VI.
THE EARLIEST ANNALS OF
VALINOR.
I refer to this work as the 'earliest' Annals of Valinor because
it was followed later in the 1930s by a second version, and
then, after the completion of The Lord of the Rings and very
probably in 1951 - 2, by a third, entitled The Annals of Aman,
which though still a part of the continuous evolution of these
Annals is a major new work, and which contains some of the
finest prose in all the Matter of the Elder Days.
These earliest Annals of Valinor are comprised in a short
manuscript of nine pages written in ink. There is a good deal
of emendation and interpolation, some changes being made in
ink and probably not much if any later than the first writing of
the text, while a second layer of change consists of alterations
in faint and rapid pencil that are not always legible. These lat-
ter include two quite substantial passages (given in notes 14
and 18) which introduce wholly new material concerning
events in Middle-earth.
The text that follows is that of the Annals as originally writ-
ten, apart from one or two insignificant alterations of wording
that are taken up silently, and all later changes are given in the
numbered notes, other than those made to dates. These are
many and complex and are dealt with all together, separately,
at the end of the notes.
It is certain that these Annals belong to the same period as
the Quenta, but also that they are later than the Quenta. This
is seen from the fact that whereas in Q Finrod (= the later
Finarfin) returned to Valinor out of the far North after the
burning of the ships, and the later story of his return earlier, af-
ter the Prophecy of the North, is only introduced in a marginal
note ($5 note 8 and commentary p. 204), in the Annals the
later story is already embodied in the text (Valian Year 2993).
The Annals have Beleriand, whereas Q, as far as $12, had
Broseliand emended to Beleriand; they have several names
that do not occur in Q, e.g. Bladorion, Dagor-os-Giliath,
Drengist, Eredwethion (this only by later emendation in
Q); and Eredlomin has its later sense of the Echoing Moun-
tains, not as in Q and on the first map of the Shadowy Moun-
tains (see pp. 233-4). I see no way of showing that the Annals
are later, or earlier, than the Ambarkanta, but the matter seems
of no importance; the two texts certainly belong to very much
the same time.
Following my commentary on the Annals, which I shall re-
fer to as 'AV', I give the Old English versions in an appendix.
ANNALS OF VALINOR.
(These and the Annals of Beleriand were written by
pengolod the Wise of Gondolin, before its fall, and after at
Sirion's Haven, and at Tavrobel in Tol Eressea after his re-
turn unto the West, and there seen and translated by Eriol
of Leithien, that is AElfwine of the Angelcynn.)
Here begin the Annals of Valinor.
0 At the beginning Iluvatar, that is 'Allfather',
made all things, and the Valar, that is the 'Pow-
ers', came into the World. These are nine,
Manwe, Ulmo, Aule, Orome, Tulkas, Osse,
Mandos, Lorien, and Melko. Of these Manwe
and Melko were most puissant and were breth-
ren, and Manwe was lord of the Valar and holy;
but Melko turned to lust and pride and violence
and evil, and his name is accursed, and is not ut-
tered, but he is called Morgoth. The spouses of
the Valar were Varda, and Yavanna, who were
sisters; and Vana; and the sister of Orome, Nessa
the wife of Tulkas;(1) and Uinen lady of the Seas;
and Nienna sister of Manwe and Melko; and
Este. No spouse hath Ulmo or Melko.(2) With
them came many lesser spirits, their children, or
beings of their own kind but of less might; these
are the Valarindi.
Time was counted in the world before the Sun
and Moon by the Valar according to ages, and a
Valian age hath 100 of the years of the Valar,
which are each as ten years are now.
In the Valian Year 500: Morgoth destroyed by
deceit the Lamps (3) which Aule made for the light-
ing of the World, and the Valar, save Morgoth,
retired to the West and built there Valinor be-
tween the Outer Seas that surround the Earth and
the Great Seas of the West, and on the shores of
these they piled great mountains. But the symme-
try of land and sea was first broken in those
days.(4)
In the Valian Year 1000, after the building of
Valinor, and Valmar the city of the Gods, the
Valar brought into being the Two Trees of Silver
and of Gold, whose bloom gave light unto
Valinor.
But all this while Morgoth had dwelt in the
Middle-earth and made him a great fortress in
the North of the World; and he broke and twisted
the Earth much in that time.(5)
A thousand Valian Years of bliss and glory fol-
lowed in Valinor, but growth that began on
Middle-earth at the lighting of the Lamps was
checked. To Middle-earth came only Orome to
hunt in the dark woods of the ancient Earth, and
sometimes Yavanna walked there.
The Valian Year 2000 is accounted the Noon-
tide of the Blessed Realm, and the full season of
the mirth of the Gods. Then did Varda make the
stars (6) and set them aloft, and thereafter some of
the Valarindi strayed into the Middle-earth, and
among them was Melian, whose voice was re-
nowned in Valmar. But she returned not thither
for many ages, and the nightingales sang about
her in the dark woods of the Western Lands.
At the first shining of the Sickle of the Gods
which Varda set (7) above the North as a threat to
Morgoth and an omen of his fall, the elder chil-
dren of Iluvatar awoke in the midmost of the
World: they are the Elves.(8) Orome found them
and befriended them; and the most part under his
guidance marched West and North to the shores
of Beleriand, being bidden by the Gods to
Valinor.
But first Morgoth in a great war was bound
and made captive and imprisoned in Mandos.
There he was confined in punishment for nine
ages (900 Valian Years)(9) until he sought for par-
don. In that war the lands were rent and sundered
anew.(10)
The Quendi (11) and the Noldoli were the first to
reach Valinor, and upon the hill of Kor nigh to
the strand they built the city of Tun. But the
Teleri who came after abode an age (100 Valian
Years) upon the shores of Beleriand, and some
never departed thence. Of these most renowned
was Thingol (Sindingul)(12) brother of Elwe, lord
of the Teleri, whom Melian enchanted. Her he
after wedded and dwelt as a king in Beleriand,
but this was after the departure of most of the
Teleri, drawn by Ulmo upon Tol Eressea.(13) This
is the Valian Years 2000 to 2100.
From 2100 to 2200 the Teleri dwelt on Tol
Eressea in the Great Sea within sight of Valinor,
in 2200 they came in their ships to Valinor, ang
dwelt upon its eastern strands, and there they
made the town and haven of Alqalonde or
'Swan-haven', so called because there were
moored their swan-shaped boats.
About 2500 the Noldoli invented and began
the fashioning of gems; and after a while Feanor
the smith, eldest son of Finwe chief of the
Noldoli, devised the thrice-renowned Silmarils
concerning the fates of which these tales tell.
They shone of their own light, being filled with
the radiance of the Two Trees, the holy light of
Valinor, blended to a marvellous fire.(14)
In 2900 Morgoth sued for pardon, and at the
prayers of Nienna his sister, and by the clemency
of Manwe his brother, but against the wish o
Tulkas and Aule, he was released, and feigned
humility and repentance, obeisance to the Valar
and love and friendship for the Elves, and dwelt
in Valinor in ever-increasing freedom. But he lied
and dissembled, and most he cozened the
Noldoli, for he had much to teach, and they had
an over-mastering desire to learn; but he coveted
their gems and lusted for the Silmarils.
2900 During two more ages (15) Valinor abode yet in
bliss, yet a shadow of foreboding began to gather
in many hearts; for Morgoth was at work with
secret whisperings and cunning lies; and most he
worked, alas, upon the Noldoli, and sowed the
seeds of dissension between the sons of Finwe,
Feanor, Fingolfin, and Finrod, and of distrust be-
tween Noldoli and Valar. 2950 By the doom of
the Gods Feanor, eldest son of Finwe, and his
household and following was deposed from the
leadership of the Noldoli - wherefore the house
of Feanor was after called the Dispossessed, for
this and because Morgoth after robbed them of
their treasure - and the Gods sent also to appre-
hend Morgoth. But he fled into hiding in
Arvalin, and plotted evil.(16)
2990-1. Morgoth now completed his designs and with
the aid of Ungoliante out of Arvalin stole back
into Valinor, and destroyed the Trees, escaping in
the gathering dark northward, where he sacked
the dwellings of Feanor, and carried off a host of
jewels, among them the Silmarils; and he slew
Finwe and many Elves and thus defiled Valinor
and began slaughter in the World.(17) Though
hunted by the Valar he escaped into the North of
the Hither Lands and re-established there his
stronghold, and bred and gathered once more his
evil servants, Orcs and Balrogs.(18)
2991 Valinor lay now in great gloom, and darkness,
save only for the stars, fell on all the World. But
Feanor against the will of the Valar returned to
Tun and claimed the kingship of the Noldoli af-
ter Finwe, and he summoned to Tun all the peo-
ple of that kindred. And Feanor spoke to them,
and his words were filled with the lies of
Morgoth, and distrust of the Valar, even though
his heart was hot with hate for Morgoth, slayer
of his father and robber of his gems.
