The Treason of Isengard (23 page)

Other features of this text must be briefly noticed. That it preceded (III) seems clear from its being at first the Branduinen (Brandywine), subsequently changed to the Lhun, that flowed through the great gap in Eredlindon (the Blue Mountains), whereas in (III) Lhun was written from the first. This indicates also that the text preceded that portion of the original map (Map I, p. 302) which shows these regions. On the other hand the statement that Eredlindon was now at no point further than 200 miles from the Sea agrees well with that map,(17) and we meet here an apparently unique reference to the isles of Tol Fuin and Himling, which are shown on it.(18)

The Misty Mountains receive for the first time Elvish names (Eredhithui, Hithdilias), as do the Black Mountains in the South, afterwards the White Mountains, (Eredvyrn, Mornvenniath); and the name Eregion of Hollin appears. The name of Gil-galad's father as first written cannot be interpreted; the fourth letter seems to be an r, but the name is certainly not Finrod. Inglor, though here marked with a query, agrees with (III), which has Felagund; in the texts that I have called (I) above he was a descendant of Feanor.

I return now to the 'third version' of 'The Council of Elrond'.

The verse (if it was already a verse) that brought Boromir to Rivendell is lost in its earliest form with the lost page (p. 120), but from what follows it is plain that it referred to the Sword that was Broken, which was in Imlad-ril, and to 'the half-high', who will 'set forth' (cf. FR p. 259).

There are several interesting names in this text.

Khazaddum (p. 117) is here first used - in the narrative - of Moria (see V.274, VI.466), but it appears in the original sketch of a page from the Book of Mazarbul: see VI.467 and the Appendix to this book, p. 458.

The city of Osgiliath on the Great River appears, with the fortresses of Minas Anor and Minas Ithil on either side of the river valley, though their positions were originally reversed, with Minas Ithil in the west becoming Minas Tirith and Minas Anor in the east becoming Minas Morgol.

The Bay of Belfalas (replacing at the time of writing Ramathor, Ramathir) here first appears (see VI.438-9). On the name Sirvinya

'New Sirion':of the Great River see p. 122.

Imlad-ril is no doubt the earliest form and first appearance of the Elvish name of Rivendell; Imlad-rist which here replaced it is the form found in the texts given on pp. 123-4. Imladris is found in the Etymologies (V.384, stem RIS).

With Osforod 'the Northburg' cf. the later Fornost (Erain), 'Nor-bury (of the Kings)'.

At the end of the manuscript there are a few lines concerning Bombadil: '"I knew of him," answered Gandalf. "Bombadil's one name. He has called himself by others, suiting himself to the times.

Tombombadil's for the Shire-folk. We have seldom met." '

Pencilled scribbles beneath this, difficult to interpret, give other names of Bombadil: Forn for the Dwarves (19) (as in FR p. 278)., Yare for the Elves, and Iaur (see the Etymologies, V.399, stem YA); Erion for the Gnomes; Eldest for m[en] (cf. FR p. 142: 'Eldest, that's what I am').

The Fourth Version.

The next complete manuscript of the chapter is a formidably difficult document. It contains pages 'cannibalised' from the second version, with just such elements retained from them as were still suitable, and it also contains later writing at more than one stage in the evolution of the Council, with further emendation on top of that clearly deriving from different times. It is difficult to determine how this complex evolved; but I think a good case can be made for the account of the evolution that I give here, in which a 'fourth' and a 'fifth' version are separated out.

On this view, my father now decided that the extremely difficult and incomplete 'third version', introducing so much new material, called for an ordered text in clear manuscript. The chapter (XIV) was now titled The Council of Elrond, and it begins (on the August 1940

examination script) with a revised version of the opening (see p. 110): Frodo and Sam now meet Gandalf and Bilbo sitting 'on a seat cut in the stone beside a turn in the path', as in FR (p. 252). But there is no further development at this stage in the membership of the Council: the Elf of Mirkwood is still Galdor. Boromir is now 'from the city of Minas Tirith in the South'.

