Elves (middle earth)

Elves are fictional human-like beings in the fantasy world of Middle-earth created by JRR Tolkien . They are especially found in the first ages of Middle-earth. Her story is told in the Silmarillion , The History of Middle-earth, and the novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings .

background

→ Main articles : European history and mythology in Tolkien's world  and characters in Tolkien's world

Just like the dwarves, the elves in Tolkien's world of Middle-earth belong to fictional peoples who have their role models in the myths of the “real Middle-earth”. Tolkien had a special affection for the Elves, who find themselves at the center of his stories and for whom he created his own very complex languages Quenya and Sindarin . The Elves are referred to as the "firstborn children" of Eru Illúvatar, whom he created solely in the third theme of the great music "Ainulindale". They are considered to be the oldest and most noble of all speaking beings on Arda. The antagonist Melkor managed to capture a few of these elves and later create the orcs from them. Already at the beginning of the first age in Middle-earth the Elves divided into two groups, the Eldar, who went to the western land of Aman and followed the call of the godlike Valar, and the Avari (objectors), who prefer to stay in Middle-earth in the light of the stars wanted to.

features

Elves are generally characterized by their immortality, their height - they tower above people, dwarfs and hobbits - their ageless countenance, a dignified charisma and a deep wisdom and foresight. Tolkien himself described them as follows in his letters:

“They are created by man in his own image and resemble him, but free from those restrictions by which he himself feels most oppressed. They are immortal, and their will directly causes ideas and wishes to come true. "

- JRR Tolkien : Humphrey Carpenter : JRR Tolkien. A biography.

However, it was very important to him to establish that his elves were different from the elves and elves of Norse mythology .

The Elves are the firstborn children of Illúvatar (the Creator) and call themselves Eldalië (Star People ) or Quendi (who speak with voices). There are three peoples who all appeared together at Lake Cuiviénen (water of awakening) at a time predetermined by Illúvatar and were awakened as sleeping beings: The golden-blonde Vanyar (the bright ones), who are considered particularly noble and wise, the dark-haired Noldor ( the knowledgeable), who are characterized by their craftsmanship and their ingenuity, and the silver-haired Teleri (the last), who decided late to follow the call of the Valar (gods) to come to Aman (kingdom of blessings).

The genesis and nature of the children of Illúvatar (elves and humans) are, in Tolkien's own words, the two greatest mysteries in his history. Even the Valar knew that when it was time to awaken, these children would come. The firstborn elves and the secondborn humans are related and yet completely different. The Valar had no influence on this development and longed for a long time to finally face these creatures. The longer this period lasted, the greater her love for the children of Illúvatar became.

It is the fate of the Elves to be immortal and to love the beauty of the world, to make it blossom through their gifts and to leave this world only if they are slain, but with the possibility of returning again. Furthermore, they should instruct the second-born and make room for them the more independent they become, and finally back away. Despite their immortality, elves can perish not only through violent death but also through grief, but they are neither susceptible to disease nor can aging take away some of their vitality. The Elves are described as the most beautiful of all earthly creatures, similar in spirit to the Ainur (the saints, the name of the gods before they came to Arda). They averaged 6 feet tall, slender, graceful and at the same time strong and resistant to the influences of nature. They are particularly distinguished by their fine hearing and sharp eyesight. They do not need sleep, instead they just rest and enjoy waking dreams or indulge in contemplating beautiful things in order to relax. They especially love the wonders of nature, such as the waters of Ulmos, or the stars that Varda placed in the sky, because these things were the first things they saw when they woke up. Furthermore, they are characterized by their curiosity and thirst for knowledge. They detest all of Melkor's works, but are not entirely immune to his influence, for example when he disguises himself with a beautiful face. If an elf loses his life, he goes to the hall of Mandos, from there he can move freely in Valinor, but cannot return to Middle-earth without Namo's permission. Elves, like the Ainur, are bound to Ea (being) and cannot leave the world.

• The Eldar or Calaquendi: are all the elves who entered Aman and saw the light of the two trees in Valinor. They had direct contact with the Valar and are therefore considered to be the enlightened ones. Among them are all Vanyar and most of the Noldor as well as those Teleri who lived on Tol Eressea or in Alqualonde. Their languages ​​were Quenya and Noldorin.
• The Avari or Moriquendi: were all the elves who lived across the great sea in Middle-earth as seen from Aman. They are not a people of their own, but rather are made up of all the Elves remaining in Middle-earth who never came to Aman. Avari means the rejecter or denier. But among them were also elves who got lost on the Great Migration in the forests of Middle-earth. These Elves are also called Úmaneldi, Úamanyar or Alamanyar (not Amanelbe; those who were never in Aman) and were mostly of the Teleri. They were also called "Wild Elves" by the dwarves. Their languages ​​were Sindarin and Nandorin or Wood Elvish.

The Immortal Lands

The "Undying Lands" are those otherworldly realms that are referred to in the Elven language as "Valinor" (home of the Valar, based on the Walhalla of Nordic mythology). After there, at the end of the 3rd Age, many of the Elves who still remained in Middle-earth sail from the Gray Havens to the west, to the land of the immortals. These immortal lands are forbidden to mortals, dwarves and hobbits by the Valar. (There are a few exceptions, such as those who wear the One Ring). Tolkien developed this mystical place from the Irish ideas of the afterlife. The early medieval Irish texts point to fabulous islands in the west that represent a blessed land in the hereafter; these can only be achieved by a few individuals, such as St. Brandan . Apparently, Tolkien adopted this concept from the 14th century Eiríks saga viðförla (saga of the well-traveled Eirek). There this land is called "Ódáinsakr" (land of immortals) and is inaccessible to earthly living beings. However, Tolkien settled his Immortal Lands in the west of his world, following the idea of ​​the Celtic Otherworld , and not in the far east as in the Eiríks saga .

