Morgoth's Ring (28 page)

What is said at the end of the paragraph about Este is found in AAm (p. 49, $3), where it is also told that she was 'the chief of the Maiar'. This was repeated in AAm* (p. 65, $3), where Nessa is added to Este as 'the highest among the Maiar'.

The change of 'wife' to 'spouse' was made on LQ 2 in the accounts of Vaire, Este, and Nessa ($$6 - 7); in that of Vana ($8) it was merely overlooked, while Varda had become Manwe's

'spouse' in a change made to LQ 1 ($4), and Yavanna was already Aule's 'spouse' in QS ($5). The same change was made on the typescript of AAm (p. 69), and its significance is seen from the accompanying marginal comment: 'Note that

"spouse" meant only an "association". The Valar had no bodies, but could assume shapes.' At this time the passage in AAm concerning the Children of the Valar was removed (see under $10b below).

$8 In AAm ($133, pp. 111, 124) the form was still Tauros (in Feanor's speech on the summit of Tuna), and was not corrected.

The name Valaroma (appearing in the expanded passage on LQ 2) occurs in AAm (p. 101, $116) and by emendation of Rombaras in Ainulindale' D (p. 35, $34).

The statement in $5 that Yavanna is the sister of Varda does not appear in QS, but it was merely derived from that in QS $8, that Vana is 'the younger sister of Varda and Palurien'. This goes back to Q (IV.79, 167), but no further. Varda and Yavanna were still sisters in AAm (p. 49, $3), but the idea was abandoned in corrections to LQ 2.

$9 That Nienna was the sister of Manwe and Melkor ('brethren in the thought of Iluvatar') goes back to the earliest Annals of Valinor (IV.263), and remained in AAm (p. 49, $3; cf. p. 93, $88, where Nienna aided the prayer of Melkor for pardon

'because of her kinship'). With the change in LQ 2 whereby she becomes 'sister of Namo', omitting Irmo his brother, cf. AAm*

(p. 65, $3), where she is named only 'Manwe's sister', omitting Melkor.

$10 The name Baugron (changed from Bauglir in LQ 2) is found nowhere else. It was not adopted in the published Silmarillion.

$10a The meaning of the passage is more evident from a table; the names italicised are 'the Seven Great Ones of the Realm of Arda'.

Manu e'...................Varda

Melkor

Ulmo

Aule'.....................Yavanna

Nienna

Mandos....................Vaire

Lorien ...................................(Este)

Tulkas ...................Nessa

Osse......................Uinen

Orome.....................Vana

$10b Fionwe and Ilmare were removed from $4 as the children of Manwe and Varda, and in $7 Fionwe becomes Eonwe, 'herald of Manwe'; here Ilmare becomes 'handmaid of Varda'. This is an aspect of an important development in the conception of the Powers of Arda, the abandonment of the old and long-rooted idea of 'the Children of the Valar, the Sons of the Valar'. It was still present in AAm (p. 49, $4), where the Valarindi, 'the offspring of the Valar', were 'numbered with' the Maiar (but in AAm* they are distinguished from the Maiar, p. 66, $4). On the typescript text of AAm the conception of the Children of the Valar was struck out (see under $6 above).

Melian is a Maia (as in AAm $40), and she is 'of the people of Yavanna' (in QS $31 'she was akin, before the World was made, unto Yavanna'). And here Olorin (Gandalf), as 'counsellor of Irmo', enters The Silmarillion.

In AAm (p. 52, $17) Sauron ('a great craftsman of the household of Aule') is likewise said to have been the chief of the Maiar who turned to Melkor.

It may be that the (relatively) heavy correction carried out on the LQ 2

text of this chapter was the preliminary to its final, enlarged form called the Valaquenta (pp. 199 ff.).

2 OF VALINOR AND THE TWO TREES.

The textual situation in this chapter differs from that in Chapter 1, in that here, after the alterations made to the original pre-Lord of the Rings texts (the QS manuscript and derived QS typescript) there followed two typescripts made by my father before LQ 1 was made, and in the first of these the opening of the chapter was greatly changed from its form in QS. I shall not however distinguish the 'layers' in the textual history before the amanuensis typescript LQ 1 was reached, although some particular points are recorded in the commentary.

