A white cow "belonged to the fairies" dwelling alone in Artanor, according to a poem that J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in English with the Angloquenya alphabet. Although nothing else is known about this creature, it is possible that the cow itself was a Faërie creature.[1]
Once upon a time long ago in a far distant
country where no foot of mortal has ever even
unto this day set foot, there lived a white cow
and it belonged to the fairies and the fairies dwelt
?alone in that land of mystery and of sorrow. Did
I say sorrow? Yes, I did, for many tears
were spilt there since the beginning of the world.
Inspiration
As noted by Arden R. Smith, "nothing about a white cow in Artanor or Doriath appears elsewhere in the published legendarium, but white cows as denizens of the fairy world are a common motif in Celtic mythology".[1][2]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Tengwesta Qenderinwa and Pre-Fëanorian Alphabets Part 2", in Parma Eldalamberon XVIII (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. 142
- ↑ For more on white cows as fairy creatures, cf. James MacKillop, "Oxford Dictionary of Celic Mythology" 2004, Google Books, accessed 22 November 2010 , p. 108
| Legendary races of Arda | |
| Animals: | Dumbledors · Gorcrows · Hummerhorns · Pards · Swans of Gorbelgod · Turtle-fish · Wise-fish |
|---|---|
| Dragon-kind: | Sea-serpents · Spark-dragons · Were-worms |
| Other: | Badger-folk · Ettens · Giants · Great beasts · Half-trolls · Hobgoblins · Lintips · Mewlips · Nameless things · Ogres · Otter-folk · Snow-trolls · Spectres |
| Individuals: | Badger-brock · Bill Butcher · Farmer Hogg · Fastitocalon · Fisher Blue · Fíriel · Grip · Hunter and Rider · The Lady of the Sun · Lonely Troll · Man in the Moon · Mee · Mrs. Bunce · Old Swan · Peeping Jack · Perry-the-Winkle · Pott the Mayor · Talking Gurthang · Talking purse · River-woman · Shee · Tarlang · Tim · Tom · Whisker-lad · White cow · Willow-wren |