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Ghân-buri-Ghân

Location(s): Drúadan Forest

Race/Species: Man

Dates: 3rd Age

Description:

Table of Contents:

Description
History
Language

Description

Chieftain of the Drúedain or ‘Wild Men’ of Drúadan Forest.

Unfinished Tales, Index

[On] the ground sat a strange squat shape of a man, gnarled as an old stone, and the hairs of his scanty beard straggled on his lumpy chin like dry moss. He was short-legged and fat-armed, thick and stumpy, and clad only with grass about his waist. Merry felt that he had seen him before somewhere, and suddenly he remembered the Púkel-men of Dunharrow. Here was one of those old images brought to life, or maybe a creature descended in true line through endless years from the models used by the forgotten craftsmen long ago.

The Return of the King, LoTR Book 5, Ch 5, The Ride of the Rohirrim

The old man's flat face and dark eyes showed nothing, but his voice was sullen with displeasure. 'Wild men are wild, free, but not children,' he answered. 'I am great headman, Ghân-buri-Ghân. I count many things: stars in sky, leaves on trees, men in the dark….’

The Return of the King, LoTR Book 5, Ch 5, The Ride of the Rohirrim

'Dead men are not friends to living men, and give them no gifts,' said the Wild Man. 'But if you live after the Darkness, then leave Wild Men alone in the woods and do not hunt them like beasts any more. Ghân-buri-Ghân will not lead you into trap. He will go himself with father of Horse-men, and if he leads you wrong, you will kill him.'

The Return of the King, LoTR Book 5, Ch 5, The Ride of the Rohirrim

Ghân-buri-Ghân squatted down and touched the earth with his horny brow in token of farewell. Then he got up as if to depart. But suddenly he stood looking up like some startled woodland animal snuffling a strange air. A light came in his eyes.

'Wind is changing!' he cried, and with that, in a twinkling as it seemed, he and his fellows had vanished into the glooms, never to be seen by any Rider of Rohan again. Not long after far away eastward the faint drums throbbed again. Yet to no heart in all the host came any fear that the Wild Men were unfaithful, strange and unlovely though they might appear.

The Return of the King, LoTR Book 5, Ch 5, The Ride of the Rohirrim

History

[During the War of the Ring, Ghân-buri-Ghân Guides the Ride of the Rohirrim]

[After the downfall of Sauron, Aragorn Grants Drúadan Forest to the Drúedain]

Language

[The] Wild Man began to speak, in answer to some question, it seemed. His voice was deep and guttural, yet to Merry's surprise he spoke the Common Speech, though in a halting fashion, and uncouth words were mingled with it.

The Return of the King, LoTR Book 5, Ch 5, The Ride of the Rohirrim

Contributors:
Tanaqui 14Jan05

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