Thank you, Brenton Dickieson, for the kind shout-out on your C. S. Lewis-centered blog, a Pilgrim in Narnia. You have given me the fortitude I need – and the reassurance that this will be useful to someone! – to continue on to the next poem-song in The Hobbit.

While we have many “mountain-” hyphenated words in the concordance, the word “mountain” itself has had to wait until today for its turn. As you know, the beautiful landscape descriptions of Middle-earth are detailed and gorgeous; we have 243 mentions of the word.

Word Fans, do you see what I see in the Mirkwood chapters? We… may have another clue on “what makes Chapter 8 so strange?”

• 1.073 Far over the misty mountains cold
• 1.077 Far over the misty mountains cold
• 1.081 The mountain smoked beneath the moon;
• 1.082 Far over the misty mountains grim
• 1.083 and see the great mountains,
• 1.102 It is a plan of the Mountain.’
• 1.103 I remember the Mountain well enough
• 1.104 in red on the Mountain,’ said Balin,
• 1.111 which has been made to look exactly like the side of the Mountain.
• 1.116 under the shadow of the Mountain.
• 1.116 through the great cliff at the South of the Mountain,
• 1.122 to this Mountain on the map.
• 1.122 and my grandfather was King under the Mountain again,
• 1.122 overshadowed by the Mountain.
• 1.123 and the pine-trees on the Mountain creaking
• 1.123 on our mountain
• 1.123 but I don’t suppose any one lives nearer to the Mountain
• 1.132 but he never got near the Mountain.
• 1.136 and the Mountain are more than big enough tasks for you!’
• 1.144 Far over the misty mountains cold
• 2.030 and mountains in the north.
• 2.038 and are too near the mountains.
• 2.046 since we come down from the mountains.
• 2.106 or they go back to the stuff of the mountains they are made of,
• 2.125 from the mountains
• 3.001 they saw that the great mountains had marched
• 3.002 “Is that The Mountain?” asked Bilbo
• 3.003 “That is only the beginning of the Misty Mountains,
• 3.003 to the Lonely Mountain
• 3.005 also it is very necessary to tackle the Misty Mountains
• 3.007 to find the Last Homely House west of the Mountains.
• 3.007 and up to meet the feet of the nearest mountain,
• 3.008 and the mountains.
• 3.009 from the ford to the mountains
• 3.034 but strong to bring them over the mountain passes.
• 3.037 in the mountains.
• 3.039 in the mountains!” said Elrond.
• 3.050 over the Misty Mountains to the land beyond.
• 4.001 that led up into those mountains,
• 4.003 they had spoken gaily of the passage of the mountains,
• 4.003 in the Lonely Mountain,
• 4.004 over those great tall mountains
• 4.004 in the mountains at night,
• 4.010 in the mountains were seldom unoccupied.
• 4.012 in the side of the mountain.
• 4.017 in the heart of the mountains can see through.
• 4.030 in the mountains at all,
• 4.031 of these truly hospitable mountains,” said Thorin,
• 4.040 in the very mountain’s heart.
• 5.011 in the hearts of mountains:
• 5.012 down at the very roots of the mountain.
• 5.022 into the dark under the mountains.
• 5.027 Mountain,
• 5.055 And beats high mountain down.
• 5.133 the orcs of the mountains,
• 5.146 into a narrow valley between tall mountains;
• 6.001 behind the mountains.
• 6.002 I seem to have got right to the other side of the Misty Mountains,
• 6.026 in that part of the mountains.
• 6.027 said Gandalf, ‘or soon there will be no getting over the mountains at all.’
• 6.030 who was acquainted with this part of the mountains;
• 6.034 and come right down through the heart of the mountains,
• 6.041 that here stood right up the mountain slope
• 6.045 The sun had long gone behind the mountains.
• 6.050 that lived under the shadow of the goblin-infested mountains,
• 6.061 Goblins do not usually venture very far from their mountains,
• 6.062 to come by night upon some of the villages nearest the mountains.
• 6.063 goblin soldiers would be coming down from the mountains;
• 6.066 at the eastern edge of the mountains.
• 6.067 The Lord of the Eagles of the Misty Mountains had eyes
• 6.068 But the ancient race of the northern mountains
• 6.068 or drive them from the mountains.