"It is said in the Akallabêth ( The Silmarillion pp. 262-3) that" at times, when all the air was clear and the sun was in the east, they would look out and descry far off in the west a city white- shining on a distant shore, and a great harbor and a tower. For in those days the Númenóreans were far-sighted; yet even so it was only the keenest eyes among them that could see this vision, from the Meneltarma maybe, or from some tall ship that lay off their western coast…. But the wise among them knew that this distant land was not indeed the Blessed Realm of Valinor, but was Avallónë, the haven of the Eldar upon Eressëa, easternmost of the Undying Lands. ””

“In the Akallabêth ( The Silmarillion p. 262 f.) It is reported that 'in the times when the air was clear and the sun was in the east, when they looked, far away in the west a white shining city at one distant shores, and a great harbor and tower. For in those days the Númenórers were far-sighted; but nevertheless only those with the keenest eyes among them could see this vision, possibly of the Meneltarma, or of a large ship lying off its western coast…. But the wise among them knew that this distant land was not the blessing of Valinor, but rather Avallonë, the port of the Eldar on Eressëa, the easternmost of the Immortal Lands' ”

- JRR Tolkien : Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth

A mythological description of this idea of ​​a land of immortals or eternal youth can also be found in descriptions of Avalon and Glæsisvellir . It is therefore no coincidence that the Elven port city on Tol Eressea was named Avallóne. Tolkien explained the origin of the name by saying that this city on Tol Eressea was the one that was closest to Valinor. In Quenya this means ana-valonë (towards the Valar) or ava-valonë (located next to the Valar, in the neighborhood, near or across from Valinor). The prefix is shortened to 'a' which results in Avallóne or Avallonë. The word also contains lóna (island), lon (d) e (port) or lón, lóna, lóne (very deep pond). A characteristic of Elvish names is that they describe several properties with one word, so here the long form of the translation of Avallóne would be “port closest to the countries of the Valar on an island in a deep pond”.

“It is said that in ancient times there was a country in the north of Finnmark […] Gudmund was the name of a king […] and his country was Glasisvellir. He was a great devotee of the old gods […] and very old, and so were all his men, as if they lived for several normal lifetimes. For this reason the pagans believe that in his realm is the Óðains-acre [land of the non-dead], a place where anyone who gets there heals because sickness and old age disappear from them and they do not more die. "

- Hervarar saga og Heiðreks chapters 5–6

Elves from elves and albums

In the German version of Tolkien's mythology, the translation of the English "elf" (plural: elves) was initially difficult. The term Elben is therefore a fusion of the terms "Alb (en)" and "Elf (en)" or "Alf (en)" to see. In the Old English texts, beings similar to these Elves appear as “ælf (en)” or “ylfe (n)”, in Ireland and Scandinavia as “álfr” (plural: álfar) and in Old or Middle High German they became “alb” or Called "elbinne". Tolkien therefore initially selected the Germanic albums as models for his elves. However, he strictly rejected the widespread notion that humans associate with elves. His elves have nothing in common with small winged natural beings - called "fairies" in English. These elves are known for example from the Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare or the Irish Elfenmärchen ( Fairy Legends and traditions of the South of Ireland ). While they are human size in Shakespeare, the elves of the Irish fairy tales are only very small and have an almost transparent, airy body. The idea of ​​elves as cute little creatures that fluttered around in many books or were represented in pictures spread throughout Europe.

However, elves existed long before these works. For example, they appear in the Beowulf , where they are named along with other beings who are also found in Middle-earth. There they were referred to as "eotenas ond ylfe ond orcneas" (giants and elves / albums and demon corpses / orcs), but all of them were considered evil creatures. So here the role models for Tolkien's "Elves" and "Orcs" already appear side by side. Jacob Grimm therefore made a distinction in his dictionary between an "Alb" as a ghost or demon and the "Alp" as a hostile or evil night spirit that could cause nightmares in people. An "Elb", on the other hand, is to be equated with the English eleven, but Grimm did not want to allocate a place in the German vocabulary. In addition there was the Elbe as a female water spirit, which is also used as a German river name, or the name “Elbisz” for the white swan. This in turn is derived from a common root word “alb”, so the Germanic “albi” and the “albus” of Latin are closely related and denote something white or shiny. The albums or elves were thus originally understood as "white, light or shiny figures" or, according to other interpretations, as artists. This original meaning can also be found in words like Albino or Alpen .

The Elves of Tolkien are also known for their in-depth knowledge and foresight. This in turn can be found, for example, in the Germania of Tacitus , in which he writes of a seer by the name of Albruna , who had the meaning “the one with the knowledge of the albums” or the “trusted friend of the albums”. These albums were apparently viewed as unearthly beings who were considered particularly wise and whose friendship was worth striving for. There are many names that still express this, for example Alfred or Ælfrêd (Albenrat), Alboin , Alwin, Albwini or Ælfwine (album friend ), Ælfric (album kingdom). It is also used as an appendage in Icelandic names, for example in the dwarf names Vindálfr or Gandálfr, from which the name of the magician Gandalf was derived, which means "magic alb" or "magical alb". A dwarf Alberich is known from the Nibelungenlied , whose name means "mighty Albe". This is how the word elves emerged from the first part of the word elves in Celtic mythology (with the Irish Sidhe ) and the second syllable of the Germanic albums.

The use of the term "elves" for Tolkien's creatures in the German translation ultimately goes back to Margaret Carroux , who, on Tolkien's instructions, used this term in her translation of the Lord of the Rings .

Gnomes, goblins and fairies

In the early concepts and texts Tolkien called the Elves first "Gnomes" (Gnome) and "Fairies" (fairies), such as in the story of The Cottage of Lost Play ( The cabin of the Forgotten game ) in the group consisting of 12 volumes History of Middle-earth . Eriol, a human being, had managed to reach the lonely island and this and the stories that are told to him are reported in the first two volumes.

See also : Ælfwine from England

“Now it happened on a certain time that a traveler from far countries, a man of great curiosity, was by desire of strange lands and the ways and dwellings of unaccustomed folk brought in a ship as far west even as the Lonely Island, Tol Eressea in the fairy speech, but which the Gnomes' call Dor Faidwen, the Land of Release, and a great tale hangs. ”

“But now it happened at a certain time that a traveler from distant lands, a man with a tremendous appetite for discovery because he was eager for foreign countries and the life and doings of unusual people, was carried by a ship so far to the west that he came to the Lonely Island, Tol Eressea in the fairy language, which the gnomes call Dor Faidwen, the land of salvation, and a wonderful story is connected with it. "

- JRR Tolkien : The History of Middle-earth

This distinction divided the elves into fairies, i.e. fairies (elves who spoke Quenya) and the gnomes , the second race of the elves (the Sindarin-speaking Noldoli). Noldo is equated here with gnome and was also an improvement on the previously chosen name gobblin (goblin). The Quenya word Noldo means sage and is Goldor in the Gnomish language (Sindarin or Noldorin), as it goes back to a root word NGOL. In 1915, Tolkien wrote a poem he called Cumaþ þá Nihtiefas or Gobblin Feet . In 1971, he wished he had never written this poem because it contained everything he loathed afterwards. In the early records of Tolkien it is said of the elves and humans that they were "of equal size" and that the smallness, delicacy and transparency of the fairies (elves) are only one aspect of their "waning", which is directly related to the later one Supremacy of the people in the great lands (Middle-earth). This gives a further insight into the development and change in the conception that the Elves went through at Tolkien. He himself said that for him the word gnome indicated deeper knowledge, therefore the name Noldor also means "those who know", but to avoid confusion with the term gnome for small earth beings, which was documented by Paracelsus , he gave this name as well as that of the fairies in favor of the Elves or Eldar.

