Beornings of the Vales of Anduin

Beornings of the Vales of Anduin

The origins of Beornings are not known, save that they dwelt in the Vales of Anduin between Mirkwood and the Great River in the late Third Age. Unlike other Men, they had the ability to change into bears. They were named after Beorn, their patriarch. They seemed to have the same life-span of mortal men, and could speak in both the tongue of men and of bears. They did not seem very fond of Dwarves, and were bitter enemies of the Goblins. The people of Rohan shared kinship with them. They hunted neither bird nor beast, their diet consisting mostly of cream and honey. The only known leaders of this people were Beorn and later his son Grimbeorn.

The Beornings were well known for their honey-cakes, which they likely made in their bee farms and sold openly to others, at least until the return of Sauron, for then the Beornings no longer trusted strangers and their trade stopped. Gimli considered the Beornings the best bakers he knew, though they were not so willing to give out their cakes to travelers during the days of the War of the Ring.

Gandalf thought the Beornings might have originated in the Misty Mountains. During the Third Age they guarded the Ford of Carrock from the Orcs and Wargs (in The Lord of The Rings, Gloin complained that their tolls were high) and they also aided the Elves in defending their kingdom in northern Mirkwood. During the War of the Ring, while wearing the One Ring at Amon Hen upon the seat of seeing, Frodo Baggins saw many things from afar, including the land of the Beornings aflame. This hints at an attack by Sauron's forces upon the Beornings, though the outcome of this attack is unknown. [1]