The War of the Jewels (22 page)

$$63-4. The content of this passage is largely new; there has been no previous mention of the coming of Angrod to Thingol and his silence about many matters in respect of the Return of the Noldor.

The actual nature of Thingol's claim to overlordship, whereby he

'gave leave' to the princes of the Noldor to dwell in certain regions, is now specified (the acceptance by Fingolfin of Thingol's claim is referred to in the earlier forms of the linguistic excursus in GA, pp.

21, 25; cf. also the anticipatory words in $48, 'the sons of Feanor were ever unwilling to accept the overlordship of Thingol, and would ask for no leave where they might dwell or might pass'). -

The Telerin connection of the Third House of the Noldor through the marriage of Finrod (> Finarfin) to Earwen Olwe's daughter appears in AAm $$85, 156, and see X.177.

$$65-71. The content of the annal for the year 7 is largely new, save that in QS ($98) there is told of the waiving of the high-kingship of the Noldor by Maidros, and the secret disavowal of this among some at least of his brothers ('to this his brethen did not all in their hearts agree'). In GA there is no mention of what is told in QS, that

'Maidros begged forgiveness for the desertion in Eruman, and gave back the goods of Fingolfin that had been borne away in the ships'

(but see $83 and commentary); on the other hand we learn here of the scornful rejection of Thingol's claim by the Feanorians (with no mention of Fingolfin's acceptance of it, see under $$63 - 4 above), of Cranthir's harsh disposition and his insulting speech at the council, of the choosing of Fingolfin as overlord of the Noldor, of the opinion that Maidros was behind the swift departure of the Feanorians into the eastern lands (in order to lessen the chances of strife and to bear the brunt of the likeliest assault), and of his remaining in friendship with the other houses of the Noldor, despite the isolation of the Feanorians.

Curiously, the draft text has here and in $68 Caranthir (the later form), while the final text reverts to Cranthir. In the very rough initial draft for the annals 6 and 7 (see p. 29) the son of Feanor who was 'the harshest and the most quick to anger' was Curufin, changed to Caranthir. On Caranthir's scornful reference to Thingol as 'this Dark-elf' see my note in the Index to the published Silmarillion, entry Dark Elves. - In the draft text Caranthir says 'let them not so quickly forget that they were Noldor!'

$72. In AB 2 (V.126) and QS ($99) Mereth Aderthad was held in Nan Tathren, the Land of Willows. GA is more specific concerning those who were present than are the earlier texts: Maidros and Maglor; Cirdan; and Dairon and Mablung as the only two representatives from Doriath (on Thingol's aloofness see $47 and commentary).

$73. That the Noldor learned Sindarin far more readily than the Sindar learned Noldorin has been stated already in the final form of the linguistic excursus, p. 26. It is stated in all three versions of the excursus that it was after Dagor Aglareb (in the year 60) that Sindarin became the common speech of Beleriand.

$74. In AB 2 (V.126) Turgon discovered the hidden vale of Gondolin in the same year (50) as Inglor Felagund discovered Nargothrond -

the year of their dreams.

$75. This is the first mention (as the texts are presented) of Galadriel in Middle-earth in the Elder Days. The spelling Galadriel is note-worthy, implying the association of her name with galadh 'tree'

(galad): see X.182 and Unfinished Tales p. 267.

In AB 2 (V.126) and QS ($101) there is no suggestion that Inglor Felagund was aided by Thingol to his discovery of the caves where he established Nargothrond. In QS 'the High Faroth' are named, at a later point in the narrative, Taur-na-Faroth (see QS $112 and commentary). The great highlands west of Narog were originally called the Hills of the Hunters or the Hunters' Wold; see III.88, IV.225, and the Etymologies in V.387, stem SPAR.

The passage beginning 'Thus Inglor came to the Caverns of Narog' as far as 'that name he bore until his end' was an addition to the manuscript, but seems certainly to have been made at the time of the original writing. In view of the close relationship of this annal to the later development of the story in the QS tradition, where a very similar passage is found, I think that my father merely left it out inadvertently and at once noticed the omission (see pp. 177-8, $101).