• 6.069 and they flew away from the mountains,
• 6.070 and on this eastern side of the mountains
• 6.087 The pale peaks of the mountains
• 6.093 sitting with their backs to the mountain wall.
• 6.094 in the mountains,
• 6.094 from the dreadful mountains.
• 6.100 So ended the adventures of the Misty Mountains.
• 7.002 as off rose fifteen great birds from the mountain’s side.
• 7.002 and the mountains were falling back behind them into the distance.
• 7.005 like a last outpost of the distant mountains,
• 7.011 over the mountains,’
• 7.012 if we had not left the mountain pass
• 7.022 and ancient bears of the mountains
• 7.023 sinking towards the Misty Mountains,
• 7.023 That is why I believe he once came from the mountains himself.’
• 7.041 in the mountains.’
• 7.047 I was coming over the mountains
• 7.082 in the old days he had known the very part of the mountains
• 7.089 the sun had fallen behind the peaks of the Misty Mountains
• 7.094 of the wild lands on this side of the mountains,
• 7.095 and that after the mountains
• 7.099 The wind came down from mountains cold,
• 7.102 It passed the lonely Mountain bare
• 7.117 from the Mountains.
• 7.117 on the east side of the Misty Mountains,
• 7.122 and right back up into the mountains –
• 7.122 shadowed by the mountains
• 7.130 their path would have led them down a stream from the mountains
• 7.130 been far to the south of the Lonely Mountain,
• 7.130 and though here the Mountains too drew down nearer,
• 7.130 that led almost straight towards the Lonely Mountain.
• 7.132 with the mountains dark on their left,
• 7.132 and the peaks of the mountains glowered against the sunset
• 7.151 of the Grey Mountains,
• 7.151 the Lonely Mountain where dear old Smaug lives,
• 8.131 and mountains)
• 9.019 and especially against the dragon of the Mountain.
• 9.053 Leave the northern mountains steep,
• 10.002 there loomed the Mountain!
• 10.002 The Lonely Mountain!
• 10.003 in the Mountain,
• 10.003 in the direction of the Mountain).
• 10.005 and did not like the way the Mountain seemed to frown at him
• 10.005 and the Mountain receded again,
• 10.006 which pointed towards the Mountain,
• 10.008 of the dwarf-kings of the Mountain,
• 10.018 in the mountain,
• 10.020 son of Thror King under the Mountain!’
• 10.021 as if they expected the Mountain to go golden
• 10.029 son of Thror King under the Mountain!
• 10.032 than the return of the King under the Mountain,
• 10.034 of the King under the Mountain;
• 10.035 The King beneath the mountains,
• 10.035 The woods shall wave on mountains
• 10.039 He had not forgotten the look of the Mountain,
• 10.041 and as far northward towards the Mountain
• 10.042 and his company must go on towards the Mountain.
• 10.043 was really the grandson of the King under the Mountain,
• 11.001 and now they could all see the Lonely Mountain
• 11.001 even for the night so near the shadow of the Mountain.
• 11.003 to a great spur of the Mountain
• 11.005 of the Mountain all the same
• 11.005 The Mountain lay dark
• 11.006 the western spurs of the Mountain for the hidden door,
• 11.006 turned from the Mountain on its road to the Lake,
• 11.006 shadowed by the Mountain’s arms
• 11.007 The mountain’s sides were green with woods
• 11.008 between the arms of the Mountain.
• 11.010 and in the halls under the Mountain then –
• 11.013 and walled with lower spurs of the Mountain.
• 11.014 which turned north across the face of the Mountain.
• 11.019 and higher on to the mountain;
• 11.021 of the Misty Mountains small
• 12.007 and stole into the Mountain.
• 12.012 right at the Mountain’s root.
• 12.019 in the mountain underneath
• 12.021 since first he came to the Mountain!
• 12.022 To hunt the whole mountain
• 12.041 down into the Mountain.
• 12.068 to the Mountain
• 12.072 The King under the Mountain is dead
• 12.091 He will break all this side of the Mountain to bits,
• 12.096 beneath the roots of the Mountain,
• 12.096 the Heart of the Mountain,
• 12.100 in the Mountain!
