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Snowmane and King Theoden

Théoden on Snowmane at Dunharrow, in The Return of the King film

Snowmane was the horse of King Théoden of Rohan in the late Third Age.[1]

History[]

Snowmane was born of the horse Lightfoot.

In the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in TA 3019, Snowmane was hit by a black dart and fell onto Théoden, crushing him, leading to his death. The Witch-king's flying winged steed landed upon Snowmane's body, soon before Éowyn came and slew it.[2]

Snowmane JJ

The death of Snowmane, by Jay Johnstone

After the battle, Snowmane was buried in a marked grave. On the gravestone was written, in the languages of both Gondor and Rohan:

Faithful servant yet master's bane,
Lightfoot's foal, swift Snowmane.

The grass flourished on Snowmane's Howe, as the grave was called, but not on the ground where the fell beast was burned.[2]

Etymology[]

The name Snowmane is the modern English rendition of the Old English snāw-mana.[3]

Earlier versions of the legendarium[]

In an earlier text, King Théoden grieves for the wounded Snowmane, and Aragorn later uses athelas to tend to the shoulder wound of the horse.[4]

Portrayal in adaptations[]

The Lord of the Rings Online - Snowmane

King Théoden on Snowmane in The Lord of the Rings Online

In The Lord of the Rings Online, Snowmane accompanied Théoden to the Battle of the Hornburg, and was ridden on the final charge out of the fortress.

For Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings films, Snowmane was portrayed by a horse named Hercules.

Translations[]

Foreign Language Translated Name
Finnish Lumiharja
Portuguese (Brazil) Snawmana

References[]

  1. The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Chapter III: "The Muster of Rohan"
  2. 2.0 2.1 The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Chapter VI: "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields"
  3. Guide to the Names in The Lord of the Rings, Snowmane
  4. The History of Middle-earth, Vol. VIII: The War of the Ring, Part One: The Fall of Saruman, II: "Helm's Deep"
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