The most of the Noldoli (19) he persuaded to fol-
low him out of Valinor and recover their realms
on earth, lest they be filched by the younger chil-
dren of Iluvatar, Men (herein he echoed Morgoth
unwitting); and war for ever on Morgoth seeking
to recover their treasure. At that meeting Feanor
and his sons swore their dreadful oath to slay or
pursue any soever that held a Silmaril against
their will.
2992 The march began, though the Gods forbade
(and yet hindered not), but under divided leader-
ship, for Fingolfin's house held him for king.
Long was the people preparing. Then it came
into Feanor's heart that riever should that great
host, both warriors and other, and store of goods
make the vast leagues unto the North (for Tun
beneath Taniquetil is upon the Girdle of the
Earth, where the Great Seas are measurelessly
wide) save with the help of ships. But the Teleri
alone had ships, and they would not yield or lend
them against the will of the Valar.
Thus about 2992 of Valian Years befell the
dreadful battle about Alqalonde, and the Kin-
slaying evilly renowned in song, where the
Noldoli distraught furthered Morgoth's work. But
the Noldoli overcame the Teleri and took their
ships, and fared slowly north along the rocky
coasts in great peril and hardship and amid dis-
sensions.
In 2993 it is said they came to a place where
a high rock stands above the shores, and there
stood either Mandos or his messenger and spoke
the Doom of Mandos. For the kin-slaying he
cursed the house of Feanor, and to a less degree
all who followed them or shared in their emprise,
unless they would return to abide the doom and
pardon of the Valar. But if they would not, then
should evil fortune and disaster befall them, and
ever from treachery of kin towards kin; and their
oath should turn against them, and a measure of
mortality should visit them, that they should be
lightly slain with weapons, or torments, or sor-
row, and in the end fade and wane before the
younger race. And much else he foretold darkly
that after befell, warning them that the Valar
would fence Valinor against their return.(20)
But Feanor hardened his heart and held on,
and so also but reluctantly did Fingolfin's folk,
feeling the constraint of their kindred and fearing
for the doom of the Gods (for not all of
Fingolfin's house had been guiltless of the kin-
slaying). Felagund and the other sons of Finrod
went forward also, for they had aforetime great
fellowship, Felagund with the sons of Fingolfin,
and Orodreth, Angrod, and Egnor with Celegorm
and Curufin sons of Feanor. Yet the lords of this
third house were less haughty and more fair than
the others, and had had no part in the kin-
slaying, and many with Finrod himself returned
unto Valinor and the pardon of the Gods. But
Aule their ancient friend smiled on them no
more, and the Teleri were estranged.
2994 The Noldoli came to the bitter North, and fur-
ther they would not dare, for there is a strait be-
tween the Western Land (whereon Valinor is
built) that curveth east, and the Hither Lands
which bear west, and through this the chill wa-
ters of the Outer Seas and the waves of the Great
Sea flow together, and there are vast mists of
deathly cold, and the streams are filled with
clashing hills of ice and with the grinding of ice
submerged. This strait was named Helkarakse.
But the ships that remained, many having been
lost, were too few to carry all across, and dissen-
sions awoke between Feanor and Fingolfin. But
Feanor seized the ships and sailed east;(21) and he
said: 'Let the murmurers whine their way back to
the shadows of Valinor.' And he burned the ships
upon the eastern shore, and so great was its fire
that the Noldoli left behind saw its redness afar
off.
Thus about 2995 Feanor came unto Beleriand
and the shores beneath Eredlomin the Echoing
Mountains, and their landing was at the narrow
inlet Drengist that runs into Dorlomen. And they
came thence into Dorlomen and about the north
of the mountains of Mithrim, and camped in the
land of Hithlum in that part that is named
Mithrim and north of the great lake that hath the
same name.
2996 And in the land of Mithrim they fought an
army of Morgoth aroused by the burning and the
rumour of their advance; and they were victori-
ous and drove away the Orcs with slaughter, and
pursued them beyond Eredwethion (the Shadowy
Mountains) into Bladorion. And that battle is the
First Battle of Beleriand, and is called Dagor-os-
Giliath, the Battle under Stars; for all was as yet
dark. But the victory was marred by the death of
Feanor, who was wounded mortally by Gothmog,
lord of Balrogs, when he advanced unwarily too
far upon Bladorion,(22) and Feanor was borne back
to Mithrim and died there, reminding his sons of
their oath. To this they now added an oath of
vengeance for their father.
2997 But Maidros eldest son of Feanor was caught
in the snares of Morgoth. For Morgoth feigned to
treat with him, and Maidros feigned to be will-
ing, and either purposed evil to the other, and
came with force to the parley; but Morgoth with
the more, and Maidros was made captive.
Then Morgoth held him as hostage, and swore
only to release him if the Noldoli would march
away either to Valinor, if they could, or from
Beleriand and away to the far South; and if they
would not he would torment Maidros.
But the Noldoli trusted not that he would re-
lease Maidros if they departed, nor were they
willing to do so whatever he might do. Where-
fore in 2998 Morgoth hung Maidros by the right
wrist in a band of hellwrought steel above a
precipice upon Thangorodrim, where none could
reach him.
Now it is told that Fingolfin and the sons of
Finrod (23) won their way at last with grievous
losses and with minished might into the North
of the World. And they came perforce over
Helkarakse, being unwilling to retrace their way
to Valinor, and having no ships; but their agony
in that crossing was very great and their hearts
were filled with bitterness against Feanor.
And even as they came the First Ages of the
World were ended;(24) and these are reckoned as
30000 years or 3000 years of the Valar; whereof
the first Thousand was before the Trees, and Two
Thousand save nine were Years of the Trees or
of the Holy Light, which lived after and lives yet
only in the Silmarils. And the Nine are the Years
of Darkness or the Darkening of Valinor.
But towards the end of this time as is else-
where told the Gods made the Sun and Moon
and sent them forth over the World, and light
came unto the Hither Lands.(25) And Men awoke
in the East of the World even at the first Dawn.(26)
But with the first Moonrise Fingolfin set foot
upon the North; for the Moonrise came ere the
Dawn, even as Silpion of old bloomed ere
Laurelin and was the elder of the Trees. But the
first Dawn shone upon Fingolfin's march, and his
banners blue and silver were unfurled, and flow-
ers sprang beneath his marching feet, for a time
of opening and growth was come into the Earth,
and good of evil as ever happens.
But Fingolfin marched through the very fast.
ness of Morgoth's land, Dor-Daideloth (27) the Land
of Dread, and the Orcs fled before the new light
amazed, and hid beneath the earth; and the Elves
smote upon the gates of Angband and their trum-
pets echoed in Thangorodrim's towers.
They came thus south unto Mithrim, and little
love (28) was there between them and the house o
Feanor; and the folk of Feanor removed and
camped upon the southern shores, and the lake
lay between the peoples. And from this time are
reckoned the Years of the Sun, and these things
happened in the first year. And after came mea-
sured time into the World, and the growth and
change and ageing of all things was thereafter
more swift even in Valinor, but most in the
Hither Lands,(29) the mortal regions between the
Seas of East and West. And what else happen
is recorded in the Annals of Beleriand, and in the
Pennas or Qenta, and in many songs and tales.
NOTES.
1. Added here in pencil: daughter of Yavanna.
2. This passage, from and Nienna..., was emended in pencil to read:
and Vaire; and Este. No spouse hath Ulmo or Melko or Nienna,
Manwe's sister and Melko's.
3. Cf. the title to the Ambarkanta map IV (see insert): The World about
V.Y. 500 after the fall of the Lamps.
4. But the symmetry of land and sea was first broken in those days is an
addition, but was probably made at the time of writing of the text. Cf.
pp. 301 - 2 and the citation from The Silmarillion given there.
5. and he broke and twisted the Earth much in that time is another
dition probably made at the time of writing.
6. The paragraph to this point was emended in ink to read: But on a
time (1900) Varda began the making of the stars... The sentence
The Valian Year 2000 is accounted the Noontide of the Blessed
Realm, and the full season of the mirth of the Gods was removed to
a later point: see note 10.
7. Added here in ink: last and (i.e. the Sickle of the Gods which Varda
set last and above the North).
8. Added here in ink: Hence are they called the children of the stars,
9. nine ages (900 Valian Years) emended in ink to seven ages (700
Valian Years).
10. At this point the sentence The Valian Year 2000... was reintroduced
(see note 6).
11. Quendi > Lindar in pencil.
12. Sindingul > Tindingol in pencil.
13. Added here in pencil: His folk looked for him in vain, and his sleep
lasted till they had gone.
14. Added here in pencil:
2700 Here the Green-elves or Laiqi or Laiqeldar came to
Ossiriand at length after many wanderings and long sojourns in di-
verse places. It is told that a company of the Noldoli under Dan
forsook the host of Finwe early in the march and turned south, but
again finding the lands barren and dark turned north, and they
came about 2700 over Eredlindon under Denithor son of Dan, and
dwelt in Ossiriand, and they were allies of Thingol.
The name Denithor is an emendation, probably of Denilos (see
note 18).
15. This second entry for 2900 was written after the first was changed to
2700 (see note 9, and the note on dates below).
16. This passage was emended and extended thus in pencil:
... robbed them of their treasure. But Morgoth hid himself in the
North of the land, as was known only to Finwe and Feanor, who
dwelt now apart.
