Highday
| Days in the Shire Calendar |
|---|
Highday (archaic form Hihdei) was the seventh and last day of the week in the Shire Calendar. It represented the Númenórean day Orbelain, dedicated to the Valar. As such it was the chief day of the week and after noon Hobbits considered it a holiday with evening feasts. [1]
After the reform of Isengrim Took II,[1] dates such as 1 Lithe and 1 Yule always fell on Highday. There was no month beginning with Highday, therefore it became a jesting idiom in the Shire to say "on Friday the first (of Summerfilth)" when referring to a fictitious day or unlikely events.
Etymology
Highday represents an archaic Hobbitish form "Hihdei", a word preserved in the Yellowskin.[1]
Highday is translated as Friday in The Lord of the Rings, however as it was the chief day of the week, its cultural significance rather corresponded to that of our Sunday. For this reason, when the poem The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late mentions a special pair of silver spoons and plates reserved for "Sunday", it should rather be understood as Highday, rather than Sunday.[1][2]
References
| The Days of the Week in Arda | |
| Elvish week (Quenya): | 1. Elenya 2. Anarya 3. Isilya 4. Aldúya 5. Menelya 6. Valanya (Tárion) |
|---|---|
| Elvish week (Sindarin): | 1. Orgilion 2. Oranor 3. Orithil 4. Orgaladhad 5. Ormenel 6. Orbelain (Rodyn) |
| Númenórean week (Quenya): | 1. Elenya 2. Anarya 3. Isilya 4. Aldëa 5. Menelya 6. Eärenya 7. Valanya |
| Númenórean week (Sindarin): | 1. Orgilion 2. Oranor 3. Orithil 4. Orgaladh 5. Ormenel 6. Oraearon 7. Orbelain |
| Hobbit week (archaic): | 1. Sterrendei 2. Sunnendei 3. Monendei 4. Trewesdei 5. Hevenesdei 6. Meresdei 7. Hihdei |
| Hobbit week (late T.A.): | 1. Sterday 2. Sunday 3. Monday 4. Trewsday 5. Hevensday (Hensday) 6. Mersday 7. Highday |
