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The tale today is about Aulë and Yavanna, but not least about the creation of the Dwarves. Sit back and listen, because this is a story worth hearing.

Summary 3

The Silmarillion “Quenta Silmarillion 2 – Of Aulë and Yavanna” by J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien

I have mentioned Aulë before – he is Lord of Making, Craftsmanship and of the substances the earth is made of – iron, gold, silver and so on. Before any life had been made and when Middle-Earth was still laid in darkness, Aulë anticipated much the coming of the Children of Ilúvatar, so that he could teach them his lore and craft. His desire was so great that he made the Dwarves in secret, but not knowing completely how Ilúvatar had imagined the Firstborn and because of the power of Melkor was still present on Arda, he made them strong and stubborn as they are today, fast in friendship and in enmity but also enduring, able to suffer toil and hunger and hurt of body more than all other speaking peoples. He made seven fathers of Dwarves in a hall under the mountains in Middle-Earth.

Ilúvatar knew what was done and he questioned Aulë about the Dwarves and Aulë regretted his doing so deeply that Ilúvatar took pity on him and allowed the Dwarves to be put to sleep until he decided to awaken them. Because, the Elves were meant as the Firstborn, and so it should be.

Elves today believe that Dwarves when they die, return to the earth and stone of which they were made, but Dwarves themselves say that Mahal, which is the name they use for Aulë, gathers them to the Halls of Mandos where Ilúvatar will give them place among the Children of Ilúvatar and they shall serve Aulë to help him in the remaking of Arda after the Last Battle.

Now, Aulë had made the Dwarves in secret – not even Yavanna had he told about this, until they had been put to sleep by Ilúvatar. When she heard, she said to Aulë that since he had hidden this from her, the Dwarves would have little love for the things she loved – that they would love first the things they themselves created and that they were to delve in earth, having little regards for fauna and beasts. Aulë said that they would however still be Children of Ilúvatar, having dominations of their own and eating, drinking and building as the others, but not without respect or gratitude.

Yavanna was grieved hearing about domination of realms and thereby her work, and she sought the counsel of Manwë, asking if nothing should be free from the domination of others. Manwë asked her, what of all her work she held dearest and she answered that she held dearest the trees and that she had thought of trees speaking on behalf of all things that have roots and punish those that wrong them.

Manwë pondered this request and Ilúvatar knew this and he renewed the song from the Timeless Halls for Manwë, making him see his purpose. Manwë understood and returned to Yavanna, telling her that in time when the Firstborn are in their power and the Followers are still young, Eagles will be summoned from the West as messengers from Manwë, with anger that shall be be feared. And Yavanna was happy, but still concerned about the trees. Manwë told her that in the forests shall walk the shepherds of the Trees, the Ents, whose wrath will arouse at their peril. Aulë just said that despite this, the Children of Ilúvatar would still need wood and went on with his craft.

That was the tale of Aulë and Yavanna and the making of the Dwarves. I still wonder this day if the Dwarves do indeed return to the soil or if they are gathered by Aulë in Mandos’ Halls. I guess that someday, we will eventually know. My next tale will be about the Coming of the Elves and about the overthrowing of Melkor. Be well until then, listeners!

First time written in 2003 for Elvenrunes.com (by Niya aka Berry)

Today, I will start with telling you about the Maiar – and then about the beginning of time, as we know it.

Summary 2

The Silmarillion: “Quenta Silmarillion 1: Of the Beginning of Days” by J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien

For you see, the Valar were not alone in the beginning. Ilúvatar sent down a great number of spirits to help the Valar in the work with shaping the world. Those spirits are called Maiar and they are servant of the Valar. Mightiest of the Maiar are Eönwë, the Herald of Manwë, the Wind Lord and Ilmarë, the handmaid of Varda.

If you have ever visited the Grey Havens, you will know the name of Ossë – maybe quenched your thirst from the mighty well, which is found in Harlond, named in honor of him. He is the servant of Ulmo the Ocean Lord together with his spouse, Uinen – the Lady of the Seas and Calm. You might also know the story about Melian, who was the servant Maiar of both Vána and Estë, but who later came to Middle-Earth and married one of the Firstborn. But we will return to that story some other day.