2950 The Gods sent to apprehend Morgoth, but he fled over the
mountains into Arvalin, and plotted evil for a long while, gathering
the strength of darkness into him.
The date 2950 earlier in the paragraph was struck out at the same
time.
17. Added here in pencil: This reward got Finwe for his friendship.
18. Added here in ink:
Then fear came into Beleriand, and Thingol made his mansions in
Menegroth, and Melian wove magics of the Valar about the land of
Doriath, and the most of the Elves of Beleriand withdrew within its
protection, save some that lingered in the western havens,
Brithombar and Eglorest, beside the Great Seas.
To this was added, in faint and hasty pencil:
and the remnant of the Green-elves of Ossiriand behind the riv-
ers and the might of Ulmo. But Thingol with his ally Denilos of
the Green-elves kept the Orcs for a while from the South. But at
length Denilos son of Dan was slain, and Thingol
Here the pencilled note ends abruptly. Above -los of Denilos at the
first occurrence is an alternative reading, illegible, but in view of
Denithor probably < Denilos in note 14, no doubt -thor.
19. Noldoli emended from Gnomes at the time of writing.
20. Added here in pencil: Here endeth that which Rumil wrote. See
p. 348.
21. Added here in ink: with all his folk and no others save Orodreth,
Angrod, and Egnor, whom Celegorm and Curufin loved;
22. Added here in pencil: but he... duel and Feanor fell wrapped in fire.
23. Fingolfin and the sons of Finrod emended in ink to Fingolfin and
Felagund (cf. note 21).
24. Added here in pencil: for they had tarried long in despair upon the
shores of the West. The next sentence begins: And these...
25. Added here in pencil: But the Moon was the first to set sail.
26. Sun-rise written in pencil above Dawn.
27. Dor-Daideloth is an emendation in ink of (almost certainly) Dor-
Daidelos; cf. the Ambarkanta map V, and p. 307.
28. This sentence emended in pencil to read: Then being wary of the
wiles of Morgoth they turned unto Mithrim, that the Shadowy Moun-
tains should be their guard. But little love...
29. Added in pencil; of Middle-earth.
Note on changes made to the dates.
(i) Dates in the period up to the Valian Year 2200.
The mention of the Noontide of the Blessed Realm was dis-
placed (notes 6 and 10) in order to date the starmaking and
other events earlier than 2000. The beginning of the
starmaking was then dated 1900 (note 6), and against At the
first shining of the Sickle of the Gods was written in the date
1950. Against the march of the Elves led by Orome was writ-
ten in 1980 - 1990; and against the arrival of the Quendi
(Lindar) and Noldoli in Valinor 2000.
In the sentence But the Teleri who came after abode an age
(100 Valian Years) upon the shores of Beleriand the words
an age were struck out, 100 changed to 10, and the dates
2000-2010 written in. In the sentence This is the Valian
Years 2000 to 2100 the second date was likewise changed to
2010.
In the concluding part of the period, by pencilled changes
perhaps later than the foregoing, the dates of the dwelling of
the Teleri on Tol Eressea, originally 2100 to 2200, were
changed to 2010 to 2110; and the coming of the Teleri to
Valinor in 2200 was changed to 2111. The result of these
changes may be shown in a table:
Original. After.
Annals. changes.
2000 1900 Making of the stars by Varda begun.
1950 Making of the Sickle of the Gods
(end of the starmaking).
1980 - 1990 March of the Elves.
2000 2000 Noontide of the Blessed Realm.
2000 Coming of the first two kindreds of
the Elves to Valinor.
2000-2100 2000-2010 Teleri on the shores of Beleriand.
2100-2200 2010-2110 Teleri dwelling in Tol Eressea.
2200 2111 Coming of the Teleri to Valinor.
(ii) Dates in the period from the Valian Year 2900.
The year 2900, in which Morgoth sued for pardon, was
Changed to 2700, following the change in the length of his im-
prisonment from nine to seven ages (900 to 700 Valian Years)
e earlier (note 9). These changes must have been made
while the Annals were in progress, in view of the second entry
for 2900 that follows in the text as written, During two more
ages Valinor abode yet in bliss, i.e. two more ages from the
emended date, 2700, when Morgoth sued for pardon and was
released.
For the shifting of the date 2950 see note 16.
Almost all the dates from 2990 - 1 to the end were emended
in pencil, and the results are best set out in a table. (The dates
given in the text as 2992 to 2995 are themselves emendations
in ink, apparently in each case advancing the date by one year
from that originally written.)
The sentence Thus about 2992 of Valian Years (p. 316) was
changed to Thus in the dread Year of the Valar 2999 (29991
S.Y.), where S.Y.= Sun Year; cf. the opening of the Annals,
where it is explained that a Valian Year was equal to ten years
'now', i.e. of the Sun.
It will be seen that the effect of the later pencilled changes
given in the table below was to speed up events from the Bat-
tle of Alqualonde to the landing of Fingolfin in Middle-earth,
so that they extend over only a single Valian Year. In the pas-
sage giving the reckoning of the First Ages of the World
(p. 319), over nine in Two Thousand save nine were Years of
the Trees my father wrote one; this one year is the dread Year
of the Valar 2999.
In this table, only actual pencilled changes made to the dates
are recorded. The change of 2991 to 2998 - 3000 is intended to
cover all that follows, or refers only to the beginning of the en-
try: Valinor now lay in great gloom, and darkness... fell on
all the World.
Original Annals. After changes.
(Valian Years). (Valian. (Sun.
Years). Years).
2900 - 1 Destruction of the Trees 2998
and escape of Morgoth
2991 Rebellion of Feanor 2998-3000
2992 Preparation for the Flight 2999
of the Noldoli
2992 The Battle of Alqualonde 2999 29991
Original Annals. After changes.
(Valian Years). (Valian. (Sun.
Years). Years).
2993 The Doom of Mandos. 29992
2994 The Noldoli in the far 29994
North; the burning of the
ships.
2995 The landing of the 29995
Feanorians and the
encampment in Mithrim.
2996 The Battle under Stars and. Date siruck out
the death of Feanor.
2997 Capture of Maidros. 29996
2998 Maidros hung from
Thangorodrim.
3000 Landing of Fingolfin.
Commentary on the Annals of Valinor.
In the preamble to the Annals of Valinor (AV) we meet one
Pengolod the Wise of Gondolin, who dwelt at Tavrobel in Tol
Eressea 'after his return unto the West'. Pengolod (or
Pengolod) often appears later, but nothing more is told of his
history (the reference to Sirion's Haven shows that he was one
Of those who escaped from Gondolin with Tuor and Idril). I
am much inclined to think that his literary origin is to be found
Gilfanon of the Lost Tales, who also lived at Tavrobel
(which now first emerges again); there Eriol stayed in his
house ('the house of a hundred chimneys'), and Gilfanon bade
him write down all that he had heard (II. 283), while in the
Preamble to AV Eriol saw Pengolod's book at Tavrobel and
translated it there. Moreover Gilfanon was of the Noldoli, and
though in the Lost Tales he is not associated with Gondolin he
was an Elf of Kor, 'being indeed one of the oldest of the fair-
ies and the most aged that now dwelt in the isle', and had live
long in the Great Lands (I. 175); while Pengolod was also an
Elf whose life began in Valinor, since he 'returned' into the
West.
It is not clear whether the ascription of both sets of Annals
to Pengolod of Tavrobel, where AElfwine/Eriol translated them,
is a departure from or is congruent with the title of the Quenta
(p. 94), in which Eriol is said to have read the Golden Book
(Parma Kuluina) in Kortirion. In the early notes and outlines
there are different conceptions of the Golden Book: see II. 287,
290 - 1, 310. On the explicit equation of AElfwine and Eriol in
the preamble to AV see p. 252.
On the later addition to AV (note 20) 'Here endeth that
which Rumil wrote' see pp. 348 - 9. Rumil re-emerges from the
Lost Tales also as the author of the Ambarkanta (p. 288).
In the opening passage of AV, and in the later alterations
made to it, there are some developments in the composition
and relations of the Valar. The Nine Valar are the same as the
nine 'chieftains of the Valar' or the 'Nine Gods' of the opening
section in Q; and the association of the Valar with their
spouses has undergone little change from the Lost Tales:
Manwe and Varda, Aule and Yavanna; Orome and Vana;
Tulkas and Nessa; Osse and Uinen; Mandos and Nienna. But
now Este first appears, the spouse of Lorien (as is implied here
by the arrangement of the passage, and as is expressly stated
in the Old English version of AV, p. 340).
The 'consanguinity' of the Valar. In the Lost Tales Aule and
Yavanna Palurien were the parents of Orome g. 67), and Nessa
was Orome's sister (I. 75). In the addition to AV given in
note 1 Nessa is still the daughter of Yavanna;* as will appear
subsequently (p. 349) Orome was the son of Yavanna, but not
of Aule. In The Silmarillion (p. 29) Orome and Nessa remain
brother and sister, though their parentage is not stated.
