Tolkien Gateway   Revision as of 00:19, 7 March 2011 by Morgan
(Talk | contribs) This article is about an individual of the
Turtle-fish. For the poem, see Fastitocalon (poem).
Fastitocalon was a legendary sea monster, apparently the last of
the mighty Turtle-fish. He is only mentioned in Hobbit verse.[1]
Fastitocalon was the size of a small island and vegetation would
often grow on his back when not submerged, adding to his
deceitful appearance as an actual island. Because of his huge
size, sailors landed on his back only to drown when he dove
underwater.[1]   Fastitocalon derives from the word astitocalon
of the Shire-speech (rendered in English), which itself is an
alteration or corruption of the High-Elven Aspido-chelōne
(rendered in Greek, meaning 'turtle with a round shield (of
hide)). And "the F was put on by the versifier simply to make
the name alliterate."[2]  External links     1. 1.0 1.1 J.R.R.
Tolkien, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, "Fastitocalon"   2.
J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christ