Mîm & the Petty-dwarves | Tolkien Explained

[@NerdoftheRings]

Thanks for an INCREDIBLE 2022! If you want to get sneak peeks at the exciting things on the horizon for 2023, and some cool exclusive perks - check out Nerd of the Rings on Patreon: www.patreon.com/NerdoftheRings

[@goodmemegoodlife9067]

Love this channel we wish for a lotr mythology video

[@Sephiroth144]

Query- who created the Petty Dwarves; were they children of Aulë, who were forgotten... or perhaps the first, the "alpha test" who weren't as well-formed as the Seven Dwarf Fathers? Or did some other people forge them?

[@deathstroke2697]

Happy new year!

[@ArawnOfAnnwn]

@@Sephiroth144 They were dwarves, just like the others. Just outcast ones. So their creator was Aule, just like the others.

[@omarflores9011]

@Nerdoftherings I think now would be a good time to suggest that you make a MV for 'The Ballad Of Aragorn And Arwen' a parody of Nancy Mulligan by Ed Sheeran, and a retelling of Aragorn and Arwen's love story

[@sam_barris]

Very few Tolkien fans know of the Petty Dwarves. Fewer still know of the Passive-Aggressive Gnomes.

[@ericvulgate]

Or the irritable elves.

[@jmad318]

I prefer the trifling halflings, but you've probably never heard of them.

[@edwinkjellzahn]

Gnome was actually an early term Tolkien used for the Noldor so that about checks out.

[@kentvesser9484]

Were the Petty dwarves just fans of Tom Petty's solo work, or also the work with his group, The Heartbreakers?

[@arvinbuenaagua5161]

Those gnomes say they don't mind not being as popular but you know it bugs them

[@LordEriolTolkien]

Mim and the Noegyth Nibin are my favourite little known group. The death of Mim's son over a sack of potatoes is one of the most prosaic, tragic, and pointless deaths in all of Tolkien's work

[@jonathankool1997]

Very classic Greco-Roman Tragedy isnt it.

[@blenderbanana]

And the opposite of petty.

[@feandil666]

The story of Mim and his sons I always found so tragic and sad, I never felt he was "evil", but just yet another victim of the curse of the children of Hurin. These kind of characters, who are neither heroic not purely evil, are what makes Tolkien works so rich.

[@Feuerbach1]

Totally agree, I really felt for Mim, the Children of Hurin is so sad on many levels, but yeah no one here is pure evil or pure good, its just tragic at the most literal level...

[@mediocreman6323]

To hear “the mighty Mîm” as a supporter of this channel and thus this video is a nice touch 😊

[@Firenutz]

“…But this I will add: he that loosed the shaft shall break his bow and his arrows and lay them at my son’s feet…” is one of the single most beautiful, heartbreaking and redemptive lines of dialogue in all of Tolkien’s work. And it is made that much more powerful to me as the Petty-dwarves fade beneath the long, tall shadows of the towering trilogy. Goodness is no lesser than greatness. It is perhaps more. It doesn’t need to be remembered by history, just by those few who need to remember.

[@raydavison4288]

💖

[@blenderbanana]

Why is a robbing murderer entitled to redemption?

[@lucaspeacock6525]

@@blenderbanana For the same reason you are. Because Justice should always be tempered with mercy. Because Evil deeds do not prevent or mitigate tragedy any more than Righteousness. Because the sun shines on both the just and the unjust alike.

[@hurinthalion5984]

​@@blenderbanana No one deserves redemption. We've all fallen short and made made mistakes. All forgiveness of sins is pure grace because no one is entitled to it

[@teleportedbreadfor3days]

I really hope Mîm’s poem gets released soon. It sounds to me it’s a story that tells us not to judge some people so quickly, for we all have a depth to our characters which we won’t always show bare. For Mîm, he needed a friend and a mentor. If his friendship with Túrin tells us anything, it’s that he either only got a friend or that Túrin failed to see Mîm’s need for a mentor, as well, one who would help teach him to forgive.