The names of the elven leaders

In (g) we : Tolkien chose the name of the elven prince Ingwe from the deity Yngvi of the Germanic people of the Ingaevones . First he had designed it in the book of lost stories as "Isil Inwe" (Heller Inwe), King of the Teleri. There the name was derived from the root word INI (small stature). Inwinóre (home of Inwes), Tolkien thought of the later England, which he also called "fairy land" and was equated with the island of "Tol Eressea". In the Silmarillion, however, he was the king of the Vanyar and supreme lord of all elves in Aman.

Finwe : It is likely that the name Finwe is related to the Irish Finn Cycle or Finn of Friesland , as Tolkien gave lectures on Finn and Hengest , for example , and after his death a treatise called Finn and Hengest was published which he wrote would have.

Tolkien wrote in one of his letters in 1937 that the names were not of Celtic origin, nor were the stories about them. However, he also said that these stories were well known to him.

The three elven races

The tribes of the elves

Quendi (Elves)                                                                 Eldar       Avari                                                       Vanyar   Noldor   Teleri                                                             Nandor   Sindar

The Vanyar are the first and smallest of the three original Elven races. Their leader is Ingwe Ingweron (first of the first). Under his leadership, they were the first elves to respond to the call of the Valar, cross the land and assemble on the west coast of the Belegaer (Great Sea). They were brought to Aman on a floating island and founded the city of Tirion on Mount Tuna. Later they also settled at the foot of the Taniquetil (high white horn) the seat of the highest Vala Manwe Súlimo and his wife Varda Tinwetári. From Manwe they learned singing and poetry. The Vanyar never let themselves be fooled by Melkor, they always distrusted him. Her name refers to her very light skin color, but also to her alert mind. They were also referred to as "the beautiful" (vana means beautiful, light and blonde), the "blonde elves" or "light elves" (calaquendi) and did not return to Middle-earth.

The Noldor followed the Vanyar and came with them to Aman and lived in Tirion, in the Eldamar area (Elbenheim) outside Valinor. Their leader was Finwe (the finesse), whose first wife Míriël died shortly after the birth of their son Feanor in Aman, since all her strength had passed on to her son at birth. The Noldor were characterized by their great thirst for knowledge and their ingenuity. Finwe took an elf from the Vanya people as his wife, her name was Indis and she became the mother of several children. Melkor succeeded among other things by this fact to sow discord between the sons of Finwe, who vied for the favor of their father. Melkor also skillfully stirred up the Noldor's doubts about the Valar's intentions and their commandments. After Melkor had stolen the Silmaril that Feanor had created and who were considered the greatest invention of the Noldor, and also killed Finwe, they followed Melkor, who had fled to Middle-earth. Few of her people remained in Aman. The Noldor are also part of the Calaquendi. Tolkien himself described the Noldor as a noble and beautiful breed, tall, fair-skinned and gray-eyed. Her hair was curly and dark, except for those of the golden people of Finrod [later changed to Finarfin, whose mother Indis was one of the golden-blonde Vanyar].

The Teleri were the numerically largest people. It wasn't until late that they decided to embark on the Great Migration to the West. They had two leaders named Elwe (star beings) and Olwe (dream beings). In addition, a group led by Lenwes (rejecters) separated from the crowd of Olwes early on when they had reached the Anduin (Great River). These refused to cross the Mist Mountains and follow the others to Aman. Instead, they turned south. This group was called Nandor (turners, talelves).

• The Nandor first settled the valleys of the Anduin, spread to the mouth of the river and later also lived in parts of Eriador (lonely land). They were a people of forest dwellers who loved running water and developed a deep understanding of the essence of nature and all living things. Some of this people moved under the leadership of Denethor (savior of the repentors, son of Lenwe) on to Ossiriand (Seven Rivers) in the east of Beleriand (Great Lands). These were called laiquendi (green elves).
  • The Laiquendi stayed in Ossiriand. After Denethor's death they did not elect a new leader and lived in seclusion. They were very skilled rangers and were under the protection of the Vala Ulmo (the floodlight), who loved the Gelion river (the joyful or lively). They outlasted the "First Age". They came to the aid of the man Beren and his son Dior in their fight against the dwarves from Nogrod when they had plundered the Elwes hall. The laiquendi loved to sing, wore green robes and a bow as a weapon.

The rest of the Teleri followed Olwe to the mouth of the Sirion after realizing that the Vanyar and Noldor had already left Middle-earth (Beleriand). Here they were instructed by the Maiar Osse and Uinen and there they developed their love for the sea. When Ulmo returned to take her to Aman, most of this people followed him. Some stayed in the Falas (coastal land) or in the forests of Beleriand in search of their leader Elwe, who had encountered the Maia Melian there in Nan Elmoth (Valley of the Twilight of the Stars), with whom he later founded the kingdom of Doriath (Land of the Fence ) founded. These people were called the Sindar (gray elves) and Elwe received the name Singollo (gray cloak). In their own language, Sindarin, it was called Elu Thingol. Olwe and his people asked Ulmo to be allowed to stay on the floating island, and Ulmo anchored them in the bay of Eldamar near the coast of Aman. It was now called Tol Eressea (the lonely island). The Teleri learned how to build ships from Osse and so they finally came to Aman, where they founded the coastal town of Alqualonde (swan port). What all Teleri had in common was their love for water and the singing that they had learned from Ulmo. Therefore they also called themselves the Lindar (singers) or Falmari (surfers).

