User:LorenzoCB/Harmony of the Lost Tale of Eärendel

The Tale of Eärendel is the last and most important tale in The Book of Lost Tales. However, it was never acomplished. Instead, J.R.R. Tolkien left several contratictory outlines and notes. Here are all harmoniced and edited to be in the same verbal tense and in a more fluent narrative. The choices of the different versions are mainly based on the longest one of each episode, and also loose details are included, so this edition is far from being what Tolkien actually intended. The tale of the Biding of Melko as presented in the many versions in The History of Eriol or Ælfwine is not included here.

Harmony

First part.

The Tale of the Nauglafring down to the flight of Elwing.

Second part.

After the Fall of Gondolin, the folk of the Lothlim dwelt at Sirion's Mouth. Eärendel dwelt with Tuor and Idril in a house of snow-white stone, on the Isle of Sirion. Eärendel grew fairest of all Men that were or are.

The Oarni loved Eärendel, in Ossë's despite, and they came to him. They gave him a wonderful shining silver coat that wets not, and taught him the lore of boat-building and of swimming, as he played with them about the shores of Sirion. Eärendel was smaller than most men but nimbled-footed and a swift swimmer

Then came thither Elwing from Artanor with the Nauglafring. Eärendel and she loved one another as boy and girl.

The love of Tuor and Eärendel was great, but Tuor fell into age and Ulmo's conches far out west over the sea called him louder and louder. Tuor groweth sea-hungry — and sang a song to Eärendel. One evening he called Eärendel and they went to the shore. There was a skiff: a twilit boat with white sails, Swanwing, Alqarámë. Tuor bade farewell to Eärendel and bade him thrust it off — the skiff fared away into the West. In the twilight, Eärendel heared a great song swelling from the sea as Tuor's skiff dipped over the world's rim. Eärendel fell into a passion of tears upon the shore, and Idril lamented, as they saw Tuor won't return. There in the beach of Sirion, Idril sang a song. Some say Tuor sailed back to Falasquil and so back to Ilbranteloth to Asgon where he sat playing on his lonely harp on the islanded rock.

Eärendel set sail to the North to find Tuor, and if needed be Mandos, urged also by Idril who was immortal. Building of Eärámë, Eaglepinion. Eärendel built Eärámë. Elwing lamented, but both married before he left. Ulmo forbade his quest but Eärendel would yet sail to find a passage to Mandos. When she learned Ulmo's bidding, Elwing grieved. "For no man may tread the streets of Kôr or look upon the places of the Gods and dwell in the Outer Lands in peace again." Eärendel had reluctance and Idril cried. Eärendel weds Elwing before he sets sail.

Thus, Eärendel sailed in Eärámë, but the curse of the Nauglafring rested on his voyages and Ossë was his enemy. His sailors were enchanted in the fiord of the Mermaid. Eärámë wrecked, but Ulmo appeared and saved Eärendel, bidding him sail to Kôr — "for for this hast thou been brought out of the Wrack of Gondolin".

Third part.

Eärendel attempted a second time to Mandos, going North. Thus he is wrecked in Falasquil by the treachery of Ossë, and he and Voronwë are rescued by the Oarni. He sighted the Isle of Seabirds "whither do all the birds of all waters come at whiles". Eärendel surveyed the first dwelling of Tuor at Falasquil. He made his way back by land with Voronwë. In Sirion he found that Idril has banished. Eärendel grieved her.

Eärendel prayed to Ulmo and heared the conches. Ulmo bade him to build a new and wonderful ship of the wood of Tuor from Falasquil. The ship Wingilot was built of wood from Falasquil with "aid of the Oarni", being "shaped as a swan of pearls". Eärendel bade the last farewell to Elwing.