• 12.101 when a blow smote the side of the Mountain
• 12.102 towards the west of the Mountain,
• 12.103 who is the real King under the Mountain!’
• 13.019 the Heart of the Mountain.
• 13.019 from the heart of the mountain long ago,
• 13.048 between the arms of the Mountain,
• 13.051 the arms of the Mountain into the valley,
• 13.053 at the South-West corner of the Mountain.’
• 13.059 I hope he is not up on the Mountain looking down at us!’
• 13.067 There were several places like it round the Mountain.
• 13.068 said Dori, who was always looking up towards the Mountain’s peak,
• 14.002 From their town the Lonely Mountain
• 14.005 Perhaps the King under the Mountain
• 14.006 the only king under the Mountain we have ever known.’
• 14.008 The King beneath the Mountain!’
• 14.008 The river is running gold from the Mountain!’
• 14.020 in the Mountain
• 14.022 of the true king under the Mountain,
• 14.031 if they prefer the cold stones under the shadow of the Mountain
• 14.035 of the fabled treasure of the Mountain
• 14.040 right to the pinewoods of the Misty Mountains;
• 14.042 which had at first been direct towards the Mountain,
• 14.044 north to the Mountain.
• 15.001 and the crows that still lived about the Mountain
• 15.014 Now I am the chief of the great ravens of the Mountain.
• 15.015 back again to the Mountain
• 15.021 in the mountains of the North,
• 15.023 Back now to the Mountain!’
• 15.025 Back to the Mountain!’
• 15.028 were hurrying toward the Mountain.
• 15.032 King under the Mountain,
• 15.033 right between the arms of the Mountain.
• 15.036 Under the Mountain dark and tall
• 15.040 The mountain throne once more is freed!
• 15.041 Now call we over mountains cold,
• 15.042 Under the Mountain dark
• 15.043 before Dain could reach the Lonely Mountain,
• 15.045 King under the Mountain?’
• 15.056 calling himself the King under the Mountain,
• 15.058 I declare the Mountain besieged.
• 15.059 He had by now had more than enough of the Mountain,
• 16.005 But they cannot reach the Mountain unmarked,’
• 16.037 the Heart of the Mountain;
• 17.024 as King under the Mountain,’ said Gandalf.
• 17.031 round the eastern spur of the Mountain
• 17.033 in the Mountain,
• 17.033 between the Mountain
• 17.034 to go straight on to the Mountain.
• 17.034 encircle the whole mountain;
• 17.036 to come thus beneath the Mountain’s arm!
• 17.040 in the Mountain,
• 17.044 of the Misty Mountains
• 17.044 and in all the mountains there was a forging
• 17.044 and beneath the great mountain Gundabad of the North,
• 17.044 and they hastened night after night through the mountains,
• 17.044 which divided the Lonely Mountain from the hills behind.
• 17.045 between the arms of the Mountain;
• 17.045 to overrun the Mountain itself,
• 17.046 over the shoulder of the Mountain,
• 17.047 To the Mountain!’
• 17.047 To the Mountain!
• 17.048 before the Mountain’s feet
• 17.048 driving wildly up between the arms of the Mountain,
• 17.053 Goblins had scaled the Mountain
• 17.053 of the Mountain
• 17.055 Out leapt the King under the Mountain,
• 17.059 for the assault from the Mountain
• 17.065 except from the southern shoulders of the Mountain.
• 18.018 Farewell, King under the Mountain!’
• 18.018 and not a mountain of gold can amend it.
• 18.021 in the mountains
• 18.021 under the great Eagle of the Misty Mountains;
• 18.021 It was not long before they had freed the Lonely Mountain,
• 18.024 and the mountains had peace for many a year.
• 18.030 They buried Thorin deep beneath the Mountain,
• 18.031 There let it lie till the Mountain falls!’
• 18.032 and he became King under the Mountain,
• 18.038 and turning towards the Mountain he added:
• 18.043 and the beginning of the Grey Mountains.
• 18.051 The goblins of the Misty Mountains were now fewand terrified,
• 18.051 between the mountains
• 18.051 from the Misty Mountains
• 18.053 There far away was the Lonely Mountain
• 19.030 “And under mountains in the moon.”
• 19.043 in the lands of the Mountain.