The Birth of Aragorn

Arador, Aragorn's grandfather, was the Chief of the Dúnedain. His son was Arathorn. Arathorn wished to marry one of his race named Gilraen but Gilraen's father disapproved. He was foresighted and feared that Arathorn would be short lived. "But Ivorwen, his wife, who was also forsighted, answered: 'The more need of haste! The days are darkening before the storm, and great things are to come. If these two wed now, hope may be born for our people, but if they delay, it will not come while this age lasts" (p. 338, The Return of the King).

And so it was that Arathorn and Gilraen were married. Only a year after their marriage Arador was killed by hill-trolls in the Coldfells near Rivendell and Arathorn became Chieftain of the Dúnedain. "The next year Gilraen bore him a son, and he was called Aragorn. But Aragorn was only two years old when Arathorn went riding against the Orcs with the sons of Elrond, and he was slain by an orc-arrow that pieced his eye; and so he proved indeed shortlived for one of his race, being but sixty years old when he fell" (p. 338, The Return of the King).

Aragorn was now the Heir of Isildur and Chieftain of the Dúnedain. Gilraen and Aragorn were taken to the house of Elrond and cared for there. Elrond came to love Aragorn as a son. "But he was called Estel, that is "Hope", and his true name and lineage were kept secret at the bidding of Elrond; for the Wise then knew that the Enemy was seeking to discover the Heir of Isildur, if any remained upon the earth" (p. 338, The Return of the King). And thus our introduction to one of the greatest of Tolkien's characters.

Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 2930-2933
Today's reading comes from: The Return of the King, page 338