Gorcrows: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:Gorcrows.jpg|frame|Excerpt from illustration by [[Alan Lee]]]]
[[Image:Gorcrows.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Excerpt from illustration by [[Alan Lee]]]]
'''Gorcrows''' were a legendary species of birds, only mentioned in passing in [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] verse. These foul crows, who croaked in their sleep, are said to have lived in the same damp marshes as the fearsome [[Mewlips]].<ref>{{AB|Mewlips}}</ref>
'''Gorcrows''' were a legendary species of birds, only mentioned in passing in [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] verse. These foul crows, who croaked in their sleep, are said to have lived in the same damp marshes as the fearsome [[Mewlips]].<ref>{{AB|Mewlips}}</ref>
<small>{{quote|And gloomily the gorcrows stand<br /> Croaking in their sleep.|[[The Mewlips]]}}</small>
<small>{{quote|And gloomily the gorcrows stand<br /> Croaking in their sleep.|[[The Mewlips]]}}</small>
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{{Legend}}
{{Legend}}
[[Category:Birds]]
[[Category:Birds]]
[[fi:Vaakut]]
[[fi:Vaakut]]

Revision as of 22:09, 17 October 2010

File:Gorcrows.jpg
Excerpt from illustration by Alan Lee

Gorcrows were a legendary species of birds, only mentioned in passing in Hobbit verse. These foul crows, who croaked in their sleep, are said to have lived in the same damp marshes as the fearsome Mewlips.[1]

"And gloomily the gorcrows stand
Croaking in their sleep.
"
The Mewlips

Etymology

Gorcrow, "gore crow", is an old English name for carrion crow.[2]

Portrayal in adaptations

Middle-earth Role Playing:

Gorcrows are said to have 4 ft. wingspan and to be smaller cousins of the crebain.[3] The northern gorcrow, living in Forodwaith, is described as a larger version of the common gorcrow. The Lossoth are said to regard the norhern gorcrows as birds of ill-omen.[4]

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, "The Mewlips"
  2. Patrick J. Cassidy, ed. (1913), Webster Dictionary
  3. Ruth Sochard Pitt, Jeff O'Hare, Peter C. Fenlon, Jr. (1994), Creatures of Middle-earth (2nd edition) (#2012)
  4. Randy Maxwell (1997), The Northern Waste (#2025)
Legendary races of Arda
 Animals:  Dumbledors · Gorcrows · Hummerhorns · Pards · Swans of Gorbelgod · Turtle-fish
Dragon-kind:  Sea-serpents · Spark-dragons · Were-worms
Evil Races:  Ettens · Giants · Half-trolls · Hobgoblins · Ogres · Snow-trolls · Two-headed Trolls
Other:  Badger-folk · Great beasts · Lintips · Mewlips · Nameless things · Spectres
Individuals:  Talking Gurthang · Talking purse · The Hunter · Lady of the Sun · Lonely Troll · Man in the Moon · The Rider · River-woman · Tarlang · Tim · Tom · White cow