return

appendix a 1397
Scatha. Fram would not yield them a penny, and sent to them
instead the teeth of Scatha made into a necklace, saying: ‘‘Jewels
such as these you will not match in your treasuries, for they are
hard to come by.’’ Some say that the Dwarves slew Fram for
this insult. There was no great love between Éothéod and the
Dwarves.
‘Léod was the name of Eorl’s father. He was a tamer of wild
horses; for there were many at that time in the land. He captured
a white foal and it grew quickly to a horse strong, and fair, and
proud. No man could tame it. When Léod dared to mount it, it
bore him away, and at last threw him, and Léod’s head struck a
rock, and so he died. He was then only two and forty years old,
and his son a youth of sixteen.
‘Eorl vowed that he would avenge his father. He hunted long
for the horse, and at last he caught sight of him; and his companions
expected that he would try to come within bowshot and
kill him. But when they drew near, Eorl stood up and called in
a loud voice: ‘‘Come hither, Mansbane, and get a new name!’’
To their wonder the horse looked towards Eorl, and came and
stood before him, and Eorl said: ‘‘Felaróf I name you. You loved
your freedom, and I do not blame you for that. But now you
owe me a great weregild, and you shall surrender your freedom
to me until your life’s end.’’
‘Then Eorl mounted him, and Felaróf submitted; and Eorl
rode him home without bit or bridle; and he rode him in like
fashion ever after. The horse understood all that men said,
though he would allow no man but Eorl to mount him. It was
upon Felaróf that Eorl rode to the Field of Celebrant; for that
horse proved as long-lived as Men, and so were his descendants.
These were the mearas, who would bear no one but the King of
the Mark or his sons, until the time of Shadowfax. Men said of
them that Béma (whom the Eldar call Oromë) must have
brought their sire from West over Sea.
‘Of the Kings of the Mark between Eorl and Théoden most is
said of Helm Hammerhand. He was a grim man of great
strength. There was at that time a man named Freca, who
claimed descent from King Fréawine, though he had, men said,
much Dunlendish blood, and was dark-haired. He grew rich and