Varda and Yavanna are said to be sisters in Q, as in AV; in
(*In Q $6 (p. 120) Nessa is the daughter of Vana, though this statement was
struck out (note 2).)
Q Vana is a third sister, though apparently not so in AV, and
she remains the younger sister of Yavanna in The Silmarillion
(ibid.).
Manwe and Melko are said in AV to be 'brethren' (cf. The
Silmarillion p. 26: Manwe and Melkor were brethren in the
thought of Iluvatar'), and Nienna is their sister; in The Silma-
rillion (p. 28) she is the sister of the Feanturi, Mandos and
Lorien.
If these sources are combined the fullest extension of the
genealogy is therefore:
Este = Lorien. Mandos = Nienna. Melko. Manwe.
Manwe = Varda. Yavanna = Aule. Vana = Orome.
Tulkas = Nessa. Orome = Vana.
Only the sea-gods, Ulmo, and Osse with Uinen, are not
brought in.
By the emendation given in note 2 Vaire appears, and is
clearly by the arrangement of the passage the spouse of
Mandos, as she remained; and Nienna now becomes solitary,
again as she remained. Of course it is altogether unclear what
is really meant by the terms 'brother', 'sister', 'mother', 'son',
'children' in the context of the great Valar.
The term Valarindi has not occurred before; see further
p. 350.
In what follows I relate my remarks to the dates of the An-
nals. In most respects this text (as originally written) is in har-
mony with the Quenta, and I notice only the relatively few and
for the most part minor points in which they are not, or in
Which the Annals offer some detail that is absent from the
Quenta (a great deal is of course found in the much longer
Quenta that is omitted in the brief Annals).
Valian Year 500 The words 'Morgoth destroyed by deceit the
Lamps' indicates the story of his devising the pillars out of ice,
as in the Ambarkanta (see pp. 292, 302).
Valian Year 2000 (later 1900, 1950) The making of the stars
seems still to be thought of as accomplished by Varda at one
and the same period, as in Q $2 (see p. 201). A later addition
in AV (note 7) makes the Sickle of the Gods the last of Varda's
works in the heavens, and thus the Elves awoke when the
starmaking was concluded, as in The Silmarillion (p. 48); in S
and Q they awoke 'at the making of the stars'. The addition
given in note 8 telling that the Elves were for this reason
called 'the children of the stars' is interesting; but later evi-
dence shows that this was not yet the meaning of the name
Eldar.
The Elves are said to have awoken 'in the midmost of the
World', in S and Q Cuivienen is 'in the East', 'far in the East',
as in The Silmarillion. But I doubt that this is significant, in
view of the placing of Kuivienen on the Ambarkanta map IV
(see insert), which could be referred to either as 'in the East'
or as 'in the midmost of the World'.
In S and Q there is no mention of the Elves who would not
leave the Waters of Awakening (see p. 51); in AV there is at
least a suggestion of them in the reference to 'the most part'
of the Elves having followed Orome. But the story of the three
original ambassadors of the Elves is still absent (see p. 201).
In S and Q ($4) the length of Morgoth's imprisonment in the
halls of Mandos was seven ages; in Q 'seven' was emended to
'nine', but this was then rejected (note 1); in AV 'nine' was
emended to 'seven' (note 9). In The Silmarillion (p. 65) the
number of ages is three.
The rending and sundering of the lands in the war that
ended in the captivity of Morgoth is described in the
Ambarkanta (see pp. 293, 304 - 6).
The term Quendi for the First Kindred is still used in AV as
in Q, and as in Q was later changed to Lindar. The addition in
note 13 makes it explicit that Thingol did not awake from his
enchanted sleep until his people had passed over the Sea; so in
the Tale of Tinuviel, II. 9: 'Now when he awoke he thought no
more of his people (and indeed it had been vain, for long now
had those reached Valinor).' He is now the brother of Elwe
Lord of the Teleri (cf. I. 120).
Valian Fear 2200 (later 2111) The name Alqalonde (not in S
and Q, where only the English name, Swanhaven or Haven of
the Swans, is used) reappears from (Kopas) Alqalunte of the
Lost Tales; cf. Alflon on the Ambarkanta map V (p. 309; see
also insert).
It is to be noticed that while the changing of the dates
(p. 323) greatly reduced the time during which the Teleri dwelt
on the coast of Beleriand (from 100 Valian Years to 10), it
does not affect the length of their sojourn in Tol Eressea, 100
Valian Years, equivalent to 1000 Years of the Sun (cf. Q $3;
'Of this long sojourn apart came the sundering of the tongue
of the Foamriders and the Elves of Valinor'),
Valian Year 2500 Wholly new is the matter of the pencilled
addition given in note 14. My father was here working out the
chronology at large, for there is no reason for this story to ap-
pear in Annals of Valinor.* It agrees with what is told in The
Silmarillion (p. 54), save that Denethor's father is there Lenwe
not Dan, and that these Elves came from the third host, the
Teleri, not from the Noldor.
This is the first indication of the origin of the Green-elves,
who have hitherto only appeared in association with Beren (see
p 74, and Q $14), and the first appearance of their Elvish
names Laiqi or Laiqeldar (later Laiquendi). For earlier forms
of Ossiriand see p. 287; the final form occurs also in emenda-
tions to Q ($$9, 10, 14). Eredlindon appears in a late addition
to Q 59, note 3.
Valian Year 2900 (later 2700) In S and Q it is Tulkas and
Ulmo who are opposed to the release of Morgoth, as in The
Silmarillion (p. 66); in AV it is Tulkas and Aule. In AV ap-
(* It remained in the 'tradition' of these Annals, however, and is still present in
the much later Annals of A man (though there with a direction to transfer it to
the Annals of Beleriand).)
pears the intercession of Nienna on Morgoth's behalf, and this
was retained in The Silmarillion (p. 65), though Nienna is no
longer his sister.
Valian Year 2950 'The Dispossessed', the name given to the
House of Feanor, has appeared in the Old English name
Yrfeloran, p. 260.
I have noticed in my commentary on Q $4 that the later in-
terpolation (note 6), telling that a messenger came to the Gods
in council with tidings that Morgoth was in the North of
Valinor and journeying to the house of Finwe, is the first hint
of the story of Morgoth's going to Formenos and his speech
with Feanor before the doors. In AV also, as originally written,
the northward movement of Morgoth was absent (he fled at
once into Arvalin after the council of the Gods in which they
deposed Feanor and sent to apprehend Morgoth); but in the
pencilled interpolation given in note 16 Morgoth 'hid himself
in the North of the land, as was known only to Finwe and
Feanor, who dwelt now apart'. It was then that the Gods sent
to apprehend him, though no explanation is given of how they
knew where he was; but the story now becomes structurally
the same as that in The Silmarillion (p. 72), where it was only
when Finwe sent messengers to Valmar saying that Morgoth
had come to Formenos that Orome and Tulkas went after him.
Valian Years 2990 - I The addition given in note 17, 'This
ward got Finwe for his friendship', refers, I think, to the rela-
tions between Morgoth and the Noldoli before his exposure.
This seems much more likely than that Morgoth actually suc-
ceeded in cozening the Noldoli in exile in the North of Valinor,
that they formed an alliance with him.
It is remarkable that according to the revised dating no less
than 48 Valian Years (2950-2998), that is 480 Years of the
Sun, elapsed between Morgoth's flight into Arvalin and the de-
struction of the Trees.
The insertion (in two instalments) given in note 18 intro-
duces further new history of the 'Dark Ages' of Middle-eearth.
The Havens on the coast of Beleriand were marked in later on
the Westward Extension of the first map (see insert), where
they are named Brithombar and Eldorest (see p. 281). Now ap-
pears also the withdrawal of the Elves of Beleriand behind the
Girdle of Melian: cf. The Silmarillion, pp. 96-7: [Thingol]
withdrew all his people that his summons could reach within
the fastness of Neldoreth and Region.' The name Menegroth of
the Thousand Caves has not occurred before.
The incomplete pencilled addition is the first hint of the bat-
tle of the Elves of Beleriand with the Orcs after Morgoth's
return ('the first battle in the Wars of Beleriand', The
Silmarillion p. 96), in which Denethor was slain,
Valian Year 2992 (later 2999) In the account of the Flight of
the Noldoli there is a suggestion, in the words 'The march be-
gan, though the Gods forbade (and yet hindered not)', of the
speech of the messenger of Manwe as the march began in The
Silmarillion (p. 85): 'Go not forth! ... No aid will the Valar
lend you in this quest, but neither will they hinder you.'
Valian Year 2993 (later Sun Year 29992) More is now told of
the content of the Prophecy of Mandos, in particular as it con-
cerns the altered fate of the Noldoli who would not turn back
from their rebellion. In Q ($5) nothing is said of this, and the
curse, as reported, is restricted to the doom of treachery and
the fear of treachery among themselves; but in a later passage
($7), which goes back to S and indeed to the Lost Tales (see
p. 60), it is told that
Immortal were the Elves, and... no sickness or pestilence
brought them death. But they could be slain by weapons in
those days... and some waned and wasted with sorrow till
they faded from the earth.
