The War of the Jewels (40 page)

It seems to me virtually certain that all this work on the later legend of Aule and the Dwarves derives from the same time, and it is obvious that this letter belongs with the first or draft text from which extracts are given on pp. 211-12, preceding the final text attached to LQ 1 and printed in The Silmarillion. That text was incorporated in LQ 2 as typed, and for that typescript I have proposed (on wholly distinct grounds) 1958 as the approximate date (see X.141-2, 300). This, I think, fits well enough with the date of the letter (October 1958). It seems likely that my father revised the existing Silmarillion materials pari passu with the making of the typescript LQ 2, carried out under his guidance.

As already noticed (see p. 210), the original QS text (lightly emended) in the second part of the chapter, that concerned with the Edain, was followed in the early typescript LQ 1. At a later time the whole of the section on the Edain was struck through both on the QS

manuscript (with the direction 'Substitute new form') and on LQ 1

(with the direction 'Cancel'). This new form was a typescript, made by my father himself, with the title Of the Coming of Men into the West and the Meeting of the Edain and the Eldar. In the LQ 2 series the section on the Dwarves, now much altered and expanded from its original form, was made into a separate chapter, on which my father inserted the number 'XVI' (following 'XV' Of Turgon and the Building of Gondolin, p. 200), retaining as title the original subtitle Concerning the Dwarves (p. 202). The new text of the second part, Of the Coming of Men into the West, then followed in LQ 2 as a further chapter and was given the number 'XVII'. I have followed this arrangement.

The complex textual evolution of the original chapter in QS can be displayed thus (the dates have been made definite except in one case).

QS ch.10 Of Men and Dwarfs

(1937)

QS ch.10 New title Of the

Naugrim and the Edain:

section on the Dwarves

rewritten; section on the

Edain retained (1951)

Typescript LQ 1 (1951)

Insertion of new legend of Typescript LQ 2 (1958): Aule and the Dwarves ch.XVI Concerning the (1958) Dwarves (no section on the Edain)

Wholly new text on the Edain: Typescript LQ 2 (1958): Of the Coming of Men into ch. XVII

the West (date uncertain:

1958?)

*

It remains only to notice the changes made to LQ 2 Concerning the Dwarves. The chief of these is a further revision of the names of the Dwarves (see the table on p. 209). In $1 (p. 203) 'whom the Dark-elves named the Naugrim' was struck out, and at every occurrence the name Naugrim was replaced by Dwarves (except in the heading to $2, where it was no doubt retained inadvertently). In $7 the opening passage now read, both in LQ 1 and in LQ 2: In their own tongue the Dwarves name themselves Khuzud; but the Dark-elves called them Naugrim, the stunted. Which name the exiled Noldor likewise took for them, but called them also the Nyrn...

(The changes of Khuzud to Khazad and Naugrim to Naug made on the manuscript did not appear in the typescripts as typed, see pp. 205, 210.) The passage was rewritten on LQ 2 thus:

In their own tongue the Dwarves name themselves Khazad; but the Grey-elves called them the Nyrn, the hard. This name the exiled Noldor likewise took for them, but called them also the Naugrim, the stunted folk...

Other changes were: in $1, in the sentence 'few ever passed over the mountains', 'few' > 'none'; also Cranthir > Caranthir. In $7, in the sentence concerning Nornhabar, Belegost, and Nogrod, which were said to be interpretations 'in the Gnomish tongue' of the Dwarvish names, 'Gnomish' > 'Elvish'.

14. OF THE COMING OF MEN INTO THE WEST.

The introduction of what very soon became an entirely new chapter -

a massive extension of and departure from the 'traditional' history of the Edain - has been briefly described on p. 213. It emerges in a typescript (with carbon copy) made by my father: of antecedent draft material there is now no trace, but it seems to me very improbable that the text reached this form ab initio. It has in fact two titles: that typed as heading to the text is Of the Coming of Men into the West and the Meeting of the Edain and the Eldar, but on a separate title-page in manuscript it is called Of the Coming of the Edain 6' their Houses and Lordships in Beleriand.

The text was emended in ink on both copies almost identically; these changes were made, I feel sure, at much the same time as the original typing, and in the text that follows I adopt the emendations, but notice some of the original readings in the commentary. The separate title-page with the different title may belong with these, but I use here the other, in a shortened form Of the Coming of Men into the West, as was done in the published Silmarillion. The chapter (as emended) was incorporated in the typescript series LQ 2, as already mentioned, and subsequently given the number 'XVII'; perhaps (as with the new legend of Aule and the Dwarves, see p. 213) it belongs to the period when the LQ typescript was being made (see p. 227, $13, and p. 229).

The text is found in the published Silmarillion, Chapter 17, but I have thought it best in this case to give the original in full. To show the editorial alterations and insertions in the published text takes much space, and it is difficult to make them clear, while the chapter is an essential companion to The Wanderings of Hurin in Part Three.

Of the Coming of Men into the West

and the Meeting of the Edain

and the Eldar.

$1. Now it came to pass, when three hundred years and ten were gone since the Noldor came to Beleriand, in the days of the Long Peace, that Felagund journeyed east of Sirion and went hunting with Maglor and Maedros, sons of Feanor. But he wearied of the chase and passed on alone towards the Mountains of Ered-lindon that he saw shining afar; and taking the Dwarf-road he crossed Gelion at the ford of Sarn-athrad, and turning south over the upper streams of Ascar, he came into the north of Ossiriand.

