Bruinen or Loudwater was a river in eastern Eriador. It began with two tributaries flowing from the western slopes of the Misty Mountains, one of which came from the High Pass where Goblin-town existed. The Bruinen terminated when it joined the Mitheithel River. The southern arm of the Bruinen flowed through the deep valley where Elrond founded the refuge of Rivendell. The Bruinen had only one known ford, the Ford near Rivendell.
At the beginning of the War of the Ring Frodo Baggins was carried on Glorfindel's horse towards the Ford of Bruinen, with the Ringwraiths in hot pursuit. At the Ford Frodo, poisoned by a deadly wound, made his stand, and defied the Lord of the Nazgûl. This lured the Ringwraiths into the Bruinen, and Elrond and Gandalf released a great flood, which took the form of horses made out of water due to Gandalf's magic. This flood killed the horses of the Ringwraiths and their physical forms, buying the Fellowship of the Ring some time.
Like most rivers in Eriador, the Bruinen had a Westron name, which Tolkien translated as Loudwater. Patrick H. Wynne linked the first element brui "noisy" to the second element of the word Ulumúri, and several other Qenya and Goldogrin words with some connection to "great sound". The second element is nen, "water".
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age" [map]
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "A Short Rest"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Flight to the Ford"
- ↑ Editorial to Lambengolmor message 895