In AV the Doom of Mandos foretells that
a measure of mortality should visit them [the House of
Feanor and those who followed them], that they should be
lightly slain with weapons, or torments, or sorrow, and in
the end fade and wane before the younger race.
At first sight this seems at odds with the story as it stands,
where Finwe and many other Elves had already been slain by
Morgoth, who thus 'began slaughter in the world',. 'a measure
of mortality' was their fate in any case. But it may be that the
word 'lightly' is to be given full weight, and that the meaning
is that the Noldoli will be less resistant to death that comes in
these ways. In The Silmarillion (p. 88) Mandos or his emissary
said:
For though Eru appointed you to die not in Ea, and no sick-
ness may assail you, yet slain ye may be, and slain ye shall
be: by weapon and by torment and by grief.
This I take to mean, in effect: Do not forget that, though you
are immortal in that you cannot die through sickness, you can
nonetheless be slain in other ways; and you will indeed now
die in such ways abundantly.'
The waning of the Elves now becomes an element in the
Doom of Mandos; on this see p. 206.
The statement in AV that when Finrod and many others re-
turned to Valinor and were pardoned by the Gods 'Aule their
ancient friend smiled on them no more' is interesting. It does
not appear in The Silmarillion. where nothing is said of the re-
ception of Finarfin. (Finrod) and those who came with him on
their return beyond the fact that 'they received the pardon of
the Valar, and Finarfin was set to rule the remnant of the
Noldor in the Blessed Realm' (p. 88); but it is to be related to
a passage in the old Tale of the Sun and Moon (I. 176) in
which Aule's peculiar anger against the Noldoli for their in-
gratitude and for the Kinslaying is described.
The alliances and friendships between the princes of the
Noldoli in the third generation have been touched on in S and
Q $5, where Orodreth, Angrod, and Egnor, sons of Finrod,
sided with the Feanorians in the debate in Tun before the
Flight of the Noldoli; in AV this becomes a friendship especial-
ly with Celegorm and Curufin, and is no doubt to be related to
the evolution of the Nargothrond legend.
Valian Year 2994 (later Sun Year 29994) The friendship of
Celegorm. and Curufin with Orodreth, Angrod, and Egnor just
referred to leads to the remarkable development (in the addi-
tion given in note 21) that these three sons of Finrod were ac-
tually allowed passage in the ships by the Feanorians, and that
only Felagund came over the Helkarakse with Fingolfin
(note 23). This story if adhered to would presumably have af-
fected the further evolution of the history of the Noldor in
Beleriand. In The Silmarillion the only especial relationship of
friendship between any of the sons of Feanor and their cousins
from that with Aredhel Fingolfin's daughter) is that be-
tween Maedhros and Fingon; and Maedhros, not perceiving
that his father meant to burn the ships, proposed that Fingon be
among the first of the other Noldor to be brought over in a sec-
ond journey (p. 90).
Valian Year 2995 (later Sun Year 29995) Here the firth of
Drengist is named for the first time in the narrative texts (it oc-
curs in the list of Old English names, p. 257, but is not named
on the Westward Extension of the first map); Eredlomin has
the later sense of the Echoing Mountains (see pp. 233-4, 272);
and Mithrim is used not only of the Lake but of the region
about the Lake, and the Mountains of Mithrim are mentioned
for the first time (see p. 272, entry Hithlum). The encampment
of the Feanorians by Lake Mithrim now precedes the Battle
under Stars.
Valian Year 2996 (date later struck out) The first battle of the
returning Noldor with the Orcs is now fought in Mithrim, not
on the Northern plain (Q $8), and the plain at last receives an
Elvish name, Bladorion, referring to the time when it was still
grassland (with Bladorion perhaps compare Bladonven 'the
wide earth', a name of Yavanna given in the old Gnomish dic-
tionary, I. 264, entry Palurien). The Orcs are pursued into
Bladorion and Feanor is wounded there, but dies in Mithrim,
The name Battle under Stars is added in Q $8, note 2, but this
is the first occurrence of an Elvish name, Dagor-os-Giliath
(later Dagor-nuin-Giliath). Fredwethion replaces, in the text as
written, Eredlomin as the Elvish name of the Shadowy Moun-
tains (previously it is found only in later alterations, Q II$15,
note 1, and on the first map; see p. 272).
Valian Year 2997 (later Sun Year 29996) A new element in
AV is the condition which Morgoth proposed for the release of
Maidros.
Valian Year 3000 Here is introduced the story that Fingolfin
after landing in Middle-earth marched even to Angband and
beat on the gates, but (in the emendation given in note 28) be-
ing prudent retreated to Mithrim; and although in S and Q Q
it is already told that the two hosts of the Noldor were en.
camped on opposing shores of Lake Mithrim, it is now added
that the Feanorians removed to the southern shore when
Fingolfin came.
On the phrase 'after came measured time into the World' see
Q $6 note 6, and pp. 205-6,
With 'the Pennas or Qenta' cf. the title of Q (p. 94): Quenta
Noldorinwa or Pennas-na-Ngoelaidh.
APPENDIX.
Old English versions of the Annals of Valinor,
made by AElfwine or Eriol.
The first version given here is certainly the oldest, and is per-
haps earlier than the Modern English Annals. A few late pen
cilled alterations or suggestions are given in the notes.
I.
peos gesegen wearp aerest on bocum gesett of
Pengolode pam Upwitan of Gondoline aer pam pe
heo abrocen wurde, 7 sippan aet Sirigeones Hype, 7
aet Tafrobele on Toleressean (paet is Anetige), after
pam pe he eft west com; 7 heo wearp paer geraedd
and gepiedd of AElfwine, pam pe ielfe Eriol
genemdon.
Frumsceaft Her aerest worhte Ilufatar, paet is Ealfaeder
oppe Heofonfaeder oppe Beorhtfaeder, eal ping.
D. geara para Falar (paet is para Mihta oppe Goda): an 10
gear para Goda bid swa lang swa tien gear beod nu
on paere worolde arimed aefter paere sunnan gange.
Melco (paet is Orgel) oppe Morgop (paet is
Sweart-os) oferwearp para Goda Blacern, 7 pa
Godu west gecirdon hie, and hie paer Valinor paet is 15
Godepel geworhton.
M. Her pa Godu awehton pa Twegen Beamas, Laurelin
(paet is Goldleop) 7 Silpion (paet is Glisglom)
MM. Godedles Middaeg oppe Heahprymm. Her bleowon
pa Beamas pusend geara; ond Varda (heo waes 20
gydena aepelust) steorran geworhte; for pam hatte
heo Tinwetari Steorrena Hlaefdige. Her onwocon
Ielfe on Eastlandum; 7 se Melco weard gefangen 7
on clustre gebunden; 7 siddan comon ielfa sume on
Godedel. 25
MM op MMC. Her weard Tun, seo hwite burg,
atimbred on munte Core. Pa Telere gewunodon giet
on pam weststrandum para Hiderlanda; ac se Teler
pingol weard on wuda begalen.
MMC op MMCC. Wunodon pa Telere on Anetige. 30
MMCC. Her comon pa Telere op Godedel.
MMD. Her purh searucraeftas apohton and beworhton pa
Nold-ielfe gimmas missenlice, 7 Feanor Noldena
hlaford worhte pa Silmarillas, paet waeron
Eorclanstanas. 35
MM op MMDCCCC. Haeftnyd Morgodes.
MMDCCCC. Her weard Morgop alysed, 7 he wunode
on Godedle, 7 licette paet he hold waere Godum 7
Ielfum.
MMCCCCXCLX. Her ofsloh Morgod pa Beamas ond 40
opfleah, 7 aetferede mid him para Elfa gimmas 7 pa
Eorclanstanas. Sippan forleton pa Noldelfe hiera
hyldo, and eodon on elpeodignes, 7 gefuhton wid
pa Telere aet Elfethyde 7 sige namon 7 aetferedon pa
Teleriscan scipu. 45
Her weard micel gesweorc 7 genipu on Godedle
7 ofer ealne middangeard. Pa hwile endniwede
Morgod his ealde faesten on pam Norpdaelum, and
getrymede micle, and orcas gegaderode, and pa
Eorclanstanas on his irenhelme befaeste. 50
Pa for Feanor mid his seofon sunum and micelre
fierde norp 7 pa siglde on Teleriscum scipum to
pam Weststrandum, and paer forbaerndon hie pa
scipu ond aswicon hiera geferan pe on last sidodon.
Her gefeaht Feanores fierd wip pam orcum 7 sige 55
namon 7 pa orcas gefliemdon op Angband (paet is
Irenhelle); ac Godmog, Morgodes pegn, ofsloh
Feanor, and Maegdros geweold sippan Feanores
folc. Pis gefeoht hatte Tungolgud.
NOTES.
Textual Notes to Version I.
All the following changes, except that in line 9, were made
very quickly in pencil and without striking out the original
forms; they belong to a much later period, as is shown by the
fact that Melkor for Melko was not introduced until 1951.
2. Pengolode > Pengolode
2. Gondoline > Gondolinde
4. Tafrobele > (probably) Taprobele (see p. 344 note to
line 8, and p. 347 note to line 7).
