...It is a long tale...
 | |
| Waterfall | |
| Rauros-falls | |
|---|---|
| General Information | |
| Location | As the Anduin went over Emyn Muil from Nen Hithoel |
| Type | Waterfall |
| People and History | |
| Events | Death of Boromir |
| Gallery | Images of Rauros-falls |
As they went south the fume of Rauros rose and shimmered before them, a haze of gold. The rush and thunder of the falls shook the windless air.
The Rauros-falls, also known as the Falls of Rauros or simply Rauros, were the great falls of River Anduin beneath Nen Hithoel, where the river fell from Emyn Muil to the wetland of Nindalf.
History
The Kings of Gondor had built the North Stair, a portage-way that bypassed the Falls.
At the breaking of the Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo and Sam paddled a boat from the west bank of the river to the east just above the falls and had to use all their strength to avoid being swept over the falls by the current. Shortly afterwards Boromir's body was placed in another boat by Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli who sent it over the Falls. Aragorn declared in the Song of Boromir that ever after the Tower of Guard would gaze "to Rauros, golden Rauros falls until the end of days".
But it apparently survived the fall; at any rate, soon afterwards it was seen by his brother Faramir upon the lower reaches of the Anduin in what felt to him like a dream yet from which there was no waking, and the two halves of Boromir's cloven horn were separately retrieved (neither by Faramir).
Etymology
In his unfinished index, Tolkien glossed the name Rauros as "roaring spray".[2] A pencilled annotation in a manuscript also gives the translation "Rush-rain" or "Roar-rain".[3]
In another manuscript, the name Rauros(se) is said to be composed of raw and ros, and meaning "roaring rain". It is noted that the repetition of r in a name is usually retained in those with "phonetic or onomatopoeic significance".[4]
Portrayal in adaptations
2012: The Lord of the Rings Online:
- From the Nen Hithoel in the Rhovanion landmass the upper part of Rauros is visible. Taking the North Stair south will transition the player to the Gondor landmass, from where Rauros can be observed in full.
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Departure of Boromir"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Unfinished index for The Lord of the Rings", in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 327
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XIV. Farewell to Lórien", p. 285
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Quenya Phonology", in Parma Eldalamberon XIX (edited by Christopher Gilson), p. 99