Tolkien Gateway


Oakenshield was the title and sobriquet of King Thorin II of Durin's Folk.


[edit] Inspiration


Fans have speculated that Tolkien may possibly have been inspired by a Faroese ballad, "Regin Smiður", in which Sigurd uses an oak tree branch as a weapon:[5]

All from an ancient oaken-tree
A mighty branch he tore, and lammed those lads so lustily
That some rose up no more[6]


  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "IX. The Making of Appendix A": (iv) "Durin's Folk"
  5. Various, "Influence of the Sigurd legend on parts of The Hobbit?", The Lord of the Rings Fanatics Plaza: Forum (accessed 14 March 2013)
  6. E.M. Smith-Dampier (1934), Sigurd The Dragon-Slayer, A Faroese Ballad Cycle