In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, 'Gandalf is a central character in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, where he appears as an archetypal wizard, taking a key role in the latter book's War of the Ring. He is a member and later the head of the order known as the Istari, as well as leader of the Fellowship of the Ring and the army of the West. Concept and creation Mythical roots The Old Norse name "Gandalfr" appears in the list of dwarves in the Völuspá of the Elder Edda; the name is made up of the words gandr meaning both "wand" and (especially in compounds) "magic" and alfr meaning "elf" or in a wider sense (mythological) "being". Hence "magic-elf/-being" or wizard (non human). Association of gandr with taller magic men is found in the pre indoeuropean basques folklore related to jentillak, a sort of wanderer race of wise men from the darkest times of prehistoric