The last day but one of the ancient Shire-names for the days of the week, which by the end of the Third Age had evolved into 'Mersday', and was approximately equivalent to modern Thursday. It was a day dedicated to the Sea (though the Shire lay far inland, and in fact it was exceedingly rare for a Shire-hobbit to see the ocean even once in their lives). It was derived from the Elvish day-names Eärenya or Oraearon, introduced into the calendar originally by the mariners of Númenor, and handed down through tradition even after the Downfall of their land.