$76. It is said in QS ($116) only that Gondolin was 'like unto Tun of Valinor'. This idea perhaps goes far back: see II.208.

$77. Dagor Aglareb, the Glorious Battle, was originally the Second Battle in the Wars of Beleriand (see p. 21 and note 6).

$78. The Siege of Angband 'lasted wellnigh four hundred years': from 60 to 455 (see V.257-8).

$$79-81. This inserted passage, which returns to the original text near the beginning of $81, concerns Morgoth's departure from Angband and his attempt to corrupt the first Men in the East, and is of great interest. While in QS ($63) it was said of Morgoth that 'it was never his wont to leave the deep places of his fortress', in AAm ($128, X.110) 'never but once only, while his realm lasted, did he depart for a while secretly from his domain in the North'; but it is not said or hinted for what purpose he went. (It is worth noting that a rough draft for the present rider in GA is found on the same page as a draft for the expansion of the passage in AAm, on which see X.121 note 10.)

The insertion is carefully written in the same style as the main text, and seems likely to belong to much the same time. It is notable that the reverse of the page used for it carries drafting for the final form of the insertion in AAm ($$43 - 5) concerning the ensnaring of the Quendi by the servants of Melkor in the lands about Kuivienen (cf. the words in $79, 'Even as before at the awakening of the Quendi, his spies were watchful'). See further under $87 below.

$79. 'Nor himself, an he would go': i.e., nor did the ice and snow hinder Morgoth himself, if he wished to go. - 'Indeed we learn now in Eressea': cf. the end of the final version of the 'linguistic excursus'

(p. 27): 'these histories were made after the Last Battle and the end of the Elder Days', and also the opening paragraph of the Grey Annals (p. 5).

$83. The reference to the Quenta Noldorinwa (see p. 27 and note 12) is to Chapter 9 'Of Beleriand and its Realms' in QS (V.258).

In QS $116 it is mentioned that 'many of the sires' of the horses of Fingolfin and Fingon came from Valinor. The horses are here said to have been 'given to Fingolfin by Maidros in atonement of his losses, for they had been carried by ship to Losgar'. In an earlier passage in GA (see the commentary on $$65-71) the reference in QS $98 to the return of Fingolfin's goods that had been carried away in the ships is absent.

$85. Eredwethrin: earlier in GA the form is Erydwethrin (also Eryd Lomin, Eryd Luin); cf. under $113 below. - This is the first occurrence of the river-name Nenning for earlier Eglor (at whose mouth was the haven of Eglorest), named in AB 2 (V.128, 139) and on the second map (V.408). On the map my father later struck out Eglor and wrote in two names, Eglahir and Nenning, leaving both to stand (p. 187, $22).

In QS ($109) it is said that the Dark-elves of Brithombar and Eglorest 'took Felagund, lord of Nargothrond, to be their king'; see the commentary on this passage, V.267. My father seems to have been uncertain of the status of Cirdan: in a late change to the text of AB 2 (the passage given in V.146, note 13) he wrote that 'in the Havens the folk of the Falas were ruled by Cirdan of the Grey-elves; but he was ever close in friendship with Felagund and his folk'

(agreeing with what is said here in GA), but he at once substituted:

'And in the west Cirdan the Shipwright who ruled the mariners of the Falas took Inglor also for overlord, and they were ever close in friendship.'

$87. The words '[Morgoth's] thought being bent on their ruin he gave the less heed to aught else in Middle-earth' seem hardly to agree with the inserted passage concerning Morgoth's departure from Angband ($$79-80). It may be suggested, however, that that passage is precisely concerned with the period before the attack on Beleriand in the year 60 (Dagor Aglareb) - which was postponed so long because of Morgoth's operations in the East, whence he returned in alarm at 'the growing power and union of the Eldar'

($80)

By alteration to the original passage in this annal concerning the beginning of the languages of Men a Dark-elvish origin is ascribed only to the 'western tongues'. I think that this represents a clarification rather than the entry of a new conception. It was said already in Lhammas B (V.179, $10):

The languages of Men were from their beginning diverse and various; yet they were for the most part derived remotely from the language of the Valar. For the Dark-elves, various folk of the Lembi, befriended wandering Men in sundry times and places in the most ancient days, and taught them such things as they knew.