[@chucknorris202]

well the trouble started when Beleg joined Turin's company. That's when Mim became distant and jealous and eventually decided to betray them to Orcs and have them all killed - besides Turin himself. Which coming from a petty dwarf says a lot for how much he respected Turin. Or if Beleg did join the company as he does in the timeline, but Turin still gave most of his attention to Mim and still sat with him for hours every day listening to his tales and telling tales of his own and learning what he would teach. Petty dwarf is a fitting name for them and not just for their size in comparison to other dwarves. Jealous, unwilling to forgive even the slightest wrongs or perceived wrongs, and willing to betray their friends if those friends start paying more attention to others. I must say that Hurin showing up at Nargothrond to dish out justice for the house of Hador to Mim is one of my favorite moments in the Silmarillion. Mim soo deserved it. And it's implied that he let himself be caught by those Orcs in the first place, prob to have a plausible excuse in case things went south, instead of approaching them openly while they made camp or something. The petty dwarves betrayal of Felagund is also amazing. Did they really think they would get away with it, even IF Mim managed to murder Felagund in his sleep? The other Elves of Nargothrond, Findrods brother Orodreth and successor to Nargothrond first of all, would make them pay for it if it succeeded. Maybe the petty dwarves wouldve been exterminated sooner if Mims plot against Finrod Felagund HAD succeeded. I can see why the other dwarf houses hated and looked down upon the petty dwarves too.

[@teleportedbreadfor3days]

@@chucknorris202 If Mîm had a mentor figure who’d help teach him forgiveness, things would’ve been more or less different if he decided to let go of his prejudice towards a certain Elf he would fail to kill in his sleep

[@Pixis1]

With all the various Tolkien books that have been released since the author's death, it's crazy to me that Mim's poem has never been published in English. You'd think it would have shown up in the History series or The Nature of Middle-earth or something. Amazing that there are still works by the professor that haven't been released.

[@roelant8069]

Yeah, it makes me wonder if perhaps the original English poem was lost or something

[@valentinkambushev4968]

@@roelant8069 or maybe there was never an English version.

[@cholericimp1358]

​@@valentinkambushev4968What do you mean? Would it not be in English originally?

[@melkhiordarkfell4354]

"They hunted us like monsters.... and we became them."

[@datt5698]

@Dm_NerdoftheRings-on-Bestgram I have the package

[@DaTux91]

I've always been a fan of the soft-spoken nature of your videos, when you could so easily go very bombastic with many of them. My appreciation has increased further still since I recently became a dad and it means I can still watch your videos with my baby boy sleeping on my chest without any fear for sudden and loud noises waking him up. So thank you, and I wish you a happy 2023!

[@saidakhmadsaidaskharov7386]

When i watch fellowship of the ring every year it never fails to inspire and give me a sense of peace

[@MrARock001]

I absolutely love that you're doing the Christopher Lee voice from the audiobook of Children of Húrin for the voice of Mîm. It's bang on! ❤️

[@zmparadise]

I hope the time and love you've spent on these videos are appreciated in the ages to come. My kids are young, but I have no doubt they'll come across these videos on their own decades from now. Cheers.

[@Omnilatent]

Loved the video! I got the German version (called "Mîms Klage") and if I had some experience in translating Tolkien specifically, I would try to back-translate it but this way I don't feel up to the task (I want to do it justice). Maybe I give it a try after reading the Silmarillion in English, too. So far I only read it in German.

[@JonathanGhost42]

I Myself am German to and I find it quite sad, that this sad piece of art is not avaiable for an audience that speaks english.

[@Nannada1212]

I think there's a good chance of mistranslations. I felt like the ending where he summed up the story wasn't the same story that had just been explained.

[@JonathanGhost42]

I am fascinated of the petty-dwarves, even when there is not much about them, and Mîm is a very tragic and very fascinating (but not likable) character.

[@blenderbanana]

Why don't you like Mim? He's certainly more relatable than a band of robbing-murder-hobos.

[@JonathanGhost42]

@@blenderbanana Just because I do not like Mîm as a person, this does not mean that I like the band of robbing-murder-hobos. As a character he is relatable, but if he was a real person I would rather want to be not near him.

[@blenderbanana]

@@JonathanGhost42 Why not? Because bad-luck is contagious? Other than in Hurins narrative, where is Mim "Petty"? He is living a hostile and war-torn land.