• Those Elves who remained in the forests of Beleriand and in the Falas (Falathrim, the coastal people) and who belonged to Elwe's company, were named Sindar when the Noldor returned to Beleriand. They were living in Mithrim (Fog Land) when the Noldor met them, a foggy gray land in the north. Later parts of the Nandor and the Laiquendi in Beleriand were combined under this name. The center of their empire was Doriath, which was under the protection of the Maia Melian. After the fall of Beleriand, many Sindar went west to Aman; those who stayed behind populated the areas of Lindon (on the west coast of Middle-earth) or in the Taur nu Fuin (bleak forest). A characteristic of the Sindar is that as soon as they see the sea or hear the seagull's cry, they are seized with a desire to sail west. The Noldor always viewed the Sindar as lesser elves, as they had never seen the light of Aman. Therefore the Elves of Middle-earth were also called Moriquendi (Dark Elves) by them.

From the awakening of the elves

In the History of Middle-earth, Tolkien tells of the awakening of the Elves at Lake Cuiviénen (water of awakening or life). At first it was three elf men who opened their eyes. These three were called the Elf Fathers and they woke up at short intervals one after the other, so that in that order they were called Imin, Tata and Enel, which means nothing other than one, two and three. These are therefore the oldest numbers that the Eldar know. The first thing they saw were the stars. Eru Illúvatar had put a spouse by the side of each of his children and so the next thing they saw was their predestined wives. They were so fascinated by their graceful beauty that they began to think in words, to pronounce them or to sing. So they awakened the three elven women and the first thing they saw were their future partners and from then on they always owned their first love, even before the love for the wonders of Arda. They lived like this for a while, always inventing new words for the things around them. Imin and Iminye, Tata and Tatie and Enel and Enelye set out together and explored the area in which they had awakened. So they came to a small pond where they found more sleeping elves. Six couples lay there and woke up at that very moment. Imin then said that as the first to be awakened, he had the right to choose these as his companions. So they joined these twelve elves Imin and Iminye.

These 18 elves moved on, created new words, and came to a wide clearing where they saw nine more pairs of elves. Tata now chose them as his second companion after they too had awakened. These now 36 elves always found new words and sounds before they set out again to explore the area further. They came to a grove of birch trees, where they found twelve more couples who had just awakened and looked up through the branches of the trees at the stars. Enel said: "These 24 should belong to my people, since it is now my turn to choose my companions." Imin now became thoughtful as he noticed that his people were the smallest and that each time they had found more pairs as soon as they did met Elves. So he decided to let the other two leaders go first in the election and to wait until the end.

The group of now 60 elves wandered on together until they came to a wood on the slope of a small mountain. Eighteen pairs of elves lay sleeping there. They woke up and they didn't notice the others, because they were so fascinated by the shimmering stars in the sky that they called them with the word "Elen", which from then on would be the name of the stars. Imin said he didn't want to make a choice now, and so Tata took these Elves into his people, who were dark-haired and as strong as the pines of the forest in which they had awakened. Most of the later Noldor descended from these.

The 96 Quendi talked a lot with each other and the newcomers came up with new, beautiful words and began to vary them. They all laughed and danced happily until they all decided to move on to find more Elves. They finally came to a deep, dark lake with a steep cliff, from which a waterfall poured down and the stars were reflected between the wave foam. There under the waterfall 24 elves bathed and although they did not know a language, they sang sweetly and their voices echoed on the rock walls and mingled with the sound of the waterfall. Imin said again that he wanted to wait, because he hoped to meet an even larger group. So Enel took these 48 Elves into his people. Now they had reached a number of 144 and Imin said after a while that it was time to leave again and look for more Quendi. But the other elven lords were satisfied and did not want to go with him. Imin, Iminye and their twelve companions went looking for it alone, but they found no one near the Water of Awakening, because the legend of the awakening of the first elves ended here. Therefore, the Quendi always calculated in steps of twelve and the number 144 had a special meaning, as it was the highest number they knew for a long time. So it came about that the people of the Vanyar, who emerged from these 14 Elf Imins, were the smallest of the three Elf races. The Noldor, who formed the second people, were 56 in number and the Teleri, the third and youngest, formed the largest group with 74 members.

The ages of the elves

The awakening of the Elves falls in the so-called "Years of the Trees", a period that corresponds to around 14370 solar years. This period lasted until the destruction of the trees by Melkor, the theft of the Silmaril, the First Battle of Beleriand in which only the Avari were involved, and the return of the Noldor to Middle-earth. Upon the arrival of the Noldor, the Second Battle of Beleriand, the Dagor-nuin-Giliath (Battle under the Stars), breaks out, in which Feanor is killed and his body crumbles to ashes by his fiery spirit. With the creation of the sun and moon and the appearance of the people in Hildóriën (land of the successors or children), the first era begins in the first sunrise with a fixed calendar that is determined by the course of the sun.

→ Main articles : News from Middle-earth  and The Ages of Middle-earth

This age lasted around 590 years and is characterized by the emergence and fall of the great Elven kingdoms as well as the Dagor Aglareb (the battle of glory), the Dagor Bragollach (battle of sudden fire), the Nirnaeth Arnoediad (battle of the uncounted tears) and the Marked a war of anger in which Melkor is overcome and exiled by Arda. During this time the Elves meet with the three houses of the people and ally with them in the fight against Melkor, who is referred to here as Morgoth (enemy of hate).

The Elven Realms of Beleriand

Fingolfin, named High King of the Noldor after Feanor's death, established his empire in the far north in Hithlum, more precisely in the area between the Ered Wethrin (Shadow Mountains) and the Ered Mithrim (Gray Mountains or Fog Mountains) west of Ard-galen (Green Land) , near the fortress of Morgoth and his servant Sauron. Side fortress Barad Eithel (tower of the spring) was located directly on the east side of the Ered Wethrin, where the Sirion (Great River) had its origin. On the one hand, it offered protection against the attacks of Morgoth and an overview of the plains of Ard-galen and, on the other hand, served as a starting point for our own attacks on Angband and the Thangorodrim (mountains of tyranny) piled up by Morgoth. His son Fingon settled in Dor-Lómin (Dunkelland) in the southwestern part of Hithlum between the Ered Lomin (Echoberge) in the west, the Ered Mithrim in the east and the Ered Wethrin in the south. Turgon, his second son first founded an empire Vinyamar (New Home) on Mount Taras (Königshorn) in Nevrast (Hinnen coast) southwest of the Ered Lomin. So Fingolfin and his sons defended the entire area between the west coast of Beleriand and the Ered Wethrin mountain range, which stretched from the far north to Mount Taras. Turgon is led through the Vala Ulmo into the valley of Tumladen, where he has the secret realm of Gondolin built, in which he can then hide from Morgoth for a long time.