From the start of the Council itself, the 'third version', taking up at the words 'Much was said of events in the world outside' (p. 117), was for the most part closely followed, though with movement in detail towards the expression in FR. Gloin is still followed by Galdor's news of Gollum's escape and Gandalf's resigned observations on the matter.

But after 'And now our tale goes far away and long ago' Elrond here adds:

'for all here should learn in full the tale of the Ring. I know,' he added with a glance at Boromir, who seemed about to speak.

'You think that you should speak now in turn after Galdor. But wait, and you will see that your words will come in more fitly later.'

This passage may very well represent what was contained in the missing rider referred to on p. 119.

Elrond's brief account of the foundation of the realm of Ond is not changed from the 'third version' (as emended: see p. 119). Elendil still established it, about the lower course of the Great River (here not given any other name), and 'his chief city was Osgiliath, the Fortress of Stars', while Isildur and Anarion governed Minas Ithil and Minas Anor. But where the previous text has (as emended) 'But the sons of Elendil did not return from the war with Sauron, and only in Minas Anor was the lordship of the West maintained. There ruled the son of Anarion and his sons after him' this fourth version greatly expands Elrond's speech:

'... But Isildur, the elder, went with his father to the aid of Gilgalad in the Last Alliance. Very mighty was that host.'

Elrond paused for a while, and sighed. 'I remember well the splendour of their banners,' he said...

Elrond's recollection of the mustering of the hosts of the Last Alliance, and Frodo's astonished interjection, now reach the form in FR (p. 256; for the earlier forms of the passage see p. 110); but after 'I have seen many ages in the West of the World, and many defeats, and many fruitless victories' the new text proceeds:

'... Such proved indeed the alliance of Gilgalad and Elendil.'

And thereupon Elrond passed to the tale of the assault upon Mordor that Frodo had heard already from Gandalf / yet not so fully or so clearly; and he spoke of the winning of the Ring

[changed perhaps at this time to: But now all was set forth in full, and memories were unlocked that had long lain hidden.

Great forces were gathered together, even of beasts and of birds; and of all living things some were in either host, save only the Elves. They alone were undivided, and followed Gilgalad.(20) Then Elrond spoke of the winning of the Ring], and the flight of Sauron, and the peace that came to the West of Middle-earth for a time.

'Yet,' said Elrond, 'Isildur, who took the Ring, and greatly diminished the power of Sauron, was slain, and he came never back to Minas Ithil, in the Land of Ond, nor did any of his folk return. Only in Minas Anor was the race of Westernesse maintained for a while.(21) But Gilgalad was lost, and Elendil was dead; and in spite of their victory, Sauron was not wholly destroyed, and the evil creatures that he had made or tamed were abroad, and they multiplied. And Men increased, and Elves were estranged from them; for the people of Numenor decayed, or turned to dark thoughts, and destroyed one another; and the world worsened. Osgiliath fell into ruin; and evil men took Minas Ithil, and it became a place of dread, and was called Minas-Morgol, the

It is at this point that the previous manuscript breaks off, through the loss of a leaf, and does not take up again till after Boromir has declared the 'dream-verse' of Minas Tirith, concerning which he came to Rivendell (p. 120).

Tower of Sorcery, and Minas Anor was renamed Minas Tirith the Tower of Guard. And these two cities stood opposed to one another, and were ever at war; and in the ruins of Osgiliath shadows walked. So it has been for many lives of men. For the men of Minas Tirith fight on, though the race of Elendil has long failed among them. But listen now to Boromir, who is come from Minas Tirith in the Land of Ond.'

'Truly in that land,' said Boromir proudly, taking up the tale,

'we have never ceased to defend ourselves, and to dispute the passage of the River with all enemies from the East. By our valour some peace and freedom has been kept in the lands to the West behind us. But now we are pressed back, and are near to despair, for we are beset and the crossing of the River has been taken.(22) And those whom we defend shelter behind us, and give us much praise and little help.