Fourth part

Eärendel and Voronwë set sail in Wingilot for Valinor. Eärendel had many wanderings, occupying several years. He was driven south. Dark regions. Fire mountains. Tree-men. Pygmies. Sarqindi or cannibal-ogres. Then he was driven west. Ungweliantë. Magic Isles. Twilit Isle [sic]. Littleheart's gong woke the Sleeper in the Tower of Pearl: a messenger that was despatched years ago by Turgon and enmeshed in magics. Even now he cannot leave the Tower and warned them of the magic. During his voyages Eärendel sighted the white walls of Kôr gleaming afar off, but was carried away by Ossë's adverse winds and waves.

Fifth part.

With the Fall of Gondolin, the doves and pigeons of Turgon's courtyard bring tidings to Kôr — only to Elves, telling them of the Fall of Gondolin and the horrors of the fate of the Gnomes. The Gods had counsels, but the Elves uproared, so Inwir, Teleri, and Solosimpi marched to the Great Lands. The Solosimpi went forth also but fared along the beaches of the world, for they were loth to fare from the sound of the sea — and only consented to go with the Teleri under these conditions — for the Noldoli slew some of their kin at Kópas. Death of Inwë.

The Gods felt great sorrow and wrath, and dropped a veil between Valmar and Kôr, for the Gods will not destroy it but could not bear to look upon it.

Ulmo's protection removed from Sirion in wrath at Eärendel's second attempt to Mandos, and hence Melko overwhelmed it. Raid upon Sirion by Melko's Orcs and captivity of Elwing.

Coming of the Eldar. Biding of Melko. There is an exodus of the Elves from the Great Lands to Lonely Isle. The ship carrying Elwing is lost by the curse of the Nauglafring during the voyage to Tol Eressëa.

Sixth part.

Eärendel reached Kôr and found it empty. On the walls of Kôr were many dark tales written in pictured symbols, and runes of great beauty were drawn there too or carved upon stones, and Eärendel read many a wondrous tale there. His shoes and self were powdered with diamond dust so that they shone brightly.

Eärendel fared home in sorrow, sighting Tol Eressëa and the fleet of the Elves, but a great wind and darkness carried him away, and he missed his way and has a voyage eastward. He was driven east — the deserts and red palaces where dwells the Sun.

Arrives at Sirion, only to find it sacked and empty. Eärendel distraught wanders with Voronwë and comes to the ruins of Gondolin. Men are encamped there miserably. Also Gnomes searching still for lost gems (or some Gnomes gone back to Gondolin). There Eärendel heared of the sack of Sirion and the captivity of Elwing.

The Koreldar fared and Melko is bound. There were wars with Men and the Eldar were unable to endure the strife of the world, so they departed to Tol Erëssea. Eärendel sailed to Tol Eressëa and learned of the sinking of Elwing and the Nauglafring. Elwing had became a seabird. When he hears of her loss he says that his children shall be "all such men hereafter as dare the great seas in ships". His grief was very great, and his garments and body shone like diamonds and his face was in silver flame for the grief.

Eärendel set sail with Voronwë, going even to the empty Halls of Iron seeking Elwing. Then he dwelt on the northern tower of the Isle of Seabirds, in the northern waters (not far from Falasquil)—and there hoped that Elwing returned among the seabirds, but she was seeking him wailing along all the shores and especially among wreckage.

Seventh part.

After three times seven years he sailed again for halls of Mandos with Voronwë — he got there because [?only] those who had suffered may do so. There he found that Tuor is 'not in Valinor, nor Erumáni, and neither Elves not Ainu know where he is. (He is with Ulmo). Nought is known of Idril or of Elwing. Tuor and Idril some say sail now in Swanwing and may even seen going swift down the wind at dawn and dusk.

Eärendel reached bar at the margin of the world and set sail on oceans of the firmament in order to gaze over the Earth. He tried to return from the firmament ever and anon with Voronwë to Kôr to see if the Magic Sun has been lit and the fairies have come back — but the Moon drove him back. How he cannot now return to the world, and rideth with Voronwë upon the winds of the firmament nor comes ever further back than Kôr, else would he die like other Men, so much of the mortal is in him. He will find Elwing at the Faring North.