The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Turned to stone in III 2941, probably in late May
Location
The wooded region of Trollshaws, west of Rivendell
Race
Division
Other names
Not known1

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About this entry:

  • Updated 13 May 2012
  • This entry is complete

Tom

One of the three Stone-trolls met by Bilbo

One of three Stone-trolls that ranged the region known as Trollshaws, east of the river Hoarwell. With his companions Bert and Bill Huggins (who was apparently the leader of the group) he had descended from the Misty Mountains in search of human flesh. In the woods of Trollshaws, they found a cave and established it as a secure place to store their plunder, which included several Elvish weapons of great antiquity.

Though they had terrorised a village or two, their search had been largely a failure, and they were subsisting on mutton at the time that Thorin and Company stumbled across their fire in the woods. After an unsuccessful attempt at burglary by Bilbo Baggins, Tom and his companions succeeded in capturing the Dwarves, but through the trickery of Gandalf (aided by their own considerable stupidity) they failed to notice the rising of the Sun, which turned all three Trolls back to the stone from which they were made. Nearly eighty years later, Frodo and the Hobbits found Tom and the other Trolls still frozen in stone in the same spot.


Notes

1

It seems inconceivable that this Troll's real name was 'Tom', any more than his companions would have been called 'Bert' or 'Bill'. Presumably Tolkien gave them these modern names for effect, but we cannot say what their true, original names might have been.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 13 May 2012
  • This entry is complete

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