'Now I am come on an errand over many dangerous leagues to Elrond. But I do not seek allies in war; for the might of Elrond is not in numbers, nor do the High-elves put forth their strength in armies. I come rather to ask for counsel and the unravelling of hard words. A dream came many months ago to the Lord of Minas Tirith in the midst of a troubled sleep; and afterward a like dream came to many others in the City, and even to me. Always in this dream there was the noise of running water upon one hand, and of a blowing fire upon the other; and in the midst was heard a voice, saying:

Seek for the Sword that was broken:

in Imlad-rist it dwells,

and there shall words be spoken

stronger than Morgol-spells.

And this shall be your token:

when the half-high leave their land,

then many bonds shall be broken,

and Days of Fire at hand.

Of these words none of us could understand anything,(23) until after long seeking we learned that Imlad-rist was the elvish name of a far northern dale, called by Men in the North Rivendell, where Elrond Halfelven dwelt.

The third version is then followed closely (pp. 120 - 1, passages (i) and (iii)) as far as 'but it has been ordained that you should have it for a while'; then follows in this fourth version:

'Yes, it is true,' he said, turning to Boromir with a smile. 'I do not look the part, maybe: I have had a hard life and a long, and the leagues that lie between here and Ond would go for little in the count of my wanderings. I have been in Minas Tirith, and walked in Osgiliath by night, and even to Minas Morgol I have been, and beyond.' He shuddered. 'But my home, such as I have, has been in the North; for Valandil son of Isildur was harboured by the Elves in this region after the death of his father; and he went at last with such of his folk as remained, and dwelt in Osforod the North-burg. But that is now waste, so that its very foundations can scarce be seen beneath the turf. And our days have ever waned and darkened through the years; and we are become a wandering folk, few and secret and sundered, pursued ever by the Enemy, and pursuing him. And the sword has never been reforged. For it was Elendil's, and broke beneath him in his fall; and it was brought away by his esquire and treasured. For Elendil said in his last hour: "This blade shall not be brandished again for many ages. And when a voice is heard in Minas Anor, and the shadow of Sauron grows great again in Middle-earth, let it then be remade." '

It seems to me extremely probable that it was here, very near the point where the draft third version ended, that my father abandoned in its turn this fourth version, or more accurately went back over what he had written, changing the sequence of the speeches at the Council and introducing much new material. He then continued to the end of the chapter; and this is the fifth version.

In the third and fourth versions, ending (on this view) at much the same place, the sequence had been the same:

(1) Gloin's account of the return to Moria and the messages from Mordor;

(2) Galdor's news of Gollum's escape;

(3) Elrond's story ('But now our tale goes far away and long ago...');

(4) Boromir and the 'dream-verse' of Minas Tirith;

(5) Aragorn produces the Sword of Elendil, and Elrond proclaims his ancestry; Frodo says 'Then it belongs to you as much as me, or more!'

(6) Aragorn speaks of Valandil son of Isildur and the life of his descendants in the North.

The differences between this structure and that of FR are essentially that in the final form the story of (Galdor) Legolas comes in much later, and that after Frodo's exclamation in (5) and Aragorn's reply Gandalf calls on Frodo to bring forth the Ring - whereupon Elrond says 'Behold Isildur's Bane!'; this in turn leads to Aragorn's account of himself, Aragorn being followed by Bilbo's story and then Frodo's.

A single page of rough drafting shows both developments: Frodo's bringing forth the Ring at this juncture and Elrond's naming it

'Isildur's Bane' (which would lead to the insertion of the name into the

'dream-verse', from which it was at first absent, p. 128), and also a scheme for a new sequence. In this, after Aragorn's explanation to Boromir of the Broken Sword (FR p. 260), there follows: (1) Bilbo's story; -