[@JonathanGhost42]

@@blenderbanana I understand his reasons and can get behind most of them (and I do not even deny that he has noble aspects), but I just do not see him as a likable guy. As a character he is interesting, but as a person I would just not think that it would get good... I would much rather prefer to meet Bilbo, who seems like good company. Hehehe.

[@blenderbanana]

@@JonathanGhost42 No doubt. The way Bilbo "Defunded the Police" and exiled the tresspassers instead of letting his friends become ghoulish-murderers(In the scouring)? Bilbo is a Saint. But like, cool and genial at the same time. I wish he was my Broker or my Lawyer.

[@skeletalwarden8498]

I never knew about these dwarves! i first saw this video when it was uploaded 20 seconds ago 😄, keep up the good work!

[@luudest]

And what about the Party-Dwarves?

[@josiahzabel8596]

That would be Thorin's crew

[@dafsvad5517]

5.6k thumbs up as of now. More people enjoy this video than the total population of the town I grew up in. Pretty impressive trying to wrap my head around that. Congrats and keep up the great work!!

[@Fishfellow_II]

I remember when my dad used to read the Silmarillion to us at night every time he said "Amon Rudh", I thought he was saying "Our mom Rude" and by sister and I would be giggling for hours.

[@Katharina_Lieblich]

Cheers, Matt!! 🍻 Here's to 2023 and another year in which to revel in Middle Earth! Thanks for all the fantastic content this year!

[@jefffrodermann5348]

As always, this was enthralling. Thank you for putting such heart and knowledge into your videos.

[@valentinkambushev4968]

The elves and Petty-dwarves' first encounter = the British and Irish's first encounter (particularly the mistaking them for animals part, something the British are very good at).

[@tomB-A]

‘Were’ very good at. Like the Roman’s, Spanish and even down to individuals like Xerxes and the Khans. But appreciate the dig at just the English.

[@danielmarquez2860]

@@tomB-A cry about it

[@tomB-A]

@@danielmarquez2860 why would I cry? My ancestors probably trod on yours.

[@MoonGoddess123]

Rule Britanniaa

[@nouhorni3229]

@@tomB-A so you stole it from another culture. like a brit would.

[@reiferdranzer3752]

As we end the year, i would like to thank you for the amazing content when diving into middle earth. All the best for the new year.

[@edwinkjellzahn]

“But they were all of them decieved, for another dwarf clan was made”

[@Tadzioreik]

I didn’t knew there was an unreleased Mim poem! Great way to start the year, there’s always something new to learn from Tolkien’s world! Thanks man and good vibes this new year! 🎉

[@mikistamenov1094]

Love the new map desing.Happy new year everyone.

[@erikbender1967]

Unlike Gimli, Mim's story is a story of tragedy and sorrow.

[@82SSchultz]

Tiny correction regarding the Androg/Beleg/Mim situation. You mention that Androg cuts Beleg's bindings in a last act and that later Mim comes across Beleg, who then stabs at Mim and scares him off with the curse about the House of Hador. What actually happened is that Mim came upon Beleg while he was bound and was about to kill him when Androg stabbed at Mim and scared him off, cursing him about the House of Hador (of which Androg was from) before cutting Beleg free as a last act. Small error. Anyway, excellent video as always!

[@emilyelizabethbuchanan998]

There are two different accounts of this incident in Tolkien's writings/letters.

[@raydavison4288]

I find myself feeling pity for Mim even though he was bitter & untrustworthy. 😔

[@blenderbanana]

He was Right to be bitter, and who exactly would call him "untrustworthy"? The Murder-Hobos who extorted him?!

[@st0rmrider]

@@blenderbanana maybe but he was petty nonetheless

[@blenderbanana]

@@st0rmrider Was Hurin petty for avenging HIS son?

[@robr135]

@@blenderbanana There you go. It is how one sees it and interprets it.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

@@st0rmrider Petty Dwarvishness is only a misdemeanor in most jurisdictions.

[@joshuabio66]

That Beleriand and Eriador combined map is amazing!

[@filipkoric5360]

I always tought that first people awoken (by Aule) were Dwarves, even before Elves. Eru Illuvatar had shown great mercy to his son Aule and Aule's children (Dwarves) by not killing them. Instead he anounced that he adopts Dwarves. But the were put back to the slumber since Eru's plan was to wake Eldars first...

