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Felaróf

Meaning: very valiant, very strong

Other Names: Mansbane

Location(s): Éothéod, Rohan

Race/Species: Beasts & Monsters

Title(s):
Father of Horses
Lord of Horses
Sire of the Mearas

Dates: born circa 2500 III, died 2545 with Eorl?

Children: the mearas

Description:
Léod ... captured a white foal and it grew quickly to a horse strong, and fair, and proud. No man could tame it. When Léod dared to mount it, it bore him away, and at last threw him, and ... he died. ...

'Eorl vowed that he would avenge his father. He hunted long for the horse, and at last he caught sight of him; and his companions expected that he would try to come within bowshot and kill him. But when they drew near, Eorl stood up and called in a loud voice: "Come hither, Mansbane, and get a new name!" To their wonder the horse looked towards Eorl, and came and stood before him, and Eorl said: "Felaróf I name you. You loved your freedom, and I do not blame you for that. But now you owe me a great weregild, and you shall surrender your freedom to me until your life's end."

'Then Eorl mounted him, and Felaróf submitted; and Eorl rode him home without bit or bridle; and he rode him in like fashion ever after. The horse understood all that men said, though he would allow no man but Eorl to mount him. It was upon Felaróf that Eorl rode to the Field of Celebrant; for that horse proved as long lived as Men, and so were his descendants. These were the mearas, who would bear no one but the King of the Mark or his sons, until the time of Shadowfax. Men said of them that Béma (whom the Eldar call Oromë) must have brought their sire from West over Sea.

The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: The House of Eorl

'Thus spoke a forgotten poet long ago in Rohan, recalling how tall and fair was Eorl, who rode down out of the North; and there were wings upon the feet of his steed, Felaróf, father of horses. So men still sing in the evening.'

The Two Towers, LoTR Book 3, Ch 6, The King of the Golden Hall

Eorl fell in battle in the Wold, and the first mound was raised. Felaróf was laid there also.

The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: The House of Eorl

Etymology

Felaróf is a word of the Anglo-Saxon poetic vocabulary, though not in fact recorded in the extant poetry; "very valiant, very strong."

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 2, Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan: Notes, Note 28

Contributors:
Elena Tiriel 17Jan05

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