Rhymes of Lore

The Rhymes of Lore were small poems that refer to ancient events of history or events yet to come.

History

During the reign of Arvedui, the last King of Arnor, Malbeth the Seer made a rhyme-of-lore prophesying Aragorn II's journey through the Paths of the Dead:

Over the land there lies a long shadow,

westward reaching wings of darkness.

The Tower trembles; to the tomb of kings

doom approaches. The Dead awaken;

for the hour is come for the oathbreakers:

at the Stone of Erech they shall stand again

and hear there a horn in the hills ringing.

Whose shall the horn be? Who shall call them

from the grey twilight, the forgotten people?

The heir of him to whom the oath they swore.

From the North shall he come, need shall drive him:

he shall pass the Door to the Paths of the Dead.

On his way to Minas Tirith, Gandalf mumbled some Rhymes of Lore in many languages. Peregrin Took was able to pick up a few lines from one about them. Perhaps only a fragment of a larger rhyme, these lines are the only ones heard by Pippin. This tale tells of the Númenóreans, led by Elendil, who escaped the destruction of Númenor; it was preserved by the Dúnedain, and goes as such:

Tall ships and tall kings
Three times three,
What brought they from the foundered land
Over the flowing sea?
Seven stars and seven stones
And one white tree.

When Pippin inquired about it, Gandalf suggested that Hobbits may have forgotten them all. To this, Pippin told him that they have their own rhymes which Gandalf would presumably not be interested in hearing, such as Samwise Gamgee's rhyme of Oliphaunt. After this, Gandalf explained that this particular rhyme referred to the Palantíri that were made long ago by the Noldor, possibly by Fëanor himself, and that "they were remembered only in a rhyme of lore among the Dúnedain" of Arnor.

The Long List of the Ents may also be an example of a Rhyme of Lore.

Inspiration

The Rhyme that Gandalf muttered had been running through Tolkien's mind for some time, even before having thought of the palantíri or what the "seven stones" where. When finally he wrote about Wormtongue hurling the Orthanc-stone, he made the connection.

Robert Foster theorized that the Rhymes of Lore were designed as a medium to aid in the retention of various ancient facts.

In adaptations

A musical version of this poem was recorded by the Tolkien Ensemble on their album A Night in Rivendell.