[@istari0]

Until Eru Ilúvatar gave the Dwarves souls, they could not awake as they were really just puppets that would only do what Aulë would have them do. My belief is that awakening refers to when a race first emerged into Middle-Earth and that at the time Aulë "crafted" the dwarves they were in his halls in Valinor and were later placed in various locations in Middle-Earth to awake after the Elves.

[@istari0]

@@Hundredyacrewoods I don't really see where you and I are disagreeing.

[@mwoods96]

Fantastic video , can't wait for it to continue into 2023 !!

[@shehansenanayaka3046]

We always appreciate your time and hard work to make these videos ❤️. Love from your big fan from Sri Lanka 🇱🇰🤝🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿.

[@Javrixx]

Great video, had no idea about any of this. Writing and narration top notch, as usual!

[@michaelsnyder4642]

Snorri Sturluson wrote the Edda in 1220 and mentions the Petty Dwarves in it. The word "petty" in his book is used to mean diminutive or small. Tolkien also used some of the dwarf names in the Edda for members of Thorins group from the Hobbit.

[@Metanaut1]

I have a PC in D&D named Snorri Trollstomper, a lvl 1 bard, and rest in Paladin, that uses a Glaive, created from that Edda.

[@matthewcarlton5693]

This is so awesome. Every time I read Unfinished Tales I am sad about Mim's son being killed by the arrow.

[@dyar648]

I know this is a dumb question but how did the Elves not think that the Dwarves weren't animals after their first encounter? Like I get if maybe because they dont have weapons or something, or perhaps due to the fact they didnt speak when attacking the Elves due to it being of stealth but wouldn't they have been wearing clothes? I mean since when do animals wear clothes? Even Orcs wear clothes if you could call it that

[@Darkstar_Dayne]

The Elves would've thought of them as some deformed abomination who walk and talk like men

[@ollievendor7413]

Probably all the hair. Dwarves are very hairy and short. Maybe some sort of hairy talking mountain miniature bigfoots.

[@istari0]

Perhaps they were wearing nothing more than animal skins. Humans are very good at finding "reasons" to call different groups of our own species sub-human and the Petty-Dwarves were both more primitive and looked very different than Elves.

[@gv2010]

In the earlier days of Middle Earth, Morgoth was always making new kinds of monsters and sending them out of his fortress to wreak havoc. So it would make sense if the elves just lived in a state of perpetual paranoia, not knowing what the next threat might look like, or what it could do.

[@sophiejones3554]

They were presumably wearing clothes, but this is where the bad light comes in: what is clothing and what is hair would become indistinguishable in torchlight. However, I think the real answer is much simpler: the elves believed they were the only thinking creatures, because for a long time they had been. This being prior to Melian coming among them, these elves had not learned that were to be other Children of Eru besides themselves. It did not occur to them, therefore, to look for signs of sapience: such as tools & weaponry, clothing, or language. Much as, in real life, people have lived alongside Chimpanzees and Sperm Whales for centuries-and hunted them-without it occuring to anyone to check if these animals are sapient. Not because the signs weren't fairly obvious, had anyone bothered to look, but simply because we had no reason to think we were not alone. Turns out Chimps use tools and Sperm Whales probably speak a full-blown language. Woops.

[@DwarfComic]

Mmmmmm this pleases my dwarven heart. Great work!! Keep it up! Happy New Years!!

[@childoftheeternalsky2382]

Ah, I can still remember the first time I read about them in Children of Hurin. Such a dark version of Tolkien's world, my favorite of his works.

[@avalonsfury9978]

Hatred is a poisoned arrow in the heart...

[@rosiehawtrey]

22 Long Rifle mamba venom hollowpoints are much more effective, if less poetic...

[@darrengladden4681]

Happy New Year! Thanks for all the videos in 2022.

[@memelydcatting3049]

One of my favorite tales. Especially the curse with the bow

[@jonathanthomas4182]

Gandalf: some that live deserve death and some that die deserve life. If you ask me some of the Petty Dwarves particularly Mims sons at least deserved better than what they got.

[@midimusicforever]

The Petty-dwarves are fascinating!

[@nataliefaust7959]

I need to read the Children of Hurin again. It's just not something I undertake lightly because how deep the feelings are when reading it.

[@LegaretoXIV]

Ho Wow the map!!! Great video again!!