$2. In a valley among the foothills of the Mountains, below the springs of Thalos, he saw lights in the evening, and far off he heard the sound of song. At this he wondered much, for the Green-elves of that land lit no fires, and they did not sing by night. At first he feared that a raid of Orcs had passed the leaguer of the North, but as he drew near he perceived that this was not so. For the singers used a tongue that he had not heard before, neither that of Dwarves nor of Orcs, and their voices were fair, though untutored in music.

$3. Then Felagund, standing silent in the night-shadow of the trees, looked down into the camp, and there he beheld a strange folk. They were tall, and strong, and comely, though rude and scantily clad; but their camp was well-ordered, and they had tents and lodges of boughs about the great fire in the midst; and there were fair women and children among them.

$4. Now these were a part of the kindred and following of Beor the Old, as he was afterwards called, a chieftain among Men. After many lives of wandering out of the East he had led them at last over the Mountains, the first of the race of Men to enter Beleriand; and they sang because they were glad, and believed that they had escaped from all perils and had come to a land without fear.

$5. Long Felagund watched them, and love for them stirred in his heart; but he remained hidden in the trees until they had all fallen asleep. Then he went among the sleeping people, and sat beside their dying fire where none kept watch; and he took up a rude harp which Beor had laid aside, and he played music upon it such as the ears of Men had not heard; for they had as yet no teachers in the art, save only the Dark-elves in the wild lands.

$6. Now men awoke and listened to Felagund as he harped and sang, and each thought that he was in some fair dream, until he saw that his fellows were awake also beside him; but they did not speak or stir while Felegund still played, because of the beauty of the music and the wonder of the song. Wisdom was in the words of the Elven-king, and the hearts grew wiser that hearkened to him; for the things of which he sang, of the making of Arda, and the bliss of Aman beyond the shadows of the Sea, came as clear visions before their eyes, and his Elvish speech was interpreted in each mind according to its measure.

$7. Thus it was that Men called King Felagund, whom they first met of all the Eldar, Wisdom, and after him they named his people The Wise.* Indeed they believed at first that Felagund was one of the gods, of whom they had heard rumour that they dwelt far in the West; and this was (some say) the chief cause of their journey. But Felagund dwelt among them and taught them true lore; and they loved him and took him for their lord, and were ever after loyal to the House of Finrod.**

$8. Now the Eldar were beyond all other peoples skilled in tongues; and Felagund discovered also that he could read in the minds of Men such thoughts as they wished to reveal in speech, so that their words were easily interpreted.+ It was not long therefore before he could converse with Beor; and while he dwelt with him they spoke much together. But when Felagund questioned Beor concerning the arising of Men and their journeys, Beor would say little; and indeed he knew little, for the fathers of his people had told few tales of their past and a silence had fallen upon their memory.

$9. 'A darkness lies behind us,' Beor said; 'and we have turned our backs on it, and we do not desire to return thither even in thought. Westwards our hearts have been turned, and we believe that there we shall find Light.'

$10. But Felagund learned from Beor that there were many other Men of like mind who were also journeying westward.

'Others of my own kin have crossed the Mountains,' he said,

'and they are wandering not far away; and the Haladin, a people that speak the same tongue as we, are still in the valleys on the eastern slopes, awaiting tidings before they venture (* Nom and [Nomil >] Nomin in the ancient language of this people (which afterwards was forgotten); for Beor and his folk later learned the language of the Eldar and forsook their own, though they retained many names that came down to them [out of the past > ] from their fathers.)

(** Thus Beor got his name; for it signified Vassal in their tongue, and each of their chieftains after him bore this name as a title until the time of Bregolas and Barahir.)

(+ It is said also that these Men had long had dealings with the Dark-elves of Middle-earth, and from them had learned much of their speech; and since all the languages of the Quendi were of one origin, the language of Beor and his folk resembled the Elven-tongues in many words and devices.)

further. There are also Men of a different speech, with whom we have had dealings at times. They were before us in the westward march, but we passed them; for they are a numerous people, and yet keep together and move slowly, being all ruled by one chieftain whom they call Marach.'

$11 Now the Nandor, the Green-elves of Ossiriand, were troubled by the coming of Men, and when they heard that a lord of the Eldar from over the Sea was among them they sent messengers to Felagund. 'Lord,' they said, 'if you have power over these new-comers, bid them to return by the ways that they came, or else to go forward. For we desire no strangers in this land to break the peace in which we live. And these folk are hewers of trees and hunters of beasts; therefore we are their unfriends, and if they will not depart we shall afflict them in all ways that we can.'

$12 Then by the advice of Felagund Beor gathered all the wandering families and kindreds of his folk, and they removed over Gelion and took up their abode in the lands of Diriol, upon the east-banks of the Celon near to the borders of Doriath. But when after a year had passed Felagund wished to return to his own country, Beor begged leave to come with him; and he remained in the service of the king while his life lasted. In this way he got his name Beor, whereas his name before had been Balan; for Beor signified Servant in the ancient tongue of his people. The rule of his folk he committed to his elder son Baran, and he did not return again to Estolad.*

Of the Kindreds and Houses of the Edain.

$13. Soon after the departure of Felagund the other Men of whom Beor had spoken came also into Beleriand. First came the Haladin; but meeting the unfriendship of the Nandor they turned north and dwelt in Radhrost, in the country of Caranthir son of Feanor; and there for a time they had peace, though the people of Caranthir paid little heed to them. The next year, however, Marach led his people over the Mountains; and they were a tall and warlike folk, and they marched in ordered companies; and the Green-elves hid themselves and did not waylay them. And Marach hearing that the people of Beor were dwelling in a green and fertile land, came down the Dwarf-road (* 'The Encampment. This was the name ever after of the land east of Celon and south of Nan Elmoth.)