Feanor's sons occupy the following areas:

• Maedhros goes to Lothlann (blossom country), a plain southeast of Ard-galen, which is also called "Maedhros Mark" in the south and through a small mountain range, in the east through the Ered Luin (blue mountains) and in the north through the Ered Engrin (Eisenberge) was limited.
• Maglor had its territory south of Maedhros area between the two headwaters of the Gelion.
• "Caranthirs Land" was in Thargelion below the lake Helevorn (black glass) between the Ered Luin in the east and the Gelion in the west. In the south it reached as far as the Ascar (the wild one) and the great dwarf road leading north of it, which led from the dwarf mountain range in Belost and Nogrod in the Ered Luin to the Ered Wethrin in the west.
• Amrod and Amras guarded the land between the rivers Gelion in the east and Celon in the west, which was bordered in the south by the mountains of Andram (Great Wall) and Amon Ereb (Lonely Mountain).
• Celegorm and Curufin shared an area that was west of the Celon and bordered to the west by the Aros on Doriath, the kingdom of Thingols and Melians. In the north was the Himlad (Cold Plain) and the Himring fortress, which belonged to Maedhros area.

The children of Finarfin had also settled parts of Beleriand.

• Finrod Felagund founded the realm of Nargothrond, which stretched on both sides of the Narog and bordered on the north by the Ered Wethrin and on the east by the Sirion. He had built a tower on Tol Sirion, Sirion Island, called Minas Tirith (Tower of the Watch), which was guarded by his brother Orodreth. Finrod's fortress was sheltered in the caves of Nargothrond, which were in the inaccessible gorge of the Narog. From here he monitored the wide area between the rivers, which was therefore called Talath Dirnen (Guarded Plain).
• Angrod and Aegnor occupied the northern heights of Dorthonion (Pine Country), which bordered the Taur-nu-Fuin (Forest of Terror) and the Nan Dungortheb (Valley of Abominable Terror) with its arachnids to the south. The area was just south of Ard-galen.
• Galadriël first lived with her brother Finrod on Tol Sirion. When he moved to Nargothrond, she went to Doriath, where she was instructed by Melian. She is the only one of the elven princes who survived the fall of the empires and Beleriands and later founded her own empire in Middle-earth.

The Falas, the large coastal area south of Nevrast was populated by Círdan and the Falathrim, in the south of Beleriand dark elves (wood elves) lived in the Taur-im-Duinath (forest between the rivers) and the green elves (laiquendi, wood elves) lived in Ossiriand Lindar, on the eastern tributaries of the Gelion.

Events from that time

Although the First Age is the shortest in the chronological order, many events occur here that had a great impact on the fate of Middle-earth. When the sun first rose, people appeared in Middle-earth. Maedhros had been captured by Morgoth on the return of the Noldor to Middle-earth before that time, and forged into the heights of the Thangorodrim. In the 5th year, Fingon succeeded in freeing him with the help of the eagle prince Thorondor. In doing so, however, he lost his right hand, because Fingon could not loosen Morgoth's bondage. In gratitude for his liberation, Maedhros, as the eldest son of Feanor, ceded the royal dignity for all descendants of Feanor to the house of Fingolfin. Angrod seeks Elu Thingol in Menegroth (Doriath) and tells him about the kinship murder in Alqualonde, through which Feanor and his entourage forcibly appropriated the ships of the Teleri (Thingol's relatives) in order to get to Middle-earth with them. This act had led to the exile of the Noldor from Aman and they were denied their return to there for life. Thingol thereupon imposed a ban on speaking the language of the Noldor (Quenya) in his kingdom and denied them any support. Melian set up her banishing belt around the realm of Doriath so that no one could get in there unseen and the servants were kept away from Morgoth. Humans were also not allowed to enter this realm.

Dagor Aglareb

In the third great battle, which took place in Beleriand in 1960, the Elves were able to repel the surprise raid in which Morgoth had dispatched orc troops to penetrate the hinterland at Sirion Pass in the west and at Maglor's Gap in the east. While the main force of Morgoth attacked Dorthonion, they succeeded in destroying the orc troops and to put his army at the gates of Angband and destroy. Hence it is called the "Glorious Battle" in the annals. Thereupon the siege of Angband by the Elves began. Morgoth tries several times to break through this siege, sends 155 new troops to Hithlum, which are destroyed by Finrod, then in 260 a dragon appears in Middle-earth for the first time. Glaurung, the goldworm, emerges from the depths of Angband, but Finrod can drive this too, still young and small. This is followed by the period of long peace, in which Beor the Old (262) and Marach (281) were born in what would later become Eriador, and which lasted until 455. The first people to cross the Ered Luin 310 and meet Finrod there come from Beor's people. The Haladin follow them in 312 and the house of Marach reaches Beleriand the following year. Morgoth is now increasingly attacking the people of the people, as they appear weaker to him and are easier to defeat or influence. The races of men then allied with the elven princes. Beor joins Finrod and Hador (from the house of Marachs) Fingolfin, large parts of the house of Beor return to Eriador under the leadership of Bereg, in order not to become involved in the wars against Morgoth. Haleth leads the Haladin into the forest of Brethil west of Doriath, where they establish their fortified settlement on the Amon Obel (mountain of the fortress).

Dagor Bragollach

In the winter of 455 Morgoth had created a new force, he finally succeeded in breaking the siege by the Elves and he sent Glaurung again, who was now grown and strengthened. Streams of fire came out of Angband and ravaged Ard-galen, burning the northern slopes of Dorthonion and the eastern slopes of the Ered Wethrin. They were followed by hosts of orcs accompanied by fiery balrogs. Glaurung destroyed Lothlann and broke through Maglor's gap to Thargelion and in Ostbeleriand to the Andram. Fingolfin and Fingon were pushed back into the Ered Wethrin and Hador who accompanied them was slain while defending Eithel-Sirion. Finrod tried to defend the Sirion Pass, this pass could only be held by the intervention of Barahir (a person of the House of Beor). Barahir saves Finrod's life and receives a ring (known as Barahir's ring) from Finrod, with the promise to come to the aid of his people whenever they would send for him. Dorthonion was lost and the brothers Aegnor and Angrod as well as the man Bregolas fell in the battles there. The Beors people suffered heavy losses. The Elven peoples also suffered considerable losses, so that Fingolfin rode to Angband alone as the supreme king and challenged Morgoth to a duel. Fingolfin inflicted seven severe wounds on Morgoth, but failed to defeat it. The king of the Noldor lost his life in this battle and was saved by Thorondor. Fingolfin was buried in the northern Echoriath (Surrounding Mountains) near Gondolin. In the spring of 456 this "battle of sudden fire" officially ends after the duel, although Morgoth continued to carry out attacks. Fingon, the son of Fingolfin, became the new high king of the Noldor in Beleriand.

