A cute but feral-looking Bilbo on the cover of a Czech edition of The Hobbit
Continuing on with this series.
Tolkien says in several places that Hobbits are more akin to Men than either Elves or Dwarves. If so, they share Men’s mortality in that they do not go to Valinor after death, but somewhere else (even though Frodo and Sam did.) However, their lifespans are longer than that of Men. How did this come about?
One could say that they are Tolkien’s favorite race and he couldn’t bear to give them any less. Remember his main heroic human character, Aragorn, also had an extended lifespan because he was descended from the Dúnedain. But I can also create my own reason.
When the race of Men awakened, they did so in waves or groups as there were so many of them, and the Valar watched over these waves. Seeing the first wave live and die in such a short time, Varda and Yavanna were moved to pity and asked Manwë if there was anything he could do.
Manwë had already broken Eru’s rule in allowing Aulë’s creation, the Dwarves, to live, and was loathe to bend them again. But the other Valar were insistent. Finally Yavanna came up with a plan: shorten the physical size of some of the Men, thus allowing them to live longer with what had been allotted to them by Eru. Varda pointed out that their smaller size would then leave them at a disadvantage, so she suggested a change to their natures: make them secretive and shy to protect themselves from other Men.
Manwë agreed and so changed one of the sleeping groups of Men into the world’s first Hobbits. Awakening amongst the Men, they dispersed in the same ways, but since their nature was to be self-protective, they never fell under the influence of Morgoth.
The Hobbits below are exclusively eastern types and have never been sighted west of the Misty Mountains. Some long-forgotten tribe of Men named them veks, which meant “little” in their ancient tongue, and that is reflected in their current names. All of these Eastern Hobbits have similar characteristics and appear to be related as the three types of Western Hobbit are related, and with them they share overarching traits: a love of food and pleasure, a laid back, rustic lifestyle, hairy feet and short stature. But there are differences.
Eastern Hobbits have hair all over their feet and ankles, not just on the tops. In certain types it extends up their calves and legs as well. Some even have hair on the backs of their hands and up their forearms.
The ears of this type are longer and more pointed, almost beastlike in some individuals. Not a few have hair growing from the tips as well. Their noses are small and rounded, often bulbous or buttonlike, and their eyes are larger. Their cheeks are fatter, rounder, and more prominent, in some cases giving their faces a triangular look.
The male Hobbits of this type have a tendency to bald early in life.
The Wizard Gandalf, who had met a few of these individuals, remarked that they are sterner than Western Hobbits and show less emotion, showing more “maturity” as he said.
Eastern Hobbits are as fond of pipeweed as the Western types. Some experts think pipeweed originated in the east. Both males and females smoke it, female pipes being smaller and daintier. One odd commonality amongst Eastern Hobbit types is that men must never smoke a woman’s pipe, and vice-versa.
The following three types of Eastern Hobbit are currently known. There may be others.
Undiscovered Eastern Hobbit Types
| Foveks | A degenerative type of Hobbit that lives in company with the giant spiders of Mirkwood. Their culture is tribal and they live by robbing and plundering others, riding on their spider “pets” who get a share in the booty. For this reason both orcs and goblins leave them alone. Fovek are tiny for Hobbits and very pale, with lank black hair. As with some other eastern types their feet, hands, forearms, and shins are hairy, though, again, the hair is lank and thin. A peculiarity of them is their black, clawlike fingernails and toenails. They retain the Hobbit characteristic of living in holes and their culture is matriarchal. Some say Gollum of LOTR fame was actually a Fovek Hobbit and not of Stoorish blood as The Great Historian** has claimed. |
| Oniveks | Oniveks are shy hobbits that live in woodlands, preferring meadows for their settlements. They often live near water and drive small punts about, fishing and hunting frogs, which to them are a delicacy. They live exclusively in holes. Small settlements of them exist near the Sea of Rhun and similar forested lands further east and north.
Oniveks dress in simple clothing akin to that of human peasants. They are heavily furred on their feet, hands, forearms, and legs, so they don’t need to wear much clothing. The tips of their ears are very tall and tipped with tufts of hair. They do not trade with other races, being sensitive to disturbances and intrusions from outside. Eastern lore says they can pack entire villages and leave in an hour or two. |
| Cruspveks | Cruspveks are the eastern equivalent of Shire hobbits. Their feet are heavily furred, such that they appear to be wearing boots from a distance. This hair is kept neatly trimmed and presentable. This type trades with Men as long as they are peaceful, even Wainriders and Balcoth. Their settlements are protected by large, fierce dogs said to have been interbred with wargs; legend says they ride these into battle when they must. Otherwise they are similar to Shire hobbits save they preserved their racial history.
A group of Cruspveks, along with some Stoors and a few Fallohides and Harfoots, founded the kingdom of Braben in the Iron Hills and became known as the Brabble. |
** J. R. R. Tolkien.