But other Men learned also wholly or in part of the Orcs and of the Dwarves; while in the West ere they came into Beleriand the fair houses of the eldest Men learned of the Danas, or Green-elves.

The very interesting addition at the end of the annal belongs with the insertion about Morgoth's departure into the East. There it is said ($80): 'But that some darkness lay upon the hearts of Men ...

the Eldar perceived clearly even in the fair folk of the Elf-friends that they first knew'; but the present passage is the first definite statement that Men in their beginning fell to the worship of Morgoth, and that the Elf-friends, repentant, fled west to escape persecution. In the long account of his works written for Milton Waldman in 1951, and so very probably belonging to the same period, my father had said:

'The first fall of Man ... nowhere appears - Men do not come on the stage until all that is long past, and there is only a rumour that for a while they fell under the domination of the Enemy and that some repented' (Letters no.131, pp. 147-8; see X.354 - 5).

$89. The new story in the revised form of the annal for 64, that Turgon at this time led only a part of his people - those skilled in such work - to Tumladen in order that they should begin the building of Gondolin, is extended further in a greatly expanded version of the annal for 116: see $$111-13.

$90. The Tower of Ingildon: this replaces the old name Tower of Tindobel (Tindabel), which survived in QS ($120) and AB 2

(V.129); see p. 197, $120. It is not said in GA as it was in QS that Inglor was the builder of the tower; this is perhaps to be connected with what is said in $85, that Cirdan was lord of the lands 'west of Nenning to the Sea'.

$$91-107. The entire content of the annals for 66 and 67 is new.

Highly 'un-annalistic' in manner, with its long and superbly sustained discourse, this narrative is developed from the earlier passage in GA ($48) - or perhaps rather, reveals what my father had in mind when he wrote it:

When, therefore, ere long (by treachery and ill will, as later is told) the full tale of the deeds in Valinor became known in Beleriand, there was rather enmity than alliance between Doriath and the House of Feanor; and this bitterness Morgoth eagerly inflamed by all means that he could find.

A complete text of these annals is extant in a preliminary draft, but the form in GA followed this draft closely and the development was almost entirely stylistic. A few of the differences are worth noting: $93. After 'not though they came in the very hour of our need'

my father added to the draft text: 'The new lights of heaven are the sending of the Valar, not the Noldor, mighty though they be', and this was not taken up in GA.

$95. Draft text: '... over the long road from the Kalakiryan'. -

After '"Maybe," said Galadriel, "but not of me"' the draft continues:

and being perplexed and recalling suddenly with anger the words of Caranthir she said ere she could set a guard on her tongue: 'For already the children of Finrod are charged with talebearing and treason to their kindred. Yet we at least were guiltless, and suffered evil ourselves.' And Melian spoke no more of these things with Galadriel.

This passage was bracketed, and later in the draft the bitterness of the memory of Cranthir's words of sixty years before appears in Angrod's mouth, as in GA ($104). The draft has Caranthir in the first passage, Cranthir in the second; see under $67 above.

$105. In the draft Thingol says: 'for my heart is hot as the fire of Losgar'.

$107. After 'the words of Mandos would ever be made true' the draft has: 'and the curse that Feanor drew upon him would darken all that was done after.'

On the spelling Galadriel see under $75 above. In $94 appears Galadriel; the draft text begins with Galadriel but then changes to Galadriel. This distinction is however probably artificial, since it is merely a question of the insertion or omission of the cross-line on the d, written in both cases in a single movement (a reversed 6).