“Sting” [1] is the name given by Bilbo Baggins to a short sword of Elven origin, having been crafted in Gondolin at some point in the First Age. In the Third Age year of 2941, Bilbo Baggins found the sword in a troll treasure cache along with other Elven weapons. He used the sword in the “Erebor Quest” and passed it on to his inheritor Frodo Baggins.
Details of the Sword
Primarily a dagger in Elven standards, nonetheless, Sting was perfect as an undersized sword for creatures with small stature as the Hobbits. Initially, Bilbo wore the sword within his pants, and could still run and move freely due to the sword’s small dimensions. Sting was similar in structure as the other weapons (swords) such as the Orcrist and Glamdring. Glamdring (also known as "Beater") was the sword used by "Gandalf, the Grey" wizard, while the Orcrist (or Goblin-cleaver) was the sword of Thorin II. "Oakenshield" throughout the "Quest of Erebor." All three weapons, having been fashioned by the Elves during the Days of the Elders, glittered brightly with a blueish “cold light” when Orcs were in proximity. However, only Sting has been referred to in the literature as glowing with a blue flame or shining blue. As an authentic blade from Gondolin, Sting can easily cut the traps of Ungoliant’s descendants. That means the horrific Shelob as well as the Mirkwood spiders.
Historical Background
Crafted by Gondolin's gifted Elven weapons-smiths, Sting might have gone missing in the Fall of Gondolin. That was the battle wherein Turgon, the original owner of Glamdring, fell to his enemies.
The Hobbit
What exactly happened to Sting after Gondolin’s Fall was not apparent, but by the latter part of the Third Age, the sword was possessed by three trolls living in the east of Eriador. That was in TA 2941 when Bilbo, together with his Dwarf friends, came upon Sting along with Orcrist and Glamdring. When Bilbo rescued Thorin and the other Dwarves from the gigantic Mirkwood spiders, he used the sword to free himself from the web cocoon and to kill the spider on guard. All those feats inspired Bilbo to name the sword “Sting.”
The War of the Rings
Just before Frodo Baggins set out on his journey to bring the “One Ring” to Mordor, Bilbo passed Sting to his nephew in Rivendell. At one point, Sam Gamgee used Sting to save his master Frodo from the clutches of the giant spider Shelob near Mordor. At that adventure’s conclusion, when Sauron was defeated and destroyed, Frodo bequeathed Sting to Samwise Gamgee. Gollum, having a fear of anything Elven-made, was terrified of Sting.
That fact helped Bilbo during his confrontation with Gollum at the Misty Mountain caves in “The Hobbit.” Furthermore, that fear also aided Frodo to subdue Gollum with Sam’s help in the events of “The Lord of the Rings.” The orcs greatly feared Sting, and they even hated anyone who bore the sword. As Frodo left Middle-earth for the “Undying Lands,” he did not take Sting from Sam. That means Frodo left him with two gifts: Sting and his Red Book. The sword thus became part of the Gamgee family heirloom, as well as the book. It is said that both items ended up in Fairbairns' family custody.
That fact helped Bilbo during his confrontation with Gollum at the Misty Mountain caves in “The Hobbit.” Furthermore, that fear also aided Frodo to subdue Gollum with Sam’s help in the events of “The Lord of the Rings.” The orcs greatly feared Sting, and they even hated anyone who bore the sword. As Frodo left Middle-earth for the “Undying Lands,” he did not take Sting from Sam. That means Frodo left him with two gifts: Sting and his Red Book. The sword thus became part of the Gamgee family heirloom, as well as the book. It is said that both items ended up in Fairbairns' family custody.
Depictions in Popular Culture
The Trilogies of Peter Jackson
- In the film “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” [2] the Grey Wizard Gandalf discovers Sting in the cave as he left. He then hands it over to Bilbo as he waits for him outside the cave. Sting is shown as somewhat leaf-shaped, having moderately curving edges, with a spiral pattern. The design is reminiscent of the Greek “xiphos,” as indicated by Tolkien in the novel.
- In “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, etched on the sword are the Sindarin words that say, “my name is Sting, and I have been the misery of the spider.”
- In the novel “The Silmarillion” appendix, the Sindarin word “maeg” means ‘piercing’ or ‘sharp.’ Furthermore, the book “The Lost Road and Other Writings” etymology section indicates that the word “nass” means ‘point,’ thus “Maegnas” directly translates to ‘sharp point.’
The novels do not mention Bilbo as having the sword inscribed. The engraving is absent in the film adaptation of “The Hobbit.” However, after naming the blade, it is generally possible that he may have asked the Elves to inscribe Sting sometime during or after the events in “The Hobbit.” Another possibility is that the Elves had the blade engraved when Bilbo stayed in Rivendell. The last theory holds more ground as the inscriptions are in Sindarin, a known Elvish tongue. Furthermore, only the Elves have the technology and expertise to reshape a sword similar to Sting. Even though both Orcrist and Glamdring are Elvish blades in the same fashion, only Sting was shown in both films as glowing blue when orcs are near its presence.
References
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Swords