The beloved classic The Hobbit has been translated into Welsh for the first time, featuring original illustrations and maps.
Cardiff: A new Welsh edition of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit has just been released, and it’s called Yr Hobyd. This version includes Tolkien’s original illustrations and fresh Welsh translations of the maps from the original book.
The Hobbit first hit the shelves in 1937 and has since become one of the most loved and translated books ever. It’s the prequel to the Lord of the Rings series and has been translated into many languages, but this is the first time it’s available in Welsh. Exciting, right?
Adam Pearce, who runs Melin Bapur, translated the book. He made sure to follow Tolkien’s guidelines for translators, and the Tolkien Estate officially approved the translation. That’s pretty cool!
Even though the story remains the same, some names have been tweaked. Pearce used Tolkien’s own guide for translating names from the Lord of the Rings universe, which is a neat touch.
Yr Hobyd tells the tale of Bilbo Baglan, a hobyd who enjoys a cozy life in his hobyd-hole in Pen-y-Bag. His peaceful days are turned upside down when the wizard Gandalf and 13 dwarves show up at his door.
Bilbo gets swept away on an adventure to reclaim treasure from Smaug, a fierce dragon. Fans of Tolkien know he drew a lot from Welsh culture and language, which is evident in his works. For instance, the Elvish language Sindarin is inspired by Welsh, and The Shire reflects the beauty of rural Wales.
In an interview with Nation.Cymru, Pearce shared that he started this translation during the Covid-19 pandemic. He’s thrilled to finally share it with everyone! He mentioned that not many adult books get translated into Welsh, but this could encourage more people to read in their native language, especially those learning Welsh.