in the extended edition of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Video games[]
The Old Took is mentioned in the portable version of LEGO The Lord of the Rings: The Video Game.
Translations[]
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
| Armenian | Գերոնտիոս "Հին Տուկ" Տուկ |
| Belarusian Cyrillic | Геронцій "Стары Тук" Тук |
| Bulgarian Cyrillic | Геронтиус "Стар Тук" Тук |
| Chinese | 傑龍提斯·圖克 (老·圖克) |
| Danish | Gerontius "Den Gamle" Toker |
| Dutch | Gerontius "Oud Toek" Toek |
| Estonian | Gerontius "Vana Tukk" Tukk |
| Finnish | Gerontius "Vanha Tuk" Tuk |
| French | Gérontius "Vieux Touque" Touque |
| Galician | Gerontius "Antigo Tuc" Tuc |
| German | Gerontius "Alter Tuk" Tuk |
| Hebrew | גרונטיוס "ישן טוק" טוק |
| Hungarian | Tuk Gerontius (Régi Tuk) |
| Italian | Gerontius "Vecchio Tuc" Tuc |
| Japanese | ゲロンティウス・トゥック (古い・トゥック) |
| Latin | Gerontius "Tucorum Vetus" Tucorum |
| Norwegian | Gerontius "Gamle Token" Toker
Gerontius "Gammel-Tóken" Tók |
| Persian | گهرونتیوس "قدیمی توک" توک |
| Polish | Gerontius "Stary Tuk" Tuk |
| Russian | Геронтиус "Старый Тук" Тук |
| Slovenian | Gerontius "Stari Tuk" Tuk |
| Spanish | Gerontius "El viejo Tuk" Tuk |
| Ukrainian Cyrillic | Геронтій "Старий Tuk" Tuk |
| Shire-thain | ||
| Preceded by Fortinbras Took I |
Gerontius Took | Succeeded by Isengrim Took III |
| TA 2848 - TA 2920 | ||
| Shire-thains | |
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| Bucca of the Marish • Ten Oldbuck Thains • Gorhendad Oldbuck • Isumbras I • Eight Took-clan Thains (incl. Ferumbras I, Isengrim I, Paladin I and Isumbras II) • Isengrim II • Isumbras III • Ferumbras II • Fortinbras I • Gerontius • Isengrim III • Isumbras IV • Fortinbras II • Ferumbras III • Paladin II • Peregrin • Faramir | |
References[]
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B: The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands), "The Third Age"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, Appendix C: Family Trees, Took of Great Smials