Sauron conquered and occupied "Minas Tirith", the fortress on Tol Sirion, in 457 and settled there. Orodreth flees to his brother in Nargothrond. Húrin and Huor, the only people who ever set foot on Gondolin, live in the hidden fortress for almost a year in 458 and are brought up by Turgon like his own children. After his return and the death of his father Galdor, Húrin becomes lord of Dor-lómin and vassal of Fingons. Beren, who fought against Morgoth troops in Dorthonion with his father Barahir, as well as Baragund and Belund and hidden in Dorthonion, leaves this area after their death in 464, taking his father's ring for himself. He reaches the borders of Doriath, overcomes "Melian's Belt", penetrates the kingdom of Doriath and sees Lúthien Tinúviel there for the first time, whom he follows deeper into the woods until he finally finds her and speaks to her.

See also : The Children of Húrin  and Lay of Leithian

Nirnaeth Arnoediad

The last of the 5 great battles in Beleriand begins in the summer of 472. It takes place on the plains of the Anfauglith (suffocating ashes), the formerly green area of ​​Ard-galen. The army of Morgoth is led by his son Gothmog (enemy hatred, the name is a kind of reversal of the syllable to Morgoth) and Glaurung. The Elves and Humans face these united in "Maedhros' Bund". This was preceded by an advance by the troops of Morgoth against the western army of the League and the mutilation and murder of an elf. In anger over this act, large parts of the alliance army attacked the troops of Morgoth and drove them back to Angband. What initially looked like defeat, however, was a planned retreat and a trap that Morgoth had devised. Orcs streamed out of innumerable corridors of his fortress, pushed Fingon back and surrounded his troops. Turgon had gone out of Gondolin with a strong gentleman and came to their aid. Maedhros and his army advanced from the east, but Morgoth sent his balrogs, wolves and dragons to meet them so that the armies could not unite against him. However, the decision in this battle came from the Easterlings, a people of the people who did not belong to the three houses of the Elf Friends. They were with the forces of Maedhros, switching sides in the middle of the battle and joining the army of Morgoth, who had promised them great lands. Dwarves also belonged to this alliance and they opposed the dragons. They came frombelost (Great Fortress) and their leader was called Azaghâl (Great Warrior). They enabled Maedhros and his army to withdraw and regroup. Fingon's forces to the west were wiped out to the last warrior by Gothmog and his army. Turgon and the people of Dor-lómin, led by Húrin and Huor, retreated across the fen of Serech towards Tol Sirion. The Edain (humans) brought up the rear to enable Turgon to retreat to Gondolin. They fought valiantly, but were all slain except Húrin, who was captured by Gothmog. Huor never returned to his wife Rían, and Húrin was also believed dead. This "battle of uncounted tears" also heralded the fall of the remaining Elven kingdoms, because Morgoth had broken through on all fronts and brought large parts of Beleriand into his power. The corpses of the elves and men were piled up in the middle of the Anfauglith to form a mountain called Haudh-en-Ndengin (Hill of the Slain). Fresh green grass grew on this hill later, and none of the creatures of Morgoth dared to step on it. Rían gave birth to her son Tuor in the care of the Elves of Mithrim, left his upbringing to them and went to this hill to lie down there to die, since they could not get over the death of Huor and the suffering that befell their people could.

In 495 Morgoth succeeds in destroying Nargothrond with the help of the dragon Glaurung. The location of the city of Gondolin, his now most powerful enemy Turgon, remains hidden from Morgoth. Since he believes that Húrin knows where the hiding place is, he releases it. In the year 509 the sons of Feanor attack the Elven kingdom of Doriath, because there is the Silmaril, which Beren and Lúthien had cut from the crown of Morgoth. This act went down in history as the second murder of the Noldor kinship. Curufin, Caranthir and Celegorm fall in this battle, as do Dior, the son of Lúthien and Beren. Elwing manages to escape with the Nauglamír (dwarf collar), in which the Silmaril is embedded. She goes to the mouth of the Sirion. Morgoth learns from Maeglin, son of Aredhel and Eol, where Gondolin is and how to get there. In 510 the last of the Elven fortresses fell in Beleriand. Tuor, Huor's son and son-in-law of Turgon, escapes with his family through a secret passage. They also go to the mouth of the Sirion.

See also : From Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin

The war of anger

Elwing and Earendil arrive at Aman in 542 and ask for the help of the Valar for the children of Illúvatar in Middle-earth. They finally go to Middle-earth in 550 and fight a battle with Morgoth in which all of Beleriand was smashed, Thangorodrim torn down, Angband covered forever and the army of Morgoth with its dragons, balrogs and orcs destroyed. Morgoth was captured and banished by Arda. Beleriand sank in the floods of the Belegaer and only a few smaller islands still reminded of this part of Middle-earth. The rest of the Silmaril were lost and Maedhros died as the last son of Feanor in 587. In 590 many of the surviving Elves and the loyal people were brought to the west by the Valar. For the people, Númenor was raised from the sea and the Elves settled Tol Eressea. The remaining fades established new realms in the eastern part of Middle-earth, where the Ered Luin were now near the coast of the great sea due to the fall of Beleriand.

Further ages

The subsequent ages of the sun are shaped by the stories about people, especially those Elven friends who first lived on Númenor.

