It was a common tradition among the Men of Bree that their family names would derive from the name of a plant or tree. 'Rushlight' is an example of such a name, deriving from the rushes that grew around ponds or marshes (and so the name presumably had some connection with the nearby Midgewater Marshes). The entire name refers to a kind of simple candle made from the pith of a rush inserted into tallow. We have no history for the family, and none of its members are ever individually named, but we can be sure that Men with this name lived in the Bree-land during the later years of the Third Age.
Notes
1 |
The name 'Rushlight' is listed among the families of the Men of Bree, so at least some members of the family seem to have lived in Bree itself. The name's association with rushes, though indirect, suggests some kind of connection to the Midgewater Marshes, the only nearby habitat suitable for these plants. It is perhaps possible, therefore, that this family had its origins in parts of the Bree-land approaching the Marshes, somewhat farther east than the town of Bree itself.
|
2 |
A 'rushlight' is an extremely basic type of candle made by peeling a rush to expose its pith, and then dipping that pith in tallow. The name of the Rushlight family therefore presumably comes from early members making these rushlight candles as their occupation.
|
Indexes:
About this entry:
- Updated 26 November 2022
- This entry is complete
For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.
Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2002, 2017, 2022. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.
Website services kindly sponsored by Axiom Discovery aptitude and skill testing.
Axiom Discovery gives you comprehensive online aptitude testing covering core skills across a wide range of disciplines.
SHARE
