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Three rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for mortal men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne; In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie.
One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, One ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them; In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie.
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3 rings for the Elven-kings: Fashioned by Celebrimbor, chief of the Elven-smiths Sauron had no part in their making & never even saw them. They were fashioned around the year 1590 of the Second Age, and hidden when it was learned that the One Ring had been forged for they could be controlled by that ring. The rings were: 1) Vilya: Given to Gil-galad, the last of the High-elven kings of Middle-earth. He in turn gave the ring to Elrond who kept it at Rivendell until the end of the Third Age ; 2) Nenya: The only ring to have stayed with its original owner. Given to Galadriel, one of the most royal princesses of the Noldar. She kept the ring in Lothlorien, until she left at the end of the Third Age ; 3) Narya: Given to Cirdan the shipwright, one of the mightiest and wisest of the Grey-elves (Avari). He gave the ring to Gandalf when he came to Middle-earth around the year 1,000 of the Third Age.
7 rings for the Dwarf-lords: Sauron assisted the elves in making these. Used by the Dwarves in obtaining wealth, each being the foundation of a hoard of treasure. Four were devoured by dragon fire, and three were captured by Sauron.
9 rings for mortal men: Sauron assisted the elves in making these. The men who wore them came under the power of Sauron and they became the Ring-wraiths (Nazgul).
1 for the Dark Lord: Called the One Ring, or the Ruling Ring. Fashioned by Sauron a decade after the making of the Elven rings in the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor and which could only be destroyed in that same fire.
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PJS [rev. 5/06]
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