Tale-fire
The Tale-fire was a magic fire according to the early version of the legendarium in The Book of Lost Tales.
History
It was located in the Room of Logs within the Cottage of Lost Play. There it burned throughout the year, on account of its being magic, and it was said to aid in the telling of tales. The guests of the Cottage would gather around it in the evenings to hear stories told, as was the custom. It was beside this fire that Eriol learned many tales of the Elder Days.[1] On other nights there was singing and music around the fire, and the speaking of poetry concerning days of old.[2] After Eriol heared the Tale of Turambar, it was asked that Littleheart told the tales of Tuor and Eärendel, but he answered that in order to tell those stories, the folk had to be reunited seven times around the Tale-fire, for it was a long and twined tale. Therefore, Meril-i-Turinqi was summoned and three days later a festival was hold in the Cottage, with a great host around the fire.[3]
Other names
"Tale-fire" was Tȏn a Gwedrin in Gnomish,[4] and Tana Qentima in Qenya.[5]
See also
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "I. The Cottage of Lost Play", p. 17
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "III. The Coming of the Valar and the Building of Valinor", p. 65
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "III. The Fall of Gondolin", pp. 144-145
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "Appendix: Names in the Lost Tales – Part II", entry "Tôn a Gwedrin"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Sí Qente Feanor and Other Elvish Writings", in Parma Eldalamberon XV (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, Patrick H. Wynne, and Bill Welden), p. 7
