Sting

Sting is a short sword of Elvish workmanship, forged in the Elder Days by the smiths of Gondolin or Nargothrond. It first appears in the narrative as a possession of Bilbo Baggins, who acquired it during his journey to the Lonely Mountain. After his return, Bilbo hung the sword over his fireplace at Bag End, but when he prepared to leave the Shire for good, he took it down and gave it to Frodo as a parting gift. "Here is your sword," he said, drawing it from an old shabby leathern scabbard; its polished and well-tended blade glittered suddenly, cold and bright. He thrust it with little effort deep into a wooden beam, demonstrating its sharpness, and told Frodo, "Take it, if you like. I shan't want it again, I expect." Frodo accepted it gratefully and wore it thereafter, fastened upon the glittering belt of the mithril coat that Bilbo also gave him.

Properties and Powers

Sting is a blade of remarkable quality. It is leaf-shaped, keen, and of marvellous workmanship, damasked with serpent-forms in red and gold. When drawn from its black sheath, it gleams with a cold light, untouched by time, unrusted, and sharp. Its most distinctive property is its reaction to the presence of Orcs: the blade glitters with a pale light, and at the edges a blue fire flickers. This glow serves as an early warning to its bearer. In the darkness of Moria, Frodo drew Sting and saw that no gleam came from the blade, which was a comfort, for it meant no Orcs were near. Later, when Orcs were close, the sword shone with a pale light and glinted at the edges. In the chamber of Mazarbul, Sting glinted, and in the fight against the cave-troll, Frodo stabbed at the hideous foot with Sting, drawing black drops that smoked on the floor. Aragorn praised the blow, saying, "The hobbit's bite is deep! You have a good blade, Frodo son of Drogo!"

Role in the Quest

Sting accompanies Frodo through many of the most perilous moments of the quest. In the Old Forest, Frodo draws it when he faces the Barrow-wight, and it serves him in the desperate struggle against the creature. On Weathertop, when the Nazgûl attack, Frodo draws Sting and it seems to flicker red, as if it was a firebrand. He strikes at the feet of the Witch-king, and the blade draws a shrill cry from the enemy. After the attack, the sword is found broken, but it is later restored. In Moria, Sting is used against the Orcs and the cave-troll, and its light is a constant reassurance. In Lothlórien, Frodo draws Sting when he senses Gollum's presence, and the blade flashes and glittered like a blue flame. In Ithilien, when the hobbits are captured by Faramir's men, the sight of Sting's glitter causes one of the Rangers to release the hilt of his sword. In Shelob's Lair, Frodo uses Sting to cut through the great spider's webs, the blue-gleaming blade shoring through them like a scythe through grass. Later, Samwise Gamgee takes Sting and uses it to wound Shelob, stabbing at her clustered eyes and slashing her hide. The sword is then used by Sam to threaten the Orc Shagrat, its light smiting the eyes of the orc like the glitter of cruel stars.

Symbolic Significance

Sting is more than a weapon; it is a tangible link between Bilbo's and Frodo's adventures. Bilbo's gift of the sword to Frodo is a passing of the torch, a symbol of the continuation of the quest. The sword's Elvish origin and its ability to glow in the presence of evil mark it as a tool of the forces of good, a blade that is not merely a tool of violence but a ward against darkness. Its final fate is not recorded in the main narrative, but it remains with Frodo until the end of his journey, a constant companion and protector.