Of the Sindar

The tale turns now from Valinor to Middle-earth and the Eldar (Elves) and their dealings during the captivity of Melkor. Elwe, known as Elu Thingol, led the Sindar or Grey-elves in star-lit Beleriand (as all of Middle-earth is star-lit at this point). With him was his wife Melian, a Maiar, and together their power had grown great in Middle-earth. Among their people was a minstrel named Daeron who developed a writing system, the Cirth, that was used in Beleriand and later adopted by the Dwarves. Thingol and Melian bore a daughter of unparalleled beauty and named her Luthien. She will be heavily involved in the future story of the Silmarils. This was at the end of the first age of Melkor's chaining.

Around this time the Dwarves awoke from their long sleep: "Concerning the beginning of the Dwarves strange tales are told by both the Eldar and by the Dwarves themselves..." (p. 352, The Return of the King). They named themselves the Khazad while the Elves named them Naugrim or Stunted People. The Eldar were amazed to encounter another speaking people in Middle-earth when the Dwarves began to come to Thingol's realm during the second age of the chaining of Melkor. They loved stone and metal work. They built the great kingdom known as Khazad-Dum (Moria). The Elves could not understand the Dwarven language. The Dwarves quickly learned the Elven tongue rather than explaining their own. "Ever cool was the friendship between the Naugrim and the Eldar, though much profit they had of one another" (p. 92, The Silmarillion). The chief of the Dwarves was Durin. "Durin is the name that the Dwarves used for the eldest of the Seven Fathers of their race, and the ancestor of all the kings of the Longbeards" (p. 352, The Return of the King).

Durin lived so long that he became know as the Deathless though he did pass away. His line did not fail and five times over an heir was also named Durin through the years. "He was indeed held by the Dwarves to be the Deathless that returned; for they have many strange tales and beliefs concerning themselves and their fate in the world" (p. 352, The Return of the King). Thingol welcomed the Dwarves. Melian with her foresight of the Maiar knew the peace in Middle-earth would not last. Therefore Thingol went about securing his kingdom in Beleriand, enlisting the Dwarves to help build a fortress-like dwelling place for him--Menegroth. Thingol paid them (as Dwarves expect) with beauiful pearls from Cirdan and Melian gave them much learning. The Elves also worked at building Menegroth so that it was akin to the beauty of Valinor. As the third age of Melkor's captivity came unrest began in Middle-earth and servants of Melkor went abroad: wolves and Orcs namely. The Naugrim brought troubling news and Thingol went to work on a great armory with the help of the Dwarves. Lenwe who had led some Elves away during the journey to Valinor and his son Denethor rounded up their people and fled to Thingol because of the evil now gaining strength and they received by Thingol as lost kin. Still, a long season of peace followed.

Middle-earth timeline: Age of the Two Trees
Today's reading comes from: The Silmarillion, pages 91-95 and The Return of the King, page 352