The Shaping of Middle-earth. Christopher Tolkien

      [All the changes in this section except that given in note 3 were late alterations made roughly and hastily.]

      1 Added against this sentence: last of the fugitives from without

      2 younger than Túrin > cousin of Túrin

      3 seven early changed to twelve

      4 Added here: if they sit still in their halls.

      5 Added here: which they find by the grace of Ylmir

      6 The word old circled for removal.

17

      To Sirion’s mouth Elwing daughter of Dior comes, and is received by the survivors of Gondolin.¹ These become a seafaring folk, building many boats and living far out on the delta, whither the Orcs dare not come.

      Ylmir reproaches the Valar, and bids them rescue the remnants of the Noldoli and the Silmarils in which alone now lives the light of the old days of bliss when the Trees were shining.

      The sons of the Valar led by Fionwë Tulcas’ son lead forth a host, in which all the Qendi march, but remembering Swanhaven few of the Teleri go with them. Côr is deserted.

      Tuor growing old² cannot forbear the call of the sea, and builds Eärámë and sails West with Idril and is heard of no more. Eärendel weds Elwing. The call of the sea is born also in him. He builds Wingelot and wishes to sail in search of his father. Ylmir bids him to sail to Valinor.³ Here follow the marvellous adventures of Wingelot in the seas and isles, and of how Eärendel slew Ungoliant in the South. He returned home and found the Waters of Sirion desolate. The sons of Fëanor learning of the dwelling of Elwing and the Nauglafring had come down on the people of Gondolin. In a battle all the sons of Fëanor save Maidros⁴ were slain, but the last folk of Gondolin destroyed or forced to go away and join the people of Maidros.⁵ Elwing cast the Nauglafring into the sea and leapt after it,⁶ but was changed into a white sea-bird by Ylmir, and flew to seek Eärendel, seeking about all the shores of the world.

      Their son (Elrond) who is half-mortal and half-elfin,⁷ a child, was saved however by Maidros. When later the Elves return to the West, bound by his mortal half he elects to stay on earth. Through him the blood of Húrin⁸ (his great-uncle) and of the Elves is yet among Men, and is seen yet in valour and in beauty and in poetry.

      Eärendel learning of these things from Bronweg, who dwelt in a hut, a solitary, at the mouth of Sirion, is overcome with sorrow. With Bronweg he sets sail in Wingelot once more in search of Elwing and of Valinor.

      He comes to the magic isles, and to the Lonely Isle, and at last to the Bay of Faërie. He climbs the hill of Côr, and walks in the deserted ways of Tûn, and his raiment becomes encrusted with the dust of diamonds and of jewels. He dares not go further into Valinor. He builds a tower on an isle in the northern seas, to which all the seabirds of the world repair. He sails by the aid of their wings even over the airs in search of Elwing, but is scorched by the Sun, and hunted from the sky by the Moon, and for a long while he wanders the sky as a fugitive star.⁹

      [In this section again most of the changes (not those in notes 2 and 4) were hastily made in pencil.]

      1 This sentence was changed to read:

      At Sirion’s mouth Elwing daughter of Dior dwelt, and received the survivors of Gondolin.

      2 growing old struck out.

      3 Ylmir bids him to sail to Valinor struck out.

      4 Maidros > Maidros and Maglor

      5 Written in the margin: Maglor sat and sang by the sea in repentance.

      6 My father first wrote Elwing cast herself into the sea with the Nauglafring, but changed it to Elwing cast the Nauglafring into the sea and leapt after it in the act of writing.

      7 This sentence was changed to read:

      Their son (Elrond) who is part mortal and part elfin and part of the race of Valar,

      8 Húrin struck out, and Huor and of Beren written above, together with some illegible words. One might expect Through him the blood of Huor and of Beren his great-grandfathers, but the illegible words do not seem to be these. (Húrin was in fact Elrond’s great-great-uncle.)

      9 The last sentence (He sails by the aid of their wings …) is an addition, but I think an addition made at the time of writing.

18

      The march of Fionwë into the North is then told, and of the Terrible or Last Battle. The Balrogs are all destroyed, and the Orcs destroyed or scattered. Morgoth himself makes a last sally with all his dragons; but they are destroyed, all save two which escape, by the sons of the Valar, and Morgoth is overthrown and bound¹ and his iron crown is made into a collar for his neck. The two Silmarils are rescued. The Northern and Western parts of the world are rent and broken in the struggle.²

      The Gods and Elves release Men from Hithlum, and march through the lands summoning the remnants of the Gnomes and Ilkorins to join them. All do so except the people of Maidros. Maidros aided by many men³ prepares to perform his oath, though now at last weighed down by sorrow because of it. He sends to Fionwë reminding him of the oath and begging for the Silmarils. Fionwë replies that he has lost his right to them because of the evil deeds of Fëanor, and of the slaying of Dior, and of the plundering of Sirion. He must submit, and come back to Valinor; in Valinor only and at the judgement of the Gods shall they be handed over.

      Maidros and Maglor⁴ submit. The Elves set sail from Lúthien (Britain or England) for Valinor.⁵ Thence they ever still from time [to time] set sail leaving the world ere they fade.

      On the last march Maglor says to Maidros that there are two sons of Fëanor now left, and two Silmarils; one is his. He steals it, and flies, but it burns him so that he knows he no longer has a right to it. He wanders in pain over the earth, and casts himself into a pit.⁶ One Silmaril is now in the sea, and one in the earth.⁷

      The Gnomes and many of the Ilkorins and Teleri and Qendi repeople the Lonely Isle. Some go back to live upon the shores of Faëry and in Valinor, but Côr and Tûn remain desolate.

      1 Added here: by the chain Angainor

      2 Added here: and the fashion of their lands altered (late pencilled addition).

      3 aided by many men struck out.

      4 and Maglor circled in pencil.

      5 This sentence was changed to read:

      The Elves march to the Western shore, and begin to set sail from Leithien (Britain or England) for Valinor.

      6 casts himself into a pit > casts it into a fiery pit.

      7 Added here: Maglor sings now ever in sorrow by the sea.

19

      The judgement of the Gods takes place. The earth is to be for Men, and the Elves who do not set sail for the Lonely Isle or Valinor shall slowly fade and fail. For a while the last dragons and Orcs shall grieve the earth, but in the end all shall perish by the valour of Men.

      Morgoth is thrust through the Door of Night into the outer dark beyond the Walls of the World, and a guard set for ever on that Door. The lies that he sowed