The Book of Lost Tales - J. R. Tolkien [188]
The scheme goes on to say that on a summer evening Ælfwine came to Kortirion, and thus differs from (16), where he goes to ‘Rôs their capital’, in which he finds the Cottage of Lost Play. The name Rôs seems to be used here in yet another sense—possibly a name for Tol Eressëa.
(18) He is sped to Ælfhâm (Elfhome) Eldos where Lindo and Vairë tell him many things: of the making and ancient fashion of the world: of the Gods: of the Elves of Valinor: of Lost Elves and Men: of the Travail of the Gnomes: of Eärendel: of the Faring Forth and the Loss of Valinor: of the disaster of the Faring Forth and the war with evil Men. The retreat to Luthany where Ingwë was king. Of the home-thirst of the Elves and how the greater number sought back to Valinor. The loss of Elwing. How a new home was made by the Solosimpi and others in Tol Eressëa. How the Elves continually sadly leave the world and fare thither.
For the interpretation of this passage it is essential to realise (the key indeed to the understanding of this projected history) that ‘the Faring Forth’ does not here refer to the Faring Forth in the sense in which it has been used hitherto—that from Tol Eressëa for the Rekindling of the Magic Sun, which ended in ruin, but to the March of the Elves of Kôr and the ‘Loss of Valinor’ that the March incurred (see pp. 253, 257, 280). It is not indeed clear why it is here called a ‘disaster’: but this is evidently to be associated with ‘the war with evil Men’, and war between Elves and Men at the time of the March from Kôr is referred to in citations (1) and (3).
In ‘the Eriol story’ it is explicit that after the March from Kôr the Elves departed from the Great Lands to Tol Eressëa; here on the other hand ‘the war with evil Men’ is followed by ‘the retreat to Luthany where Ingwë was king’. The (partial) departure to Tol Eressëa is from Luthany; the loss of Elwing seems to take place on one of these voyages. As will be seen, the ‘Faring Forth’ of ‘the Eriol story’ has disappeared as an event of Elvish history, and is only mentioned as a prophecy and a hope.
Schematically the essential divergence of the two narrative structures can be shown thus:
(Eriol story)
(Ælfwine story)
March of the Elves of Kôr to the Great Lands
March of the Elves of Kôr to the Great Lands (called ‘the Faring Forth’)
War with Men in the Great Lands
War with Men in the Great Lands
Retreat of the Elves to Tol Eressëa (loss of Elwing)
Retreat of the Elves to Luthany (> England) ruled by Ingwë
Departure of many Elves to Tol Eressëa (loss of Elwing)
Eriol sails from the East (North Sea region) to Tol Eressëa
Ælfwine sails from England to Tol Eressëa
The Faring Forth, drawing of Tol Eressëa to the Great Lands; ultimately Tol Eressëa > England
This is of course by no means a full statement of the Ælfwine story, and is merely set out to indicate the radical difference of structure. Lacking from it is the history of Luthany, which emerges from the passages that now follow.
(19) Luthany means ‘friendship’, Lúthien ‘friend’. Luthany the only land where Men and Elves once dwelt an age in peace and love.
How for a while after the coming of the sons of Ing the Elves throve again and ceased to fare away to Tol Eressëa.
How Old English became the sole mortal language which an Elf will speak to a mortal that knows no Elfin.
(20) Ælfwine of England (whose father and mother were slain by the fierce Men of the Sea who knew not the Elves) was a great lover of the Elves, especially of the shoreland Elves that lingered in the land. He seeks for Tol Eressëa whither the fairies are said to have retired.
He reaches it. The fairies call him Lúthien. He learns of the making of the world,…….of Gods and Elves, of Elves and Men, down to the departure to Tol Eressëa.
How the Faring Forth came to nought, and the fairies