Barrow-wight

Name: Barrow-wight

AKA: Unknown

Location: Barrow-downs

Novel: The Fellowship of the Ring

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

Natural History:

Barrow-wights are shadows that came out of the dark places of the world and re-animated the bones of the kings and queens that were buried in the barrows they inhabited. They were said to walk the hollows with a clink of rings on their cold fingers and chains in the wind.

Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin were captured by a Barrow-wight after meeting Tom Bombadil. The victims of a Barrow-wight are laid on cold slabs, dressed in all white, and adorned with circlets, gold chains, and many rings. A sword is laid across the neck, as to end the life of whoever is unfortunate enough to become captured by these spirits. A barrow-wight would chant an incantation before disposing of its victims.

Frodo cut the hand from the Barrow-wight and sang a song to call Tom Bombadil, who rescued them from the barrow. By letting in sunlight, the barrow-wight would be expelled from its dark retreat, never to return.

Some say that the barrow in which Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin were imprisoned had been the final resting place of the last prince of Cardolan, who fell in 1409. 

"Cold be hand and heart and bone
and cold be sleep under stone
never more to wake on stony bed
never, till the Sun fails and the Moon is dead
In the black wind the stars shall die
and still be gold here let them lie
till the Dark Lord lifts his hand over dead sea and withered land."

- Barrow-wight