king’s letter

King’s Letter

This text, the longest extent text in Sindarin, was part of an the omitted epilogue to The Lord of the Rings, first published by Christopher Tolkien on SD/128-131. It was a letter from Aragorn to Sam informing Sam of the king’s impending visit. Christopher Tolkien described three versions of the text, with various translations.

The analysis here is based on the first version of the letter, which has the clearest English translation on SD/128. However, the final uin is altered to ned as in the third version (SD/129). Other than this change, the only differences in the three versions is in word order and the inclusion of ar Arnor “and Arnor” among the lands ruled by Aragorn.

@@@ technically late Noldorin instead of early Sindarin

Elements

Word	Gloss
Aragorn Arathornion Edhelharn	“Aragorn [son of Arathorn] the Elfstone”
aran Gondor ar Arnor ar Hîr i Mbair Annui	“king of Gondor and Arnor and Lord of the Westlands”
anglennatha i Varanduiniant erin dolothen Ethuil	“will approach the Bridge of Baranduin on the eighth day of Spring”
egor ben genediad Drannail erin Gwirith edwen	“or in the Shire-reckoning the second day of April”
ar e aníra ennas suilannad mhellyn în phain	“and he desires to greet there all his friends”
edregol e aníra tírad i Cherdir Perhael (i sennui Panthael estathar aen) Condir i Drann	“in especial he desires to see Master Samwise (who should be called Fullwise) Mayor of the Shire”
ar Meril bess dîn, ar Elanor, Meril, Glorfinniel, ar Eirien sellath dîn	“and Rose his wife; and Elanor, Rose, Goldilocks and Daisy his daughters”
ar Iorhael, Gelir, Cordof, ar Baravorn, ionnath dîn	“and Frodo, Merry, Pippin and Hamfast his sons”
a Pherhael ar am Meril suilad uin aran o Minas Tirith nelchaenen ned Echuir	“to Samwise and Rose the King’s greeting from Minas Tirith, the thirty-first day of Stirring”