6. Eriol > Ereol
10. Falar is an emendation in ink of Valar.
13. Melco > Melcor (but rot at line 23')
14. Blacern > Leohtfatu
16. Godepel > Esa-eard (esa genitive plural of os, see p.
255).
Old English Names in Version I.
Far less use is made of Old English equivalents than is pro-
vided for in the lists given on pp. 255 - 61; so we have
Gondoline with an Old English inflectional ending (not
Stangaldorburg, etc.), Nold(i)elfe, also genitive plural Noldena
(not Deopelfe, etc.), Feanor, Maegdros, Godmog, on munte
Core. Old English equivalents, used or only mentioned, are
mostly actual translations. Thus Melco is Orgel ('Pride');
Morgod is Sweart-os ('Black God', 'Dark God', see II. 67);
Laurelin is Goldleop ('Gold-song', 'Song of Gold' - cf. the
translation 'singing-gold' in the name-list to The Fall of
gondolin, II. 216, and contrast Glengold imitating Glingol,
pp. 257 - 8); Silpion is Glisglom (of which the elements are ev-
idently the stem glis- seen in the verbs glisian, glisnian 'shine,
glitter', and glom 'twilight'); Alqalonde is Elfethyd ('Swan-
haven')*; Tol Eressea is Anetig ( Solitary Isle )., the Battle-
under-Stars is Tungolgud ('Star-battle'). Irenhell for Angband
and Godedel ('Land of the Gods') for Valinor are found in the
list of Old English names.
The Silmarils are Eorclanstanas (also treated as an Old En-
glish noun with plural Silmarillas). There are several different
forms of this Old English word: eorclan-, eorcnan-, earcnan-,
and eorcan- from which is derived the 'Arkenstone' of the
Lonely Mountain. The first element may be related to Gothic
airkns 'holy'. With middangeard line 47 cf. my father's note in
Guide to the Names in The Lord of the Rings, in A Tolkien
Compass, p. 189: 'The sense is "the inhabited lands of (Elves
and) Men", envisaged as lying between the Western Sea and
that of the Far East (only known in the West by rumour).
Middle-earth is a modern alteration of medieval middel-erde
from Old English middan-geard.'
Varda's name Tinwetari, Queen of the Stars, goes back to
(*This Old English name (with variant initial vowel, lelfethyp) is found long
before in a marginal note to Kopas Alqalunte in the tale of The Flight of the
Noldoli, I. 164, footnote.)
the tale of The Chaining of Melko (I. 100), and is found also
in Q $2.
Dates in Version I.
The date MMDCCCCXCIX (written with M for MM, as
also the two occurrences of MMDCCCC, but these are obvi-
ously mere slips without significance), 2999, does not agree
with that in the Modern English version for the destruction of
the Two Trees and the rape of the Silmarils, which are there
given under 2990 - 1.
This text relates very closely indeed to the Modern English
version. There are slight differences of substance between them
here and there, and some of the emendations made to the mod-
ern version are embodied in the Old English text; these points
are mentioned in the notes, as also are some details concerning
the dates and some features of the names.
The text was lightly emended in pencil, but these changes
are almost without exception modifications of word-order or
other slight syntactical changes, and all such I take into the text
silently. It breaks off abruptly at the beginning of the annal en-
try equivalent to 2991 with the words 'Valinor lay now', these
are not at the foot of a page, and none of the text has been lost.
At first sight it is puzzling that in the preamble the Annals
of Valinor are called Pennas, since the Pennas or Quenta (see
pp. 250 - 1) is clearly intended to represent a different literary
tradition from the Annals, or at least a different mode of pre-
senting the material. The preamble goes on to say, however,
that this book Pennas is divided into three parts: the first part
is Valinorelumien, that is Godedles geargetael (i.e. Annals of
Valinor); the second is Beleriandes geargetael (i.e. Annals of
Beleriand); and the third is Quenta Noldorinwa or Pennas nan
Goelid, that is Noldelfaracu (the History of the Noldorin
Elves). Thus, here at any rate, Pennas (Quenta) is used in both
a stricter and a wider sense: the whole opus that AElfwine
translated in Tol Eressea is the Pennas (Quenta), 'the History',
but the term is also used more narrowly of the Pennas nan
Goelid or Quenta Noldorinwa, which may be thought of as
'the Silmarillion proper', as opposed to the 'Annals'. In fact, in
an addition to the very brief Old English version III of the An-
nals of Valinor (p. 347, note to line 5) it is expressly said:
This third part is also called Silmarillion, that is the history of
the Eorclanstanas [Silmarils].'
Her onginned seo boc pe man Pennas nemned, 7
heo is on preo gedaeled; se forma dael is
Valinorelumien paet is Godedles geargetael, 7 se
oper is Beleriandes geargetael, 7 se pridda
Quenta Noldorinwa oppe Pennas nan Goelid paet 5
is Noldelfaracu. Pas aerest awrat Pengolod se
Upwita of Gondoline, aer pam pe heo abrocen
wurde, 7 sippan aet Siriones hype 7 aet Tavrobele
in Toleressean (paet is Anetege), pa he eft west
com. And pas bec AElfwine of Angelcynne 10
geseah on Anetege, pa pa he aet sumum cerre
funde hie; 7 he geleornode hie swa he betst
mihte 7 eft gepeodde 7 on Englisc asette.
Her onginned Godedles geargetael.
On frumsceafte Iluuvatar, paet is Ealfaeder, gescop
eal ping, 7 pa Valar, paet is pa Mihtigan (pe sume 15
menn sippan for godu heoldon) comon on pas
worolde. Hie sindon nigon: Manwe, Ulmo, Aule,
Orome, Tulkas, Mandos, Lorien, Melko. Para
waeron Manwe 7 Melko his bropor ealra mihtigoste,
ac Manwe waes se yldra, 7 waes Vala-hlaford 7 20
halig, 7 Melko beah to firenlustum and
upahaefennesse and ofermettum and wearp yfel and
unmaedlic, and his nama is awergod and
unasprecenlic, ac man nemned hine Morgod in
Noldelfisc-gereorde. Pa Valacwene hatton swa: 25
Varda 7 Geauanna, pe gesweostor waeron, Manwes
cwen 7 Aules cwen; 7 Vana Oromes cwen; 7 Nessa
Tulkases cwen (seo waes Oromes sweostor); 7
Uinen, merecwen, Osses wif; 7 Vaire Mandosses
cwen, 7 Este Loriendes cwen. Ac Ulmo 7 Melko 30
naefdon cwene, 7 Nienna seo geomore naefde wer.
Mid pissum geferum comon micel heap laesra
gesceafta, Valabearn, oppe gaestas Valacynnes pe
laesse maegen haefdon. Pas waeron Valarindi.
And pa Valar aer pam pe Mona 7 Sunne wurden 35
gerimdon tide be langfirstum oppe ymbrynum, pe
waeron hund Valageara on geteald; 7 an Valagear
waes efne swa lang swa ten gear sindon nu on
worolde.
D. On pam Valageare D mid searucraefte fordyde 40
Morgop pa blacern, pe Aule smipode, paette seo
weorold mid sceolde onleohted weordan; 7 pa
Valar, buton Morgope anum, gecerdon hie West,
and paer getimbredon Valinor (paet is Godedel) be
saem tweonum (paet is betwuh Utgarsecge pe calle 45
eordan bebuged, and seo micle Westsae, paet is
Garsecg, oppe Ingarsecg, oppe Belegar on
Noldelfisce; 7 on Westsaes strandum geheapodon
hie micle beorgas. And middangear[d]es rihtgesceap
wearp on pam dagum aerest of Morgode onhwerfed. 50
M. Her, aefter pam pe Valinor weard getimbrod, 7
Valmar paet is Godaburg, gescopon 7 onwehton pa
Valar pa Twegen Beamas, operne of seolfre operne
of golde geworhtne, pe hira leoma onleohte Valinor.
Ac Morgop bude on middangearde and geworhte 55
him paer micel faesten on norpdaelum; and on paere
tide forbraec he and forsceop he micle eordan 7
land. Sippan wearp pusend geara blaed 7 bliss on
Godeple, ac on middangearde pa waestmas, pe be
para blacerna ontendnesse aer ongunnon 60
upaspringan, amerde wurdon. To middangearde
com para Vala nan butan Orome, pe oft wolde
huntian on paere firnan eordan be deorcum
wealdum, 7 Iauannan pe hwilum for pider.
MM. Pis gear bip Valarices Middaeg oppe Heah- 65
prymm geteald, 7 pa waes Goda myrgpu gefullod.
Pa geworhte Varda steorran 7 sette hie on lyfte (7
py hatte heo Tinwetari, paet is Tungolcwen), and
sona aeher pam of Godeple wandrodon Valarindi
sume 7 comon on middangeard, and para gefraegost 70
weard Melian, pe waes aer Loriendes hiredes, 7 hire
stefn waes maere mid Godum: ac heo ne com eft to
Godabyrig aer pon pe fela geara ofereodon and fela
wundra gelumpon, ac nihtegalan waeron hire
geferan 7 sungon ymb hie be pam deorcum wudum 75
on westchlum.
