The Book of Lost Tales - J. R. Tolkien [136]
In the Third Age Gothmog was the name of the lieutenant of Minas Morgul (The Return of the King V.6).)
Hendor ‘was a house-carle of Idril’s and was aged, but bore Eärendel down the secret passage.’
Idril ‘was that most fair daughter of the king of Gondolin whom Tuor loved when she was but a little maid, and who bare him Eärendel. Her the Elves name Irildë; and we speak of as Idril Tal-Celeb or Idril of the Silver Feet, but they Irildë Taltelepta.’
See the Appendix on Names, entry Idril.
Indor ‘was the name of the father of Tuor’s father, wherefore did the Gnomes name Eärendel Gon Indor and the Elves Indorildo or Indorion.’
Legolas ‘or Green-leaf was a man of the Tree, who led the exiles over Tumladin in the dark, being night-sighted, and he liveth still in Tol Eressëa named by the Eldar there Laiqalassë; but the book of Rúmil saith further hereon.’
(See I.267, entry Tári-Laisi.)
§ 3 Miscellaneous Matters
(i) The geography of The Fall of Gondolin
I have noticed above (p. 205) that in Tuor’s journey all along the coast of what was afterwards Beleriand to the mouths of Sirion there is an unquestionable resemblance to the later map, in the trend of the coast from north-south to east-west. It is also said that after he left Falasquil ‘the distant hills marched ever nearer to the margin of the sea’, and that the spurs of the Iron Mountains ‘run even to the sea’ (pp. 152–3). These statements can likewise be readily enough related to the map, where the long western extension of the Mountains of Shadow (Ered Wethrin), forming the southern border of Nevrast, reached the sea at Vinyamar (for the equation of the Mountains of Iron and the Mountains of Shadow see I. 111–12).
Arlisgion, ‘the place of reeds’ (p. 153) above the mouths of Sirion, survived in Lisgardh ‘the land of reeds at the Mouths of Sirion’ in the later Tuor (p. 34); and the feature that the great river passed underground for a part of its course goes back to the earliest period, as does that of the Meres of Twilight, Aelin-uial (‘the Pools of Twilight’, p. 195). There is here however a substantial difference in the tale from The Silmarillion (p. 122), where Aelin-uial was the region of great pools and marshes where ‘the flood of Sirion was stayed’ south of the Meres the river ‘fell from the north in a mighty fall…and then he plunged suddenly underground into great tunnels that the weight of his falling waters delved’. Here on the other hand the Pools of Twilight are clearly below the ‘cavern of the Tumultuous Winds’ (never mentioned later) where Sirion dives underground. But the Land of Willows, below the region of Sirion’s underground passage, is placed as it was to remain.
Thus the view I expressed (p. 141) of the geographical indications in the Tale of Turambar can be asserted also of those of The Fall of Gondolin.
(ii) Ulmo and the other Valar in The Fall of Gondolin
In the speech of Tuor inspired by Ulmo that he uttered at his first meeting with Turgon (p. 161) he said: ‘the hearts of the Valar are angered…seeing the sorrow of the thraldom of the Noldoli and the wanderings of Men.’ This is greatly at variance with what is told in The Hiding of Valinor, especially the following (I.208–9):*
The most of the Valar moreover were fain of their ancient ease and desired only peace, wishing neither rumour of Melko and his violence nor murmur of the restless Gnomes to come ever again among them to disturb their happiness; and for such reasons they also clamoured for the concealment of the land. Not the least among these were Vána and Nessa, albeit most even of the great Gods were of one mind. In vain did Ulmo of his foreknowing plead before them for pity and pardon on the Noldoli…
Subsequently Tuor said (p. 161): ‘the Gods sit in Valinor, though their mirth is minished for sorrow and fear of Melko, and they hide their land and weave about it inaccessible magic that no evil come to its shores.’ Turgon in his reply ironically echoed and altered the words: ‘they that