Bow of the Galadhrim

The Bow of the Galadhrim is a weapon of the Elves of Lothlórien, presented by the Lady Galadriel to Legolas Greenleaf during the farewell feast on the grass before the Company's departure down the Great River Anduin. It is a bow such as the Galadhrim used, longer and stouter than the bows of Mirkwood, and strung with a string of elf-hair. With it went a quiver of arrows. The gift is one of a series of parting presents that Galadriel and Celeborn offer to each member of the Fellowship in memory of Lothlórien, a ceremonial exchange that marks the end of the Company's stay in the Elven land and the beginning of their journey into the gathering darkness.

The Gift-Giving at the Farewell

The Bow of the Galadhrim is given during the ceremony that follows the drinking of the cup of farewell, when Galadriel commands the Company to sit again on the grass and chairs are set for her and for Celeborn. She tells them that she has brought in her ship gifts which the Lord and Lady of the Galadhrim offer in memory of Lothlórien, and she calls to each in turn. To Aragorn she gives a sheath made to fit his sword, overlaid with a tracery of flowers and leaves wrought of silver and gold, with elven-runes formed of many gems setting forth the name Andúril and the lineage of the sword. To Boromir she gives a belt of gold, and to Merry and Pippin small silver belts with clasps wrought like golden flowers. To Sam she gives a little box of plain grey wood with a single silver rune upon the lid, containing earth from her orchard. To Gimli she gives three golden hairs from her own tresses. To Frodo she gives a small crystal phial in which is caught the light of Eärendil's star. The Bow of the Galadhrim is thus one gift among many, each tailored to the recipient, and the bow is Legolas's portion.

The Nature of the Bow

The bow is described as being such as the Galadhrim used, longer and stouter than the bows of Mirkwood, and strung with a string of elf-hair. This description sets it apart from the weapons of Legolas's own people, the Elves of Mirkwood, marking it as a product of a different Elven realm with its own craft traditions. The string of elf-hair is a distinctive feature, suggesting a weapon of great strength and fineness, made with materials that carry the particular magic and skill of the Galadhrim. The bow is a practical gift for Legolas, who is the Company's archer, and it equips him for the trials ahead as the Fellowship moves into increasingly dangerous territory.

The Context of Parting

The giving of the bow is embedded in the larger scene of farewell, which is charged with the awareness that the Company may not return. Galadriel speaks of the shadows falling between them and of the possibility that they may not meet again, unless it be far hence upon a road that has no returning. The gifts are thus not merely practical items but tokens of memory and hope, carrying the blessing of Lothlórien into the dark world beyond. As the Company takes their places in the boats and the Elves of Lórien thrust them out into the flowing stream, the travellers watch the Lady Galadriel standing alone and silent on the green bank, and it seems to them that Lórien is slipping backward like a bright ship masted with enchanted trees, sailing on to forgotten shores. The bow, like the other gifts, is a piece of that fading realm carried forward by its bearers.

Significance for Legolas and the Company

The Bow of the Galadhrim is a gift that binds Legolas more closely to the fate of the Fellowship and to the realm of Lothlórien. It is a weapon of superior craft that will serve him in the battles to come, and it stands as a reminder of the Elven lady who bestowed it and the land that gave it form. The gift-giving ceremony as a whole reinforces the theme of fellowship and the bonds of gratitude and obligation that tie the Company together as they face the perils of the quest. The bow is one of the tangible signs of the support the Free Peoples offer to the Ring-bearer's mission, even as the shadows lengthen and the way ahead grows dark.