About Melkor I can tell that he enchanted many Maiar to come to him and serve him instead of the other Valar. He managed to corrupt many and draw them to him with lies and gifts of treachery. The perhaps most feared (even today) of these corrupted Maiar are the Valaraukar – the Balrogs, demons of fire and terror. Later, I will tell you more about those too. The greatest of his servants however, was Gorthaur the Cruel, whom we know as Sauron – once the Maia of Aulë.

That is what I will tell for now about the Maiar. Now to the Beginning of Days… In the beginning before any creature or plant was put to life, Melkor had great power on Arda – he ruled almost un-approached and did whatever he wished without interference, destroying and corrupting the work of the other Valar. Then a great spirit came to Arda to aid the Valar. He is called Tulkas the Strong and his greatness and anger made Melkor flee from Arda and into the void in fear and with great hatred.

Freed from Melkor’s mischievousness, the Valar now began the work of bringing order, life and light to Arda. Yavanna planted the seeds of growth, which brought fauna and beasts to Middle-Earth. Aulë made two great lamps and put them upon high pillars – one in the south named Ormal and one in the north named Illuin. And Arda was lit with bright light.

Manwë then held a great feast, where all the Valar and their servants attended and celebrated their work. Melkor, who had been in the void, becoming just a dark shadow of hate and jealousy, was told about this by his servants. So while the Valar feasted and relaxed, he returned unseen to Arda and began building himself a fortress deep inside the Earth under a dark mountain with the help of his servants, marring the beasts, rivers and plants in a wide range about the mountain. This fortress he named Utumno.

Now the Valar realized that Melkor had returned, seeing the fauna turn into dark rotten moulds and beasts becoming frightening monsters, but Melkor was quick and assaulted the Valar and destroyed Illuin and Ormal, the lamps of the south and north, which resulted in fire poured over Earth, destroying much of the hard work and reshaping the waters, lands and mountains. And in the sudden darkness, Melkor succeeded in escaping back to Utumno and hide while the Valar fought to control the turmoil and destruction.

This is said to be the first war of Arda, happening even before the Children of Ilúvatar had set foot on it.

Despaired by the destruction of their work and unable to overthrow Melkor, the Valar retreated to the westernmost part of the World, Aman, where they could look out over the Great sea, which Elves know as Ekkaia. There, they built their dwelling and raised the Mountains of Aman, whereupon Manwë set his throne. Behind these fortified mountains, they built Valinor where they lived together and they made it an image of how they had wanted Arda to be from the very beginning. They created their city, Valimar, there – beautiful and peaceful it was, safe from Melkor’s terror and corruption.

Before the gates of Valinor, there was a green mound, on which Yavanna sat down and sang a song of power and thoughts of growth. The song made the other Valar come and listen and Nienna wept upon the mound and two plants emerged from the soil, growing under the song of Yavanna and tears of Nienna, becoming two tall flowering trees – The Two Trees of Valinor: Telperion and Laurelin they were called – one with dark green leaves with silver dew and the other of young green leaves with golden edges and fruits.

The two trees each waxed to full for seven hours and then faded to naught, then awakening again when the other faded and therefore, twice a day Valinor would be lit by faint light, and the count of time began.

This was the tale for today, listeners I hope you have enjoyed. Next time we meet, I will tell you more about the Firstborn and about Aulë and Yavanna and how the Dwarves came to be.

First time written in 2003 for Elvenrunes.com (by Niya aka Berry)

Today, I will tell you a different kind of story about how Arda as we know it was made and about times so long ago that we can hardly comprehend it.

Summary 1

The Silmarillion: “Ainulindalë – The Music of the Ainur” by J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien

We have to go back in time to when everything was still nothing, when Arda was not thought of yet and when only one existed, Ilúvatar (Eru). From his thoughts, he created the Ainur, whom he taught to sing for him and listen to eachother, thereby growing and eventually sing together and make great music – a theme, because the Ainur were not alike, but had each special gifts they had been granted from the thoughts of Ilúvatar.

The Ainur sang together, developing and growing with their songs, but among them, one became restless and ambitious, wanting power and glory of his own. He was Melkor – the one of the Ainur, whom Ilúvatar had granted most knowledge and power when creating him. He became impatient that the void around them was not filled with beings and wanted to create himself, but could not as only Ilúvatar is capable of creating life.