[@MartieD]

I like how one can infer that Andróg and Beleg may have formed a great friendship from such little information.

[@qwertyTRiG]

Tolkien knew that mythology was so often tragedy.

[@benjaminallen3371]

I guess Carl Hostetter's _The Nature of Middle Earth_ was the last piece of Tolkien's writings to be published for the first time, but there is still more of his work that has yet to be published _in English_. In another version of the tale, Mîm and his remaining son did not purposely get captured by the Orcs, who forced the Dwarf to betray Turin and his band. I wonder if there can be any reconciliation between the two versions...

[@valentinkambushev4968]

Here's a possible reconciliation: the orcs ambushed Mîm and his son, but Mîm saw an opportunity to kill Beleg and agreed to betray Turin and his men, on the condition that Turin will not be killed.

[@dragonrykr]

So this is that Mighty Mim I've always been hearing about in the end credits :P

[@markwaldron8954]

I've always been intrigued by the Petty Dwarves. Partly because I think I may be one.

[@taylorhirthmusic]

Thanks so much, Matt!

[@johnwilliamson4805]

I just listened to the LOTR Lorecast episode this week talking about Mim and the petty dwarves

[@ryancruz1876]

“Mîm” is pronounced like “Mime”. The Silmarillion states that the circumflex denotes a long vowel in Dwarvish names. Long i makes the “ai” sound.

[@HonkIfYouLoveBeer]

Of all the dwarves, Mim is the pettiest.

[@orendel]

A translation back from the German translation of Tolkien's original poem: Tink-tink-tink, tink-tonk, tonk-tonk, tink! No time to eat, no time to drink, tonk, tink! Tink-tonk, no time, tonk-tink, no time to linger! No time to sleep! Not night nor day and only haste! Just silver and gold, hammered and bent to shape And small hard stones, glittering and cold. Tink-tink, green and yellow, tink-tink, white and blue: Under my hands they sprouted and quietly grew Long leaves and flowers, and red eyes glew In deer and birds between blossoms and twigs.

[@Azzyos]

Great video about the pitty Dwarves

[@jaysgamingcorner8539]

Never heard this story before, very interesting. Great video and happy new year!

[@elvenkind6072]

Have a great New Year everyone! Thanks to NotR for yet another insightful, relaxing, dream-like adventure story about Middle Earth. I'm glad every time I see a new video. 🙂

[@TarMody]

This clan of dwarves can be considered as the part of the dwarves who suffered their share, similar to Melkor's attempts on elves and humans. A sub-dwarven clan, to me, torn between good and evil as a product of Melkor's failed attempts because Aulë made the dwarves resilient. Attention: This is just my mental approach. It has no direct connection with lore.

[@BrettWMcCoy]

Wow I never knew about the unpublished material about Mim. I hope it does get published at some point!

[@shadowconvoy]

Cool info. Subscribed.

[@garrettcantrell1034]

Great video

[@hazbojangles2681]

Great video! I don't actually remember the attempt on Finrod's Life. Is that in the War of the Jewels?

[@remiren9832]

I thought I read “Pretty Dwarves” 👁👄👁

[@goodmemegoodlife9067]

Love this channel we wish for a lotr mythology video

[@eacalvert]

Well done mate

[@crossbronxcollectibles9127]

Great video!! Sucks that they don’t exist anymore. Could’ve been some great bad guys for future stories

[@NerdoftheRings]

We are told there are some dwarves (from the Eastern clans) who side with Sauron in the War of the Last Alliance, so there are indeed some evil dwarves yet!

[@johndododoe1411]

@@NerdoftheRings But that was long before the war of the ring.

[@MusMasi]

the elves themselves are not all *good* guys either, a pity there were no later evil elves who sided with Sauron

[@kurtschulmeyer1041]

I always wondered about the petty Dwarves history!

[@VoiceoftheRings]

AHH DWARVES! THE Petty ones.... Nothing like us Longbeards... haha. Great video Matt!

[@matthewmiller8297]

Still no summary video out for ROP.... Is it coming?

[@RissaFirecat]

This is awesome!

[@blaneglover2627]

A banger as always

[@shadowthoughts7959]

2:10 So, elves just saw anything that didn’t look like them in a foreign land to their own home and decided to kill first, worry later? I mean, elves have the best vision of all beings, so nightfall isn’t a great excuse for not knowing what they were.

