Forest of the Great Fear

After the coming of Sauron to the southern reaches of Greenwood the Great, and the spread of the Shadow from his fortress of Dol Guldur, the once-bright greenwood became a dark and dangerous place. To reflect this change, the Elves gave it a new name: some sources suggest they chose to call it Taur-nu-Fuin, the 'Forest under Nightshade', doubtless in memory of a similar dark forest of the First Age. Other sources give an alternative Elvish name, Taur e-Ndaedelos, meaning 'Forest of the Great Fear'. These Elvish names are generally translated using probably the best known form of the forest's name: 'Mirkwood'.