The further development of this chapter from QS was effectively confined to the 1951 revision, since late rewriting and expansion corresponding to the development of the Valaquenta out of Chapter 1

Of the Valar was not undertaken in this case. It is conceivable, I think, that (while there is no evidence one way or the other) having remade Chapter 1 as the Valaquenta my father postponed the rewriting of Chapter 2 because his views on the treatment of the myth of the Two Trees in the light of the later cosmology were too uncertain.

There follows now the text of LQ 1, with the (very few) subsequent changes made to it shown as such. The paragraph numbers correspond to those in QS (V.208 - 10).

2. Of Valinor and the Two Trees.

$11 Now in the beginning of the Kingdom of Arda Melkor contested with his brother Manwe and the Valar for the overlordship, and all that they wrought he hindered or marred, if he might. But he fled before the onset of Tulkas, and there was peace. But since Melkor had perverted light to a destroying flame, when he was gone and his fires were subdued the Valar perceived that the Earth was dark, save for the glimmer of the innumerable stars which Varda had made in the ages unrecorded of the labours of Ea. Aule, therefore, at the prayer of Yavanna, wrought two mighty Lamps [added: illuin and Ormal] for the lighting of Arda; and the Valar set them upon lofty pillars northward and southward in Middle-earth, and in the light of the Lamps they ordered all their realm, and the desire of Yavanna had fruit, and living things came forth and grew abundantly.

In those days the dwelling of the Valar was upon an isle in a great lake in the midst of the Middle-earth that Aule had built.

There the light of the Lamps mingled and growth was swiftest and fairest; and behold! in the blending of Illuin and Ormal there came forth Greenness, and it was new; and Middle-earth rejoiced, and the Valar praised the name of Yavanna. But Melkor hearing of these works, and being filled with wrath and envy, returned secretly to Arda out of the Darkness and gathered his strength in the North, and he marred the labours of Yavanna, so that the growth of Earth was corrupted and many monstrous things were born. Then coming with war against the Valar suddenly, he cast down the Lamps, and night returned, and in the fall of the pillars of Illuin and Ormal the seas arose and many lands were drowned.

$12 In the darkness and the confusion of the seas the Valar could not at that time overcome Melkor; for his strength had increased with his malice, and he had now gathered to his service many other spirits, and many evil things also of his own making. Thus he escaped from the wrath of the Valar, and far in the North he built himself a fortress, and delved great caverns underground, and deemed that he was secure from assault for ever. But the gods removed into the uttermost West and there made their home and fortified it; and they built many mansions in that land upon the borders of the World, which is called Valinor. And Valinor was bounded upon the hither side by the (* [footnote to the text - see page 154] Which is Garsecg: quoth AElfwine. [This note was mistakenly placed in the text by the typist, and subsequently reinstated as a footnote.])

Great Sea of the West,* and eastward upon its shores the Valar built the Pelori, the Mountains of Aman, that are highest upon Earth. But on the further side lay the Outer Sea, which encircles the Kingdom of Arda, and is called by the Elves Vaiya. How wide is that sea none know but the gods, and beyond it are the Walls of the World to fence out the Void and the Eldest Darkness.

$13 Now in that guarded land the Valar gathered all light and all fair things; and there are their houses, their gardens, and their towers. In the midst of the plain beyond the Mountains was the City of the Gods [> their city], Valmar the beautiful of many bells. But Manwe and Varda had halls upon the loftiest of the Mountains of Aman, whence they could look out across the Earth even into the furthest East. Taniquetil the Elves name that holy mountain, and Oiolosse Everlasting Whiteness, and Elerina [> Elerrina] Crowned with Stars, and many names beside. But the Gnomes [> Sindar] spoke of it in their later tongue as Amon Uilos.**

$14 In Valinor Yavanna hallowed the mould with mighty song, and Nienna watered it with tears. In that time the gods

[) Valar] were gathered together, and they sat silent upon their thrones of council in the Ring of Doom nigh unto the golden gates of Valmar the Blessed; and Yavanna Palurien sang before them and they watched.

