| This article is about the Elf of earlier versions. For the Dwarf, see Gimli. |
| ! | This content is considered pre-canon. While the subject of this article is based on official information, it was replaced or emended in later stages of the legendarium. |
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Gimli was a blind, elderly Ñoldor Elf in the First Age.
Biography
Long a captive slave in the stronghold of Tevildo, Gimli possessed an extraordinary power of hearing for which he became famous to the Elves of Tol Eressëa in later times.
After Lúthien captured the golden collar of Tevildo, she ordered that all the slaves of Elves and Men that were bound in the tower be released and brought before her. But only Beren and Gimli still lived. Gimli was an aged Gnome bent in thralldom at this time, and had grown blind, but his hearing had grown keen over time. He walked with a stick, and Beren aided him. They escaped together.
It was said that he had the keenest hearing in all the world, such that songs were sung about it.
Behind the scenes
The Gnomish Lexicon given in The History of Middle-earth has gimli defined as '(sense of) hearing', related to gim 'hear', gimriol 'audible', and gimri 'hearkening, attention'. These words did not necessarily remain when J.R.R. Tolkien later changed Gnomish into Sindarin.
Gimli plays no part in The Tale of Tinúviel or any other tale and never reappears. (The Tale was originally part of the The Book of Lost Tales Part Two but is also the first section of the later publication Beren and Lúthien.)
Translations
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
| Danish | Gimli - elver ("Den hørende") |