Pa pa paet tungol, pe gefyrn Godasicol oppe
Brynebrer hatte, lixte aerest forp on heofonum, for
pam pe Varda hit asette Morgope on andan him his
hryre to bodianne, pa onwocon pa yldran 80
Ealfaederes bearn on middan worolde: paet sindon
Elfe. Hie funde Orome and wearp him freondhald,
and para se maesta dael sippan West foron him on
laste and mid his latteowdome sohton Beleriandes
weststrand, for pam pe Godu hie lapodon on 85
Valinor.
Pa wearp Morgop aer mid micle heregange
forhergod and gebunden and sippan aet Mandosse
on cwearterne gedon. Paer weard he witefaest seofon
firstmearce (paet is seofon hund Valageara) op paet 90
he daedbette and him forgifennesse baede. On pam
gefeohtum eac wurdon eordan land eft forbrocen
swide 7 forscapen.
Pa Cwendi (paet waeron Leohtelfe) and pa
Noldelfe sohton aerest to lande on Valinor, 7 on 95
pam grenan hylle Core pam saeriman neah
getimbrodon hie Tun pa hwitan Elfaburg; ac pa
Teleri, pe sip comon on Beleriand, gebidon ane
firstmearce paer be strande, and sume hie ne foron
panon sippan naefre. Para waes Pingol gefraegost, 100
Elwes brodor, Teleria hlafordes: hine Melian begol.
Hie haefde he sippan to wife, and cyning weard on
Beleriande; ac paet gelamp aefter pam pe Ulmo
oflaedde Teleria pone maestan dael on Anetige, and
brohte hie swa to Valinor. pas ping wurdon on pam 105
Valagearum MM op MMC.
Of MMC op MMCC wunodon pa Teleri on
Toleressean onmiddum Ingarsecge, panon hie
mihton Valinor feorran ofseon; on MMCC comon
hie mid micelre scipferde to Valinore, and paer 110
gewunodon on eastaerman Valinores, and
geworhton paer burg and hype, and nemdon hie
Alqualonde, paet is Elfethyp, for paem pe hie paer
hira scipu befaeston, 7 pa waeron ielfetum gelic.
Paes ymb preo hund sumera, oppe ma oppe laes, 115
apohton pa Noldelfe gimmas and ongunnon hie
asmipian, and sippan Feanor se smip, Finwes
yldesta sunu Nol[d]elfa hlafordes, apohte and
geworhte pa felamaeran Silmarillas, pe peos
gesaegen fela ah to secganne be hira wyrdum. Hie 120
lixton mid hira agenum leohte, for pam pe hie
waeron gefylde para twegra Beama leomum, pe
wurdon paeroninnan geblanden and to halgum and
wundorfyllum fyre gescapen.
MMDCC. Her Morgop daedbette and him forgefennesse 125
baed; ond be Niennan pingunga his sweostor him
Manwe his brodor are geteah, Tulkases unpance
and Aules, and hine gelesde; 7 he licette paet he
hreowsode 7 eadmod waere, and pam Valum
gehersum and pam elfum swipe hold; ac he leah, 130
and swipost he bepaehte pa Noldelfe, for pam pe he
cupe fela uncupra pinga laeran; he gitsode swapeah
hira gimma and hine langode pa Silmarillas.
MMCM. Purh twa firstmearce wunode pa giet Valinor
on blisse, ac tweo 7 inca aweox swapeah manigum 135
on heortan swulce nihtsceadu nathwylc, for pam pe
Morgop for mid dernum runungum and searolicum
lygum, and yfelsop is to secganne, swipost he
onbryrde pa Noldelfe and unsibbe awehte betwux
Finwes sunum, Feanor and Fingolfin and Finrod, 140
and ungepwaernes betwux Godum 7 elfum.
MMCMD. Be Goda dome wearp Feanor, Finwes yldesta
sunu, mid his hirede 7 folgope adon of Noldelfa
ealdordome - py hatte sippan Feanores cynn pa
Erfeloran, for pam dome 7 for py pe Morgoth 145
bereafode hie hira mapma - 7 pa Godu ofsendon
Morgop to demanne hine; ac he aetfleah 7 darode
on Arualine and bepohte hine yfel.
MMCMD - Her Morgop fullfremede his searowrencas
MMCMDI sohte Ungoliante on Arualine and baed hie 150
fultumes. Pa bestaelon hie eft on Valinor 7 pa
Beamas forspildon, and sippan aetburston under
pam weaxendum sceadum and foron norp and paer
hergodon Feanores eardunge and aetbaeron gimma
unrim and pa Silmarillas mid ealle, 7 Morgop 155
ofsloh paer Finwe 7 manige his elfe mid him and
awidlode swa Valinor aerest mid blodgyte and
morpor astealde on worolde. He pa fleame generede
his feorh, peah pe pa Godu his ehton wide landes,
sippan becom he on middangeardes norpdaelas and 160
geedstadelode paer his faesten, and fedde and
samnode on niwe his yfele peowas, ge Balrogas ge
orcas. Pa com micel ege on Beleriand, 7 Pingol his
burgfaesten getrymede on Menegrop paet is pusend
peostru, and Melian seo cwen mid Vala-gealdrum 165
begol paet land Doriap and bewand hit ymbutan,
and sippan sohton se maesta dael para deorc-elfa of
Beleriande Pingoles munde.
MMCMI. Her laeg Valinor on
NOTES TO VERSlON II.
6. Noldelfaracu emended in ink from Noldelfagesaegen.
8. Tavrobele > (probably) Tafrobele, in pencil. In version
I Tapobele probably > Taprobele, and in version III
Taprobele as written, but in this case the emendation
seems clearly to be to f; this would be a mere
spelling-correction (f being the Old English spelling
for the voiced consonant [v] in this position).
15-16. This phrase (pe sume menn sippan for godu heoldon)
is not in the Modern English version, but cf. the open-
ing section of Q (p. 94): 'These spirits the Elves
named the Valar, which is the Powers, though Men
have often called them Gods.'
17. Osse has been inadvertently omitted.
20. It is not said in the Modern English version that
Manwe was the elder.
26 Geauanna: this spelling would represent 'Yavanna' in
Old English. At line 64 the name is spelt Iauanna(n),
and in the Old English version of the Quenta (p. 253)
Yavanna; in version III Geafanna (p. 347).
29-31 The text here embodies the sense of the pencilled
emendation to the Modern English version (p. 320
note 2) whereby Vaire enters as the spouse of Mandos
and Nienna becomes solitary. At line 31, after naefde
wer, was added in pencil: Seo waes Manwes sweostor
7 Morgodes; this is stated in the Modern English ver-
sion as written.
45-7. Utgarsecg, Garsecg, Ingarsecg: see pp. 255,
256.- Belegar: see p. 256; see also insert.
49. middangeardes: see p. 337.
52. Valmar is Godaburg in the list of Old English names,
p. 259.
65-7. The changes made to the text of the Modern English
version, in order to date the Starmaking and the Awak-
ening of the Elves before 2000 (see pp. 320-1, notes 6
and 10) are not embodied in the Old English.
71. The statement that Melian was of Lorien's people is
not in the Modern English version, but is found in S
and Q ($2) and goes back to the Tale of Tiniviel
(II. 8): '[Wendelin] was a sprite that escaped from
Lorien's gardens before even Kor was built.'
78. Brynebrer ('Burning Briar'): this name for the Great
Bear, not found in the Modern English version, occurs
in Q ($2) and in the Lay of Leithian.
89 - 90. seofon firstmearce, not 'nine ages' as first written in
the Modern English version (p. 321 note 9).
firstmearce ('spaces of time') is an emendation made
at the time of writing from langfirstas (one of the
words used for Valian 'ages' earlier, line 36).
94. Cwendi emended in pencil first to Eldar and then to
Lindar; Quendi > Lindar also in Q ($2 and subse-
quently) and in the modern version.- Leohtelfe is not
one of the Old English names of the First Kindred
given in the list on pp. 255ff., but they are called
Light-elves in S and Q ($2; see p. 51).
104. Anetige spelt thus, as in version I line 4; Anetege lines
9 and 11.
108. Ingarsecge < Garsecge (see lines 45-7).
125. For the date 2700 see note to lines 89 - 90 above, and
the note on dates, p. 322.
145. Erfeloran ('the Dispossessed'), with variant initial
vowel Yrfeloran, is found in the list of Old English
names of the Feanorians, p. 260.
149. These dates are presumably to be interpreted as
2950 - 1: in the previous entry (line 133) MMCMD
corresponds to 2950 in the Modern English version.
My father was here using D = 50, not 500. But
2950 - 1 does not correspond to the Modern English
version, which has 2990-1. The discrepancy is per-
haps no more than a mere error of writing (though
version I is also discrepant in this date, having 2999);
the date of the next entry, MMCMI (2901), is obvi-
ously an error, from its place in the chronological se-
ries.
163-8. This sentence represents part of the passage added to
the Modern English version (p. 321 note 18), but
omits the reference to the Elves who remained in
Brithombar and Eglorest.