Therefore, Melkor began to weave his growing anger into the songs he sang with the other Ainur. Some of them listened and adapted to his new music and it eventually came to a war between Melkor and Ilúvatar. Not a war as we know it with steel and arrows, but a war of songs, words and thoughts. Ilúvatar won this, naturally, because who can win a strife against the father of everything?

But it had a price and a purpose. Because the song that the Ainur had been singing together was the theme and history of Arda – our world. Ilúvatar took the Ainur to the void, showing them Arda in a vision – it’s splendour and wonder, but also the flaws which Melkor’s anger had caused.

All this however, Ilúvatar had foreseen and intended. He showed the Ainur the history of Arda from the coming of the Firstborn to the increasing population of the Followers and eventually the fading of the Firstborn again. The Firstborn are the Elves and the Followers are Men. The Ainur was amazed by this vision. By it’s splendour and greatness and most of all they were fascinated by the children of Ilúvatar, of whom they had not thought in their songs, nor expected – therefore loving them even more.

Melkor viewed this too, ashamed by seeing what his song had done, but it turned to anger and jealousy of what Ilúvatar could and he not. He envied the Elves and Men for the gifts Ilúvatar promised to grant them with and urged to control these children and subdue them to his power.

Ilúvatar then hid the vision from the Ainur and gave them choise to either stay with him or descent to Eä (Arda) forever until it is completed. Many descented and Ilúvatar named them the Valar – the powers of the World.

Of the Valar, there are 15: Seven Lords and Seven Queens (and one we will get back to in a minute).

• Manwë, who is closest and most insightful of the purpose of Ilúvatar therefore, Ilúvatar appointed him to be Lord of Arda.
• Varda, Lady of the stars, who lives with Manwë
• Ulmo, Lord of waters
• Aulë, Lord of craftmanship
• Yavanna, Giver of fruits, who lives with Aulë
• Oromë, Lord of forests and hunting
• Vána the ever-young, who lives with Oromë and is the sister of Yavanna
• Mandos (Námo), Lord of spirits
• Vairë the weaver, who lives with Mandos
• Lórien (Irmo), Lord of visions and dreams
• Estë the gentle, healer of hurts and weariness
• Nienna the weeper, sister to Mandos and Lórien
• Tulkas, Lord of strength
• Nessa the dancer, sister of Oromë and lives with Tulkas

When the Valar left the Timeless Halls of Ilúvatar and first entered into Arda, it had not been shaped or made as in the vision, Ilúvatar had shown them. They then started mending and creating what they had seen in the vision, preparing Arda for the arrival of the Firstborn. But Melkor, the 15th Vala, who had also chosen to descent to Arda, was now filled with envy and hatred and tried to destroy or corrupt everything the other Valar created – changing mountains, destroying rivers and the like, but never being able to destroy it fully. But nor did anything the Valar made ever become exactly as they wanted, because of him.

And now, I am tired of telling. I will tell more soon – about the Valar, Maiar and of course about Melkor. It will be about the beginning of days.

First time written in 2003 for Elvenrunes.com (by Niya aka Berry)

Seeing my other summaries of The Silmarillion becoming more extensive, I decided to make a shorter and (maybe) more approachable summary in addition.

Ainulindalë:

We have Ilúvatar, who is “The One”, who was the only one there in the beginning. Noone else – no Middle-earth either. A sort of god, although lore nerds will scowl at you for saying that. Anyway,  he made the Ainur (the holy ones) because he was lonely - and of all things, he had them play music. The music contained the shape and history of Middle-earth and he really had the Ainur fooled into thinking that when they had played the music, all had been shaped, but alas, after some of them had agreed to go down to the Earth, they found out that they had to do all the work themselves since the music was just a hallucination.

Of course there was a bad guy too. His name was Melkor and he wanted it all to himself and was jealous of Ilúvatar and the other guys. So while all the other Ainur worked on shaping Middle-earth, he constantly knocked over their lego-towers by destroying their beautiful mountains and forests and valleys and making evil plans.