• The Second Age therefore largely tells about the events on this island, from the kings who came from the line of the half-elf Elros, from intrigue and betrayal to the fall of the island, which through the attempt of the people to reach the continent of Aman and the immortal lands , was conjured up. It includes the time when Sauron had the Rings of Power created. In Eregion was one of the new Elven realms and here lived skilful Elven blacksmiths, among whom were Galadriël and Celeborn as well as Celebrimbor, who created the three rings of the Elves (Narya, Nenya and Vilya). They saw through Sauron's plans and hid these rings so that he had never touched them and therefore could not exercise any power over them. Sauron was angry about this and engulfed Eregion with war. Thereupon Elrond the half-elf founded Imladris, and Galadriël went to Lothloriën with Celeborn. Círdan, the bearer of the third ring, had his empire on the west coast with the "gray invasions" in Lindon. There was also the kingdom of Thranduils in the Eryn Galen (Great Green Forest), then Taur e'Ndaedelos (Forest of Dark Shadows, Mirkwood or Nightshade Forest) since 1050 of the Third Age. The second age ends with the “last alliance” of elves and humans in the battle that was fought on the Dagorlad (battlefield) and on the slopes of Orodruin (mountain of fire), in which Sauron knocked the “one ring” off his finger by Isildur and in which Elendil (descendant of Elros) and Gil-galad (last high king of the Noldor) were killed. The period of these events extends over 3441 solar years, they are reported by the news from Middle-earth and the History of Middle-earth .
• The Third Age is characterized by the search for the "One Ring" and ends with the destruction of this ring, the destruction of Sauron and his works, and the departure of the Elves and the bearers of the Rings of Power from Middle-earth. The third age lasted 3021 solar years. The narratives of these stories are told in the novels The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit .
• The fourth age is also known as the "age of the younger generation", in which the elves no longer play a major role. It begins with the coronation of Aragorn. Tolkien's stories also end here. Only a few texts still provide information about events from this time.

Elven realms in Middle-earth

After the fall of Beleriand, the Elves, who did not want or were not allowed to return to Aman, founded new empires in the remaining areas of Middle-earth.

Lindon

In the first year of the Second Age, Círdan, the shipbuilder, founded the ports of Mithlond (Gray Harbor), known as the Gray Harbors, in the now emerging fjord of Lhûn . Círdan lived here until the end of the Third Age, when he and the ring bearers boarded the last ship to the west. Círdan's people were called Falathrim and were distinguished by their knowledge of seafaring and the building of ships. The Grauerurten lay west of the Ered Luin and formed a fragment of the former Thargelion and Ossiriands. Gil-galad also lived in Lindon for a long time. The Elves who fought with him in the "Battle of the Last Alliance" came from this area. The Fjord of Lhûn divided the empire into the areas of Forlindon in the north and Harlindon in the south.

Eregion

This empire was founded by Galadriël and Celeborn around the year 750 of the Second Age. It had a close economic and friendly relationship with the dwarf kingdom of Khazad-dûm (Moria) and was located in Eriador between the Glanduin and Bruinen rivers. The capital was Ost-in-Edhil (Elven Fortress). The Gwaith-i-Mírdain (people of the jewelers) lived here, among them Celebrimbor, who had put the runic inscription on the gate of Moria. This empire was destroyed in 1697 of this age.

Lothlóriën

The kingdom of Galadriël and Celeborn, also often referred to as Lórien in reference to the kingdom of Vala Irmo, was modeled on Doriath. Here the great mallorn trees grew, which were protected from Sauron by the power of Galadriël. The Elves were in close contact with the realm of Elrond in Imladris in times of need. The capital was Caras Galadhon (City of the Great Trees), and the Elves of the Empire were called Galadhrim (Tree Folk). Lothlóriën was finally given up at the beginning of the Fourth Age.

Woodland kingdom

This empire lay in the great Grünwald and was founded by Thranduil at the beginning of the Second Age. Despite its proximity to Dol Guldur, it remained largely undisturbed by Sauron, but the inhabitants of Thranduil's realm had to fight off the great spiders and orcs that roamed the forests.

Half-Elven descent

There was some intermingling between the two groups of the children of Illúvatar in the first ages. Examples are known in which an Elf woman married a human man. From these relationships the Pereldar or Peredhil (half-elves) emerged. These include:

• Lúthiën Tinúviël (daughter of Elu Thingol and Melian, was also half a Maia) and Beren (from the house of Beors the old man), who had a son, Dior, who in turn married Nimloth, an Elf. From this marriage the half-female Elwing emerged, who became Eearendil's wife.
• Idril Celebrindal (daughter of Turgon and Elenwes) and Tuor (from the houses of Haldad and Marach), who had a son, Earendil, who with Elwing had the sons Elrond and Elros (twins).
• Arwen (daughter of Elrond and Celebríans) and Aragorn (descendant of Elros Tar-Minyatur), they had several children, but due to the choice of Elros and Arwen, they were all mortal people.
• There were other relationships that are not known by name. Faramir, the son of Denethor II, had Elvish blood, which was more pronounced with him than with his brother Boromir. It is said that an elf from the woods who accompanied the elf Nimrodel was an ancestor of the people from Dol Amroth, to whom Finduilas, Faramir's mother, belonged.
• There is also an example of an almost complete relationship between an Elf man and a human woman. This is reported in the Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth . Andreth was a woman from the house of Beors the old man and she loved Aegnor, Finrod's brother. Finrod advised Andreth against a future together with his brother, since Aegnor should concentrate on the fight against Morgoth and it would break his heart if Andreth would quickly perish at his side due to their mortal fate.

Family tree  [expand / collapse]

Quendi (all elves)

Maia

People (friends of the elves)

Vanyar (ginger gingeron)

Noldor (Finwe / Indis)

Noldor (Finwe / Míriël)

Teleri (Olwe)

Teleri (Lenwe)

Teleri (Elwe)

Beor the old house Beor

Haladin House Haldad / Haleth

Marach house Hador

Indis

Finwe † Eldamar / Aman

Míriël † Eldamar / Aman

Tol Eressea Alqualonde

Middle-earth Beleriand

Elwe Singollo † Doriath Sindar

Melian

Bregor

Hareth

Galdor

Vanya ∞ Noldor

Nandor / Laiquendi Sindar / Úamanyar

Teleri ∞ Maia

Barahir

Bregolas

Finarfin Eldamar / Valinor

Fingolfin † Mithrim

Feanor † Beleriand

Earwen Alqualonde

Lúthiën Tiníviël (†) Doriath / Tol Galen

Beren

Receipt and

Baragund

Feanor's Sons † Ostbeleriand

Fingon † Dor Lómin

Aredhel Nan Elmoth / † Gondolin

Turgon Nevrast / † Gondolin

Dior Halbelb † Doriath

Rían

Huor

Húrin

Morwen

Vanya / Noldor ∞ Teleri

Gil-galad † Dagorlad

Idril Celebrindal

Tuor

Túrin

Finrod Felagund Nargothrond / † Tol Sírion

Orodreth Nargothrond / † Tumhalad

Angrod † Thangorodrim

Aegnor † Thangorodrim

Galadriël Eregion / Lothlóriën

Celeborn Eregion / Lothlóriën

Earendil half-elf

Elwing Halbelbin

Celebrían Lothlóriën / Imladris

Elrond half-elf

Elros Númenórer (human)

