Could Tolkien Dwarves Swim?

Could Tolkien Dwarves Swim?

ANSWER: Yes. Well, in the sense that it wasn’t physically impossible for them to, that’s the short answer. Convincing people that Tolkien’s Dwarves are not made of stone and likely to sink to the bottom of a lake or river takes some doing. I answered this question years ago but didn’t provide any citations. When I received a comment about Dwarves and swimming (perhaps in response to that article), I had long forgotten about it.

This is the comment I received via the feedback form in July 2020:

The perception of the dwarves having difficulties to swim could be related to the idea that dwarves are denser than humans, and that’s part of why they’re stronger and more resistant. As bouyancy is directly affected by density, and even humans aren’t great at that, it makes sense to assume that a dwarf would need substantial effort to remain on the surface. On the other hand, a dwarf can keep with the extra effort.

Also, probably most people can’t picture the dwarves living on the edge of a river. But probably they make use of underground streams, as a whole city needs plenty of water, and waterworks.

As for the Dwarves’ use of underground streams, we know that the Celduin (River Running) flowed out of the main gate of Erebor.

As for the presumed extra density of Tolkien’s Dwarves, I cannot recall any statement he made about the Dwarves nature suggesting they were unusually dense compared to Men, Hobbits, or Elves. Now, I do know about the “Dwarves made from stone” misconception. That derives from a statement in The Silmarillion about an Elvish belief about what happens to Dwarves after they die; the Dwarves had a different belief.

I believe this idea that Tolkien’s Dwarves are extra thick originated with Dungeons and Dragons or some other role-playing game. In The Hobbit, Thorin implies very strongly he and his companions can swim. When they come to the Enchanted Stream (that Beorn warned them not to enter), the following exchange unfolds:

Bilbo kneeling on the brink and peering forward cried: “There is a boat against the far bank! Now why couldn’t it have been this side!”

“How far away do you think it is?” asked Thorin, for by now they knew Bilbo had the sharpest eyes among them.

“Not at all far. I shouldn’t think above twelve yards.”

“Twelve yards! I should have thought it was thirty at least, but my eyes don’t see as well as they used a hundred years ago. Still twelve yards is as good as a mile. We can’t jump it, and we daren’t try to wade or swim.”

I think your surmise that the Dwarves lived close to water and worked with it is also correct. In fact, we know they lived close to water. After the Eagles left Gandalf and Thorin’s company at the Carrock, they decided to press on:

After that they stopped pleading. Then they took off their clothes and bathed in the river, which was shallow and clear and stony at the ford. When they had dried in the sun, which was now strong and warm, they were refreshed, if still sore and a little hungry. Soon they crossed the ford (carrying the hobbit), and then began to march through the long green grass and down the lines of the wide-armed oaks and the tall elms.

Bilbo could not swim (this was established earlier in the narrative). And even though fords are usually shallow, some swimming may be necessary. There is also the chance that one might be swept away by a rapid current. Clearly, the Dwarves were comfortable crossing the river at this point.

In fact, earlier in the story, when they were still in the Lone-lands (Eriador), the Dwarves had to recover one of their ponies after it fled into a river. They obviously weren’t afraid of the water.

Now, I’m sure some people will be quick to say, “Great! But where do the Dwarves actually swim?” And for that I don’t know of any passage where Dwarves swim. However, I don’t know of one where they sink or drown, except when Bombur falls into the Enchanted Stream – and there it is the magic of the water that makes him fall asleep and nearly drown.

Dwarves are associated with heavy weight in a number of anecdotes because they’re carrying treasure, armor, or other burdens. They also wear armor when they go to war. Armored Dwarves are no more likely to float than armored Men – and our history is filled with many stories of thousands of men drowning because their armor pulled them down into rivers and seas.

I doubt any Dwarves were taking in the sun along Gondor’s beaches during Aragorn’s reign but I wouldn’t object if Tolkien had said they did such a thing.

Whether Tolkien imagined any of his Dwarves swimming is anyone’s guess. But as far as his Middle-earth stories are concerned, they weren’t afraid of water.

See Also …

Can Dwarves Swim? (2013 article) See the comments, also.

How Closely Do Tolkien’s Dwarves Resemble the Dvergar of Norse Mythology?

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