III.
This version, on a single manuscript page, gives a slightly
different form of the first twenty-odd lines of version II. It is
much later than II, as is shown by Melkor, not Melko (see p
282), but was nonetheless taken directly from it, as is shown
by the continued absence of Osse from the list of the Valar
(see note to line 17 in version II). Later changes pencilled on
version I are here embodied in the text (Pengolod for
Pengolod, Taprobele for Tafrobele, Melkor for Melko).
Version III is cast in a different form of Old English, that of
ninth century Mercia (some of the forms are peculiarly charac
teristic of the Mercian dialect represented by the interlinear
glosses on the Vespasian Psalter). A few pencilled emendations
are not included in the text, but recorded in the notes that fol-
low.
Her onginned seo boc pe man Pennas nemned on aelfisc,
7 hio is on preo gedaeled: se forma dael is Ualinorelumien
paet is Godoedles gergetael; 7 se oder dael is Beleriandes
gergetael; 7 se pridda Quenta Noldorinwa odde Pennas na
Ngoeloed, paet is Noldaelfaracu. pas boc aerest awrat 5
Pengolod se udwita on Gondoline aer pam pe heo abrocen
wurde 7 seoddan aet Siriones hyde 7 aet Taprobele on Tol-
eressean (paet is Anetege), pa he eft west com. And pas
bec AElfwine of Ongulcynne gesaeh on Anetege ha da he
aet sumum cerre paet land funde; 7 he daer liornode hie 10
swa he betst maehte 7 eft gepeodde 7 on englisc gereord
asette.
Her onginned Godoedles gergetael, 7 spriced aerest of
weorulde gescefte. On frumscefte gescop Iluuatar paet is
Allfeder all ping, 7 pa pa seo weoruld aerest weordan 15
ongon pa comun hider on eordan pa Ualar (paet is pa
Mehtigan pe sume men seoddan for godu heoldun). Hi
earun nigun on rime: Manwe, Ulmo, Aule, Orome,
Tulcas, Mandos, Lorien, Melkor. Peara werun Manwe 7
Melcor his brodur alra mehtigoste, ac Manwe wes se 20
aeldra 7 is Uala-hlafard 7 halig, 7 Melcor beh to
firenlustum 7 to upahefennisse 7 ofermoettum 7 weard
yfel 7 unmedlic, 7 his noma is awergod 7 unasproecenlic,
for pam man nemned hine Morgop on
Noldaelfiscgereorde. Orome 7 Tulcas werun gingran on 25
Alfeadur gepohte acende aer pere weorulde gescepennisse
ponne odre fife. Pa Uala-cwene hattun swe: Uarda
Manwes cwen, 7 Geafanna Aules cwen (pa pa he and hie
don to sinhiwan aefter pam pe Ualar hider comon on
weorulde). 30
NOTES 10 VERSION III.
2-4. Ualinorelumien pat is and Quenta Noldorinwa odde
are circled in pencil as if for exclusion.
5. Added in pencil here: 'and pes pridda dael man eac
nemned Silmarillion paet is Eorclanstana gewyrd.' See
p. 339.
5-6. on Gondoline is an emendation in ink from of
Gondoline, i.e. Pengolod began the work in Gondolin;
but this is implied in the preambles to versions I and II,
which have of Gondoline here. - Gondoline
Gondolinde in pencil, as in version I (note to line 2).
7. Taprobele is very clearly written with p; see p. 344
note to line 8.
18. Osse is left out following version II.
19. Melkor > Melcor in ink at the second occurrence, no
doubt at the time of writing, since Melcor is written at
line 20.
25-7. The statement that Orome and Tulkas 'were younger in
the thought of Iluvatar' is absent from the other ver-
sions (cf. The Silmarillion p. 26: 'Manwe and Melkor
were brethren in the thought of Iluvatar').- odre fife:
i.e. the other Valar with the exclusion of Manwe and
Melkor. See p. 349, Old English text lines 1 - 4.
28. Geafanna: see p. 344, note to line 26.
28-30. It is very notable that Aule and Yavanna are here
(alone) said to have become husband and wife (wurdon
to sinhiwan) after the Valar came into the world. In The
Silmarillion the only union among the Valar that is said
to have taken place after the entry into Arda is that of
Tulkas and Nessa; and Tulkas came late to Arda (pp.
35-6). See further p. 349.
IV.
This is not a version, but a single page of manuscript with,
first, a different beginning to the Annals of Valinor in Modern
English, and then ten lines, written very rapidly, in Old En-
glish. Both contain interesting features. The first reads as fol-
lows:
Annals of Valinor.
These were written first by Rumil the Elfsage of Valinor,
and after by Pengolod the Wise of Gondolin, who made
also the Annals of Beleriand, and the Pennas that are set
forth below. These also did AElfwine of the Angelcynn turn
into speech of his land.
Here beginneth the Annals of Valinor and the founda-
tions of the world.
Of the Valar and their kindred
At the beginning Iluvatar, that is Allfather, made all
things, and the Valar, or Powers, came into the world.
These are nine: Manwe, Ulmo, Aule, Orome, Tulkas, Osse,
Lorien, Mandos, and Melko.
Pennas is here used in the narrow sense of 'The History of
the Gnomes' (Quenta Noldorinwa, Silmaril/ion): see p. 338.
Here Rumil appears as author, and in view of the interpolation
in AV (note 20) 'Here endeth that which Rumil wrote' it is
clear that the words of this preamble 'These were written first
by Rumil... and after by Pengolod' mean that Pengolod com-
pleted what Rumil began. The next version of the Annals of
Valinor in fact makes this explicit, for after 'Here endeth that
which Rumil wrote' the later text has 'Here followeth the con-
tinuation of Pengolod', and the two interpolations in AV (notes
14 and 18) concerning events in Middle-earth before the Re-
turn of the Noldoli are embodied in the second version as ad-
ditions by Pengolod: 'This have I, Pengolod, added here, for it
was not known unto Rumil.'
In the original tale of The Music of the Ainur (I. 47 - 8)
Rumil was a Noldo of Kor,* but he also spoke to Eriol of his
'thraldom under Melko'. From the reference here to Rumil as
'the Elfsage of Valinor', however, and from his ignorance of
events in Middle-earth, it seems clear that in the later concep-
tion he never left Valinor. It might be suggested that his part
in the Annals ends where it does (p. 317 and note 20) because
he was one of those who returned to Valinor with Finrod after
hearing the Doom of Mandos. This is admittedly pure specula-
tion, but it is perhaps significant that in the next version of the
Annals the end of Rumil's part in the work was moved on to
the end of the entry for the Valian Year 2993, after the words
'But Aule their ancient friend smiled on them no more, and the
Teleri were estranged'; thus his part ends with the actual rec-
ord of Finrod's return, and of the reception that he and those
with him received.
The passage in Old English that follows begins with vir-
tually the same phrase, concerning Orome and Tulkas, as
that in version III lines 23 - 5; but this manuscript has a cu-
rious, uninterpretable sign between Orome and the plural
verb waeron, which in view of the other text I expand to
mean 7 Tulkas.
Orome [7 Tulkas] waeron gingran on Ealfaederes
gepohtum acende aer paere worolde gescepennisse ponne
opre fife, 7 Orome weard Iafannan geboren, seo pe wyrd
after nemned, ac he nis Aules sunu.
Mid pissum mihtigum comon manige laessan gaestasp aes
ilcan cynnes 7 cneorisse, peah laessan maegnes. Pas sindon
(* As he remained; cf. The Silmarillion p. 63: 'Then it was that the Noldor first
bethought them of letters, and Rumil of Tirion was the name of the
loremaster who first achieved fitting signs for the recording of speech and
song.')
pa Vanimor, pa Faegran. Mid him eac pon wurdon getealde
hira bearn, on worolde acende, pa waeron manige and swipe
faegre. Swylc waes Fionwe Manwes sunu
There follow a few more words that are too uncertain to re-
produce. Here Orome, younger in the thought of Iluvatar than
the other great Valar 'born before the making of the world', is
declared to be the son of Yavanna but not of Aule, and this
must be connected with the statement in the Old English ver-
sion III that Yavanna and Aule became sinhiwan after the entry
of the Valar into the world (see p. 347 - 8, note to lines 28 - 30).
In what is said here concerning the lesser spirits of Valarin
race there are differences from AV (p. 311) and the Old En-
glish version II (p. 340). In this present fragment these spirits
are not called Valarindi but Vanimor, 'the Fair'.* The Children
of the Valar, 'who were many and very beautiful', are counted
among the Vanimor, but, in contradiction to AV, they were on
worolde acende, 'born in the world'. At this time, it seems, my
father was tending to emphasize the generative powers of the
great Valar, though afterwards all trace of the conception disap-
peared.
(*The word Vanimor has not occurred before, but its negative Vi:animor is de-
fined in the tale of The Coming of the Valar (1. 75) as 'monsters, giants, and
ogres', and elsewhere in the Lost Tales Uvanimor are creatures bred by
Morgoth (I. 236 - 7), and even Dwarves (11. 136).)
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