Tulkas

Tulkas (Quenya: "Strong" or "Steadfast") was an Ainu; a Vala responsible for participating in war and the last of them to descend into Arda, coming to the aid of the others when he heard of their war with Melkor. He was also called Tulukastāz or Astaldo.
== Biography ==
Having heard of his fellow Valar's struggle against Melkor, Tulkas was the last of the Valar to descend upon Arda, tipping the scales of battle against Melkor. Melkor fled before him, and the Spring of Arda began.The Silmarillion, Ainulindalë (The Music of the Ainur)
After the Two Lamps were erected and the Valar had made their first dwelling at Almaren, Tulkas wedded Nessa in a great feast. Being weary and content he slept, and Melkor decided his hour to retaliate had come.The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter I: "Of the Beginning of Days"
When the Children of Ilúvatar awoke, there was a council among the Valar regarding Melkor. Much to Tulkas's delight, it was decided that Melkor should be removed. During the Battle of the Powers, he wrestled with Melkor and bound him with Angainor, which was forged by Aulë.The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter III: "Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor" Upon Melkor's release from captivity, Tulkas remained vigilant and distrustful of him.The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter VI: "Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor" 
== Character ==
Tulkas is described as delighting in wrestling and contests of strength. He wields no weapon, and rides no steed. As he cares little about either past or future, he was not a good counselor, but nonetheless a very hardy friend. He is described as being slow to wrath, but also slow to forgive; for that reason, he was one of the Valar that opposed the release of Melkor.
In appearance, Tulkas was described to have ruddy flesh and golden hair and beard.The Silmarillion, Valaquenta, "Of the Valar"
He also tended to be impatient; before the Awakening of the Elves he urged the other Valar to wage war against Melkor. After the Darkening of Valinor he also hurried Fëanor to take a decision about surrendering the Silmarils.
Tulkas was known for laughing in sport and in battle. He was possibly the only being on Arda with the courage to laugh in the face of Melkor, the most powerful being in Valinor (at the time) - and did so once while engaged in battle with him.
== Etymology ==
In Quenya, the name Tulkas means "Strong" and "Steadfast", from the root tuluk.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. V: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies" His Valarin name is Tulukhastāz, which means "the golden-haired", from the words tulukha(n) ("yellow") and (a)sata- ("hair of head").The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XI: The War of the Jewels, Part Four: Quendi and Eldar, Appendix D: Kwen, Quenya, and the Elvish (especially Ñoldorin) words for 'Language His Ñoldorin name was Tulcus ("strong").The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: Names in the Lost Tales – Part I
Astaldo means "the Valiant".The Silmarillion, Index of Names
An earlier name for Tulkas was Turenbo.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One, chapter I: "The Cottage of Lost Play"
== In other versions ==
In earlier texts (the Lost Tales), Melkor served in Tulkas' house when doing penitence for the Valar, following his "three ages" of imprisonment; originally for four ages.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One, chapter VI: "The Theft of Melko and the Darkening of Valinor", pg. 140 (1984 Houghton Mifflin publication) Melkor would escape after the destruction of the Two Trees. Many years later, Tulkas overthrew Melkor in the battle of the Silent Pools, and bound him to be kept within Lumbi. Here, the Hound of Mandos, Gorgumoth, guarded Melkor in his captivity.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. II: The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, chapter VI: "The History of Eriol or Ælfwine and the End of the Tales"
Furthermore, he had a son, Telimektar, who had a nephew, Lúsion.
In earlier versions, Tulkas was sometimes spelled as Tulcas.
== Gallery ==
==Translations==
Foreign Language 	Translated name
Amharic 	ጡልካስ
Arabic 	تولكاس
Armenian 	Տուլկաս
Belarusian Cyrillic	Тулкас
Bengali 	তুলকাস
Bulgarian Cyrillic 	Тулкас
Burmese 	ဋုလ္ကသ္
Chinese 	托卡斯
Georgian 	ტულკასი
Greek 	Τούλκας
Gujarati 	તુલ્કાસ
Hebrew 	טולקס
Hindi 	टुल्कस
Japanese 	トゥルカス
Kannada 	ತುಲ್ಕಾಸ್
Kazakh 	Түлкас (Cyrillic) Tulkas (Latin)
Korean 	툴카스
Kyrgyz Cyrillic 	Тулкас
Laotian 	ຖຸລກະຊ
Macedonian Cyrillic	Тулкас
Marathi 	टुल्कस
Mongolian Cyrillic 	Тулкас
Nepalese 	टुल्कस
Pashto 	طولکاس
Persian 	تولکاس
Punjabi 	ਤੁਲਕਾ
Russian 	Тулкас
Sanskrit 	टुल्कस्
Serbian 	Тулкас (Cyrillic) Tulkas (Latin)
Sinhalese 	ටුල්කාස්
Tajik Cyrillic 	Тулкас
Tamil 	டூல்கஸ்
Telugu 	టుల్కాస్
Thai 	ทุลคัส
Ukrainian Cyrillic 	Тулкаса
Urdu 	ٹولکآس
Uzbek 	Тулкас (Cyrillic) Tulkas (Latin)
Yiddish 	טולקאַס
== References ==
Category:Valar
Category:The Silmarillion characters
Category:Characters in The History of Middle-earth
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ru:Тулкас
sk:Tulkas
uk:Тулкас
Category:Quenya names & words