$15 From the earth there came forth two slender shoots; and silence was over all the world in that hour, nor was there any other sound save the slow chanting of Palurien. Under her song two fair trees uprose and grew. Of all things which the gods [> she] made they have most renown, and about their fate all the tales of the Elder World are woven. The one had leaves of dark green that beneath were as shining silver; and he bore white blossoms like unto a cherry-tree, were it surpassing great and fair; and from each of his countless flowers a dew of silver light was ever falling, but the earth beneath was dappled with (* [footnote to the text - see page 153])

(** [footnote to the text] In the language of this island of Men Heofonsy'I was its name among those few that ever descried it afar off.

Yet in error [> So I wrote in error], as the Eldar teach me; for that is rightly the name only of the mountain of Numenor, the Meneltarma, which has foundered for ever: quoth AElfwine. [This note was also mistakenly placed in the text by the typist. See the commentary on $13.])

the dancing shadows of his fluttering leaves. The other bore leaves of a young green like the new-opened beech; their edges were of glittering gold. Flowers swung upon her branches like clusters of yellow flame, formed each to a glowing horn that spilled a golden rain upon the ground; and from the blossom of that tree there came forth warmth and a great light.

$16 Telperion the one was called in Valinor, and Silpion, and Ninquelote, and many names in song beside; but the Gnomes name him [> but in the Sindarin tongue he was called]

Galathilion. Laurelin was the other [> the other was] called, and Malinalda, and Kulurien, and many other names; but the Gnomes name her [> but the Sindar named her] Galadloriel.

$17 In seven hours the glory of each tree waxed to full and waned again to naught; and each awoke once more to life an hour before the other ceased to shine. Thus in Valinor twice every day there came a gentle hour of softer light when both Trees were faint and their gold and silver beams were mingled.

Telperion was the elder of the Trees and came first to full stature and to bloom; and that first hour in which he shone alone, the white glimmer of a silver dawn, the gods reckoned not into the tale of hours, but named it the Opening Hour, and counted therefrom the ages of their reign in Valinor. Therefore at the sixth hour of the First Day, and of all the joyous days thereafter until the Darkening, Telperion ceased his time of flower; and at the twelfth hour Laurelin her blossoming. And each day of the gods in Valinor [> Aman] contained twelve hours, and ended with the second mingling of the lights, in which Laurelin was waning but Telperion was waxing.' And the dews of Telperion and the spilth of Laurelin Varda let hoard in great vats, like (* [footnote to the text] Other names of Laurelin among the Noldor

[> in the Sindarin tongue] are [> were] Glewellin (which is the same as Laurelin, song of gold), Lasgalen green of leaf, and Melthinorn tree of gold; and her image in Gondolin was named Glingal. [Struck out: Of old among the Noldor] The Elder Tree was named also Silivros glimmering [> sparkling] rain, Celeborn tree of silver, and Nimloth pale blossom. But in after days Galathilion the Less was the name of the White Tree of Tuna, and his seedling was named Celeborn in Eressea, and Nimloth in Numenor, the gift of the Eldar. The image of Telperion that Turgon made in Gondolin was Belthil. Quoth Pengolod. [Like the previous ones this footnote was put into the body of the text by the typist of LQ 1, but afterwards reinstated in its proper place.])

[struck out: unto] shining lakes, that were to all the land of the Valar as wells of water and of light.

Commentary on Chapter 2, 'Of Valinor and the Two Trees'.

The final typescript (LQ 2) of this chapter received very few corrections, and those only on the top copy (such as were made are recorded in the commentary that follows). Thus the LQ 1 text given above, with the corrections shown, is virtually the final text of the chapter.

$511 - 12 This chapter underwent little change from the text of QS