| This article is about the river. For the neighbouring fields, see Gladden Fields.
Called Sîr Ninglor (River Goldwater) by the Elves, the Gladden was a short but important river of the Vales of Anduin. Beginning as two unnamed arms in the Hithaeglir, it flowed westwards to the Great River Anduin, which it met in a series of marshes called the Gladden Fields.
After the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, Isildur, heir of Elendil and bearer of the One Ring, was assailed by Orcs near the Gladden Fields, and the One Ring was lost here in the Gladden river.
Much later during the Third Age some Stoors lived near the streams of Gladden, and from them came Déagol who found the ring, was killed by Sméagol (Gollum), who long held the Ring. Gollum eventually followed the stream up to its source, ending up in forgotten caves near Goblin-town.
Saruman searched the Gladden extensively during his search for the Ring, but never found the ring, although he seems to have found Isildur's remains.
From Old English glaedene, "gladden" is another name for the "flag" or "iris", now usually spelt gladdon.
Tolkien suggested to translators to avoid if possible the 'learned' name iris.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings" in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 771