Sting was an elvish long knife, but, in the hands of a hobbit, it functioned as a short sword. Due to the physiological differences between Elves and Hobbits, the idea of a Hobbit carrying an Elvish short sword is absurd. Tcrichards 08:16, January 16, 2010 (UTC)
- It may have functioned for him as a short sword, but it was still the size of a knife, even for a Hobbit like Bilbo, who carried it "inside his breeches."
Speculation[]
Added by unregistered contributor 97.90.4.200 on 23 January 2011: The only way to explain the knife's survival through the War of Wrath is that it somehow was taken out of Beleriand within the 43 years after Gondolin's fall and before the end of the First Age. This was most likely accomplished by one of the flightless dragons involved in Gondolin's fall, most probably the dragon later to be known as Scatha the Worm. After fleeing east with the spoils of Gondolin, including Glamdring, Orcrist, and Sting, Scatha established a lair on the southern slopes of Grey Mountains (Ered Mithrin). Roughly around 2000 of the third age, Scatha was killed by Rohirrim leader Fram but the hoard was disputed by the dwarves (it undoubtedly did contain many dwarven treasures as well, like the horn gifted to Meriadoc by Eowyn). The dwarves killed Fram and made off with some of the hoard most likely including the swords of Gondolin. The swords would have been used 700 years later in the battles between the dwarves and the orcs revenging the death of Thror and culminating in the Battle of Nanduhirion (where young Thorin Oakenshield earned his name). Thus the orcs would have a fresh fear of Biter and Beater (as demonstrated by their reactions when they capture Bilbo and company). Years after the battle, the dwarven wielders of the Elvish swords were most likely relocating to Lindon during the Fell Winter of 2911 when they were waylaid unsuspectingly by trolls in the Ettenmoors. Thus the swords ultimately fell into the hands of the three trolls from The Hobbit by the end of the Third Age.
What does it say on the blade?[]
What does it say on the blade?
G36h7qbywu (talk) 00:30, April 6, 2013 (UTC)
- It says in the article: "Maegnas aen estar nin dagnir in yngyl im". Translated they read, "Sting is my name; I am the spider's bane". The scripture was created by Peter Jackson's films, not the books, so basically it's non-canonical. Winterz (talk) 01:14, April 6, 2013 (UTC)
Has anyone else noticed the similarity between the Brazilian word for sting, Ferroada , and the name, Frodo?