Elladan half-elf

Elrohir half-elf

Arwen Imladris / † Lothlóriën

Aragorn Dúnadan (human)

1. ↑ Finwe was slain by Melkor
2. ↑ Míriël died of exhaustion shortly after Feanor was born
3. ↑ Elu Thingol (Elwe) was slain by dwarves from Nogrod
4. ↑ Melian returned to Lórien in Valinor (Aman) after the death of Elwe (Elu Thingols).
5. ↑ Fingolfin died after a duel with Melkor at the gates of his fortress Angband
6. ↑ died shortly after returning to Middle-earth in Beleriand when he was wounded by a Balrog
7. ↑ Lúthiën Tinúviël was the first Elf who chose a mortal fate in return for the resurrection of Beren
8. ↑ Aredhel died in an argument from a poisoned spear
9. ↑ Turgon fell when attacking Gondolin near his tower
10. ↑ Dior was slain by the sons of Feanor and killed three of them himself
11. ↑ Gil-galad died fighting Sauron in the Battle of the Last Alliance
12. ↑ Idril sailed west with Tuor
13. ↑ Finrod died of Sauron's wolf while he was protecting Beren from him
14. ↑ Orodreth died in battle when Nargothrond was attacked by Glaurung
15. ↑ Angrod died in the fire of Dagor Bragollach (Battle of the Sudden Fire)
16. ↑ Aegnor died like his brother in the fire of Dagor Bragollach
17. ↑ Galadriël was the only princess of the exiled Elves to return to Valinor at the end of the Third Age
18. ↑ Celeborn was staying in Middle-earth when Galadriël sailed west
19. ↑ Eearendil sailed to Aman, where he was placed in the sky with a Silmaril on his forehead as a star of hope.
20. ↑ Elwing sailed with Eearendil to Aman and stayed there.
21. ↑ Celebrían went to the west after an attack in the Mist Mountains by orcs, in which she was badly wounded
22. ↑ Elrond sailed west at the end of the Third Age, leaving his three children in Middle-earth
23. ↑ Like Lúthiën, Arwen chose a mortal fate and died in Lothlóriën

literature

• Marion Zimmer Bradley, Franz Rottensteiner, Erik Simon: Tolkien's Creatures: Fantasy. (= Heyne science fiction & fantasy, Volume 06/9158.) Heyne, Munich 2003, ISBN 3-453-87532-X .
• Anja Arendt: The story of the elves & elves. - The unearthly beings in the film The Lord of the Rings , in Tolkien's works and in mythology. (= SPACE VIEW Special: Fantasy. ). Heel, Königswinter 2004, ISBN 3-89880-165-9 .
• Robert Foster : The Great Middle-earth Lexicon. An Alphabetical Guide to the Fantasy World by J. R. R. Tolkien. From the American by Helmut W. Pesch. Bastei-Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 2002, ISBN 978-3-404-20453-3 .
• Rudolf Simek: Middle Earth. Tolkien and Germanic Mythology. CH Beck, Munich 2005, ISBN 3-406-52837-6 .
• JRR Tolkien: The Silmarillion. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 2007, ISBN 978-3-608-93245-4 .
• Arnulf Krause: The real Middle-earth. - Tolkien's mythology and its roots in the Middle Ages. Konrad Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 2012, ISBN 978-3-8062-2736-9 .

Web links

Commons : Elves from Middle-earth  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• The story of the Elves on ewetel.net
• Richard Meusers: Computer fonts for Middle-earth: Write like the elves on spiegel.de

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Humphrey Carpenter: JRR Tolkien. A biography. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 1979, ISBN 3-129-01460-8 , p. 127. or Tolkien. A biography. Houghton Mifflin, Boston 1977, ISBN 0-395-25360-8 , p. 113.
2. ↑ Elizabeth Solopova: Languages, Myths and History: An Introduction to the Linguistic and Literary Background of JRR Tolkien's Fiction . North Landing Books, New York City 2009, ISBN 0-9816607-1-1 , pp. 26 .
3. ^ Humphrey Carpenter: The letters of JRR Tolkien. Houghton Mifflin, Boston 1981, ISBN 0-395-31555-7 . (Letter 131, to Milton Waldmann, p. 169.)
4. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h} Robert Foster: The great Middle Earth Lexicon. Bastei-Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 2002, ISBN 978-3-404-20453-3 .
5. ↑ Middle-earth. Tolkien and Germanic Mythology. CH Beck, Munich 2005, ISBN 3-406-52837-6 , pp. 44-48.
6. ↑ Christopher Tolkien: Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth. (Notes: entry 17) HarperCollins, London 1980, ISBN 0-261-10362-8 .
7. ↑ King Guðmundr of Glæsisvellir. on germanicmythology.com, accessed April 2, 2013.
8. ↑ ^{a b} Arnulf Krause: The real Middle-earth. Konrad Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 2012, ISBN 978-3-8062-2736-9 , pp. 98-104.
9. ↑ Elbisz. In: Jacob Grimm , Wilhelm Grimm (Hrsg.): German dictionary . tape 3 : E – research - (III). S. Hirzel, Leipzig 1862, Sp. 402 ( woerterbuchnetz.de ).
10. ↑ Fabian Geier: JRR Tolkien . Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag, 2009, ISBN 978-3-499-50664-2 , pp. 141 .
11. ↑ Christopher Tolkien (Ed.): JRR Tolkien - The Book of Lost Stories . Part 1, p. 17.
12. ↑ ^{a b c} Christopher Tolkien (ed.): JRR Tolkien - The book of lost stories. Part 1. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 2007, ISBN 978-3-608-93061-0 .
13. ↑ JRR Tolkien: The Silmarillion. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 2007, ISBN 978-3-608-93245-4 .
14. ^ Humphrey Carpenter: The Letters of JRR Tolkien. Letter No. 19, p. 32. Houghton Mifflin, Boston 1981, ISBN 0-395-31555-7 .
15. ↑ JRR Tolkien: The War of the Jewels. HarperCollins, London 1994, ISBN 0-261-10324-5 , Appendix: The legend of the Awaking of the Quendi. (Cuiviënyarna).