Valaquenta:

Here we learn more about the Ainur and their names and such and that the greatest are the Valar and the lower ones are Maiar. Melkor (the bad guy) decides to persuade some of the Maiar to join him, such as the Balrogs. We also hear of Sauron, also a Maia, who is corrupted by Melkor and joins the dark side.

Quenta Silmarillion:

This is the story of the Silmarils with a lot of bits and pieces of other stuff inbetween. The Valar had tried to prepare Middle-earth for the coming of the Elves, but Melkor kept screwing it up and he also destroyed the two great lamps that the Valar had made to light up all of Middle-earth. The Valar actually managed, after the Elves had come, to capture Melkor and imprison him. Then they told the Elves to come live with them in the Holy land where they themselves lived – sundered from Middle-earth. Many of the Elves did this (the Noldor, Vanyar and Teleri) and many stayed behind too.

Having learned nothing from their mistake with Melkor, the Valar decided to release him before his time was up and he immediately started corrupting the Noldor Elves and he stole 3 precious gems that the Noldor Elf Fëanor had made: The Silmarils. He killed Fëanor’s father, Finwë, and destroyed the two trees the Valar had made instead of the lamps. He then went back to Middle-earth and hid in his fortress in the north.

Fëanor was pissed of course and he told the Valar that it was all their fault and he left with his sons and many of the Noldor Elves to get revenge and the Silmarils back. During his flight from the Holy land to Middle-earth, he managed to not only start a battle and kill many of the Teleri Elves, thereby getting himself and those who followed him banned from the Holy Land, but he also betrayed a large group of his own Noldor kindred, leaving them behind most maliciously - among these were the Lady Galadriel. He met his end when he reached Middle-earth and almost immediately tried to overpower Melkor and get the Silmarils back.

Meanwhile, the Valar had made the Sun and the Moon, hoping that Melkor wouldn’t go about destroying them too, and Middle-earth had light at last. Then the Men started arriving (the Dwarves were already there) and some of them were friends with the Elves that were still in Middle-earth. One Man in particular is told about, Beren, who was hopelessly in love with the Elf princess Lúthien, which her father was much against. So Beren and Lúthien more or less swaggered their way into Angband where Melkor was, retrieving one of the Silmarils from him to pay a bride-price for Lúthien - and the rest of their story is rather tragic. But, hearing that the two of them could trick Melkor that way, the Noldor (Fëanor’s sons and the rest) attacked Melkor again with the help of Men and Dwarves. However, Melkor won with the help of his evil creatures (Orcs and such) and corrupted Men from the south - and the Noldor army was destroyed.

We then learn about the Men Húrin and Huor and how Melkor messed up their lives and their childens’ lives, about the great deeds of Eärendil the Mariner and many other tales; All of it leading to the Valar finally getting out of their cozy spot in the Holy land and making war upon Melkor to throw him down, in which they succeeded. Melkor was finally done with and tugged away in nothingness. Of course, most of Beleriand was destroyed too in this war and many died, but apparently the end justifies the means in this case.

Akallabêth:

This part tells us about the Man kingdom of Númenor, which was ruled and inhabited by the Dúnedain (yeah, like Aragorn). The island was given to some of the noblest houses of Men and they were friendly with both the Valar and Elves right until they figured out that they were not immortal like the rest and then they became angry too. Here Sauron plays a great part, since he corrupted many Men (in disguise) and set them against the Valar and Elves of the Holy land. So, once again the Valar had to do something and when the Men set sail to reach the Holy land, they sank the island of Númenor and allowed only a few faithful Dúnedain to survive in their boats. Again, the Valar got a bit too excited and all of Middle-earth was reshaped and tumbled around.

Sauron escaped and went away hiding while the surviving Dúnedain went about and founded the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor.

Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age:

This part describes the Second and Third Ages where Sauron takes over Melkor’s job and where the Rings of Power are forged by Celebrimbor (Fëanor’s grandson) with the help of Sauron in disguise. And Sauron makes the One Ring. Another battle takes place where Elves and the remaining Dúnedain defeat Sauron – and Isildur takes the One Ring as his own. The first part of the Third Age is described with Isildur being killed and the loss of the One Ring.

That is it, in short – very short.