[@Emberheart_]

Elves: Those two legged animals we keep killing sure taste good over a fire! Someone: They're sentient, like you. Elves: ..............

[@mythologicalaccords]

Reminds me of the Volsung Saga with Turin portrayed as Sigurd & Mîm as Andvari

[@venkelos6996]

I really enjoyed this! I know that there is plenty to actually read about, if you go looking, but I've personally always felt that the Dwarves were a bit underrepresented, in Tolkien's work, compared to several other races. I can list several separate instances where the otherwise often greatly detailed Tolkien seemed to just lightly mention something, regarding the Dwarves, and then quickly seem to move on to the next Elven thing, or Human, without a second glance, and then never come back to it, so this long description of Mim was great, and I'm also surprised he lived so long as he did. I know Tolkien Dwarves typically live longer than Men; even Numenorians, but I feel Mim was competing with Elross, and he was among the most important of Men, and longest lived of the Numenorians, while Mim was of a group diminished, and perhaps seen as a "lesser" example of Dwarvenkind. It's a pity he was still so flawed, and both did some of what he did, and met the Faye he received, but still a fun character, in my opinion.

[@tomnewton4003]

Well this one gave me chills!

[@Morbos1000]

That poem seems like a good video possibility for someone like The Philosopher's Games since he is German.

[@ravensthatflywiththenightm7319]

Happy New Year! 🎆🎆🎆

[@mat4679]

I just finished reading Unfinished Tales and came across the Druidain, could be a good topic for a future Nerd of the Rings Video, I know I was confused reading their short story.

[@neub4321]

I must remember: never expect a straightforward story from a LOTR fan.

[@kirandeepchakraborty7921]

Amon Rudh of the 1st Age..... Absolute Gold. ❤️

[@yzorgone]

great story, absolutly awesome drawings! i wish with all my heart for a client that would commission me to draw some. :)

[@annika_fantasy]

It's hard to decide whether I like the petty dwarves, but the fate of mim and his sons is very sad! Their role in the Children of Hurin is so interesting

[@AllMy78s]

Thank you for this...

[@annaroselarsen4218]

Happy New Year everyone!

[@corax86]

Please, what are the music tracks used in NOTR videos? I love em

[@Voc_spooksauce]

Very few characters are so, well, petty and bitter by choice in Tolkien's story. So this fella is an interesting one Cheers from Brazil :>

[@Admiral_Apparent]

First few seconds I was like ahhhhh chaos dwarves. Then self corrected. Can’t get the lores mixed

[@fredwood1490]

I am the last, though I was the least, I am all that is left of the noble and the brave that my people once were. I ask not pity nor alms but such respect that memory does bring, for I am that memory still alive. No more shall I sing, for my songs have lost their meaning, no more shall I walk beneath the bright Sun, it has become death to me. Shadows, shadows and mists and dust are my treasures now, Loss and grief my only purpose, tears. What was and may have been, dreams awoke from and nightmares come true. I am the last but never the greatest, for none are there to speak the names of the mighty and the fair who have gone before. And now I lay me down to sleep and all will be lost, but the whispers in the wind and the bones amid the rubble. (not Tolkien's poem but one about the story told above.)

[@colinleat8309]

My New year's resolution, read Children of Hurin. I don't understand why the original text was never published in English. Good luck finding a copy of the German publication from the 70s.

[@d3m1g0d4]

Happy New Year to everyone

[@somedandy7694]

Love the music! Where can I find it?

[@PhobosDynami]

I originally read the title as "the Pretty Dwarves." I was looking forward to hearing about that.

[@spacesatan5840]

Androg kills his son and yet androg is angry he had to break some wooden sticks because of it

[@blenderbanana]

Criminals be like that.

[@Badboyben1422]

So Mim lived over 500 years? Interesting thought that even the lives of Dwarves, even the petty ones were longed lived during the Years of the Trees and the First Age.

[@herwansaputra4080]

Most tragic life of a dwarf 😭

[@bigchungus4336]

There's an irony somewhere that the noble dwarves would be expelled from their homes, just like the petty dwarves many ages before

[@genevatalento2639]

wow. Thanks.