Here is a possible
history of Sting according to wikipedia. It is assumed that the blade was
forged in Gondolin but in The Opal Stone Trilogy:
A History of the Origins of The Hobbit Sword, Sting will give a much more detailed account.
Additional information
can be found here...The Hobbit Sword History
FROM WIKIPEDIA:
An artifact from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy universe of Middle-earth, Sting was an Elvish knife or dagger made in Gondolin in
the First
Age.
Sting was a magical
weapon used by Bilbo
Baggins in The Hobbit. Bilbo found it in a troll-hoard along with the swords Glamdring and
Orcrist. Sting was likely forged by the elves of Gondolin in the First Age. Although it was only a
dagger by the standard of Men or Elves, it made a handy short sword for
a hobbit. Bilbo gave Sting to Frodo Baggins before the Fellowship of the Ring set off from Rivendell. When Frodo was betrayed at the pass of Cirith Ungol, Samwise Gamgee took Sting to prevent it from falling into enemy hands, but
later returned it to Frodo. Following the end of the War of the Ring, Frodo gave Sting and all of his other
possessions to Sam before departing for the Undying Lands.
Bilbo named the blade
after fighting giant spiders in Mirkwood.
The spiders themselves referred to it as his "sting."
The Hobbit Bilbo's Sting |
Sting had the magical
ability to detect any nearby orcs. When orcs were
present, it glowed blue, as it did when the Fellowship encountered orcs in the
mines of Moria. This was a common property of First Age
Elf blades, particularly those forged in Gondolin.
Sting was exceptionally
sharp. Bilbo managed to thrust it without effort deep into a wooden beam at
Rivendell. Frodo also wounded a troll in Moria, after Boromir notched his own sword with
his attempt. Sting was useful in Shelob's Lair when it cut though Shelob's webs with ease. Considering that
giant spiders were a menace in the mountains south of Gondolin, it makes sense
that a weapon of this type would be enchanted/designed to cut their webs. In
real Europe, a bilbo blade was an exceptionally fine blade, after the city
of Bilboawhere such blades were made. It is possible that Bilbo's name and
his acquisition of this sharp blade was connected in the author's mind.
It looks good and worth reading. Thanks for sharing it with us, will be getting my copy soon. Keep posting such posts for us.
ReplyDeleteGreat article. Sting sword is my favourite one among all the lord of the Lotr swords.
ReplyDeleteI really loved the way you have explained the sting sword. Same replica of sting sword, i have found in the lotr collection of replica swords uk.
ReplyDelete