Tuor Before Ulmo

Tuor tarried many days in Nevrast thinking the land good; plus he was no stranger to being alone. Along the shore lands he began to find artifacts of the Noldor of old who used to dwell by the Sea. "And one day, as Tuor sat upon the shore, he heard the rush and whine of great wings, and he looked up and saw seven white swans flying in a great wedge southward" (p. 25, Unfinished Tales). Tuor loved swans as they were the token of Annael, his Elven foster-father's, house. He called to them as they called back, almost in wrath it seemed. Tuor took this as a sign that he had tarried to long and began to follow the birds.

For seven days Tuor journeyed south along the shore following the great swans. And he was led to the very halls of Vinyamar where Turgon had dwelt long ago. There the swans alighted on the highest terrace and Tuor went into the halls without fear but filled with wonder at the beauty. The light was dim and he could only make out a single throne with strange writing on it. The setting son aligned with a window and he could see about the halls but the wall behind the throne is what caught his attention seeing a shield, sword, and hauberk.

"The hauberk shone as if it were wrought of silver untarnished, and the sunbeam gilded it with sparks of gold. But the shield was of strange shape to Tuor's eyes, for it was long and tapering; and it's field was blue, in the midst of which was wrought an emblem of a white swan's wing" (p. 27, Unfinished Tales). Tuor decided to take up these arms no matter what doom they may bring. And stepping out onto the terrace, though he could not see himself, Tuor looked fit to be the father of Kings and he could feel his heart grow within him.

As he left each of the seven swans plucked a feather giving it to him and laying their long necks before his feet in reverence. Tuor placed the seven feathers in his helm and the swans left--and he never saw them again. Tuor then felt himself drawn to the Sea and going down to the shore it became apparent that a storm was brewing in the distance. A great wave rushed upon the shore toward him and he remained unmoving until a great shape formed out of the water.

"The Tuor bowed in reverence, for it seemed to him that he beheld a mighty king. A tall crown he wore like silver, from which his long hair fell down as foam glimmering in the dusk; and he cast back the grey mantle that hung about him like a mist, behold! he was clad in a gleaming coat, close-fitted as the mail of a mighty fish, and in a kirtle of deep green that flashed and flickered like sea-fire as he strode slowly towards the land. In this manner the Dweller of the Deep, whom the Noldor name Ulmo, Lord of Waters, showed himself to Tuor son of Huor of the House of Hador beneath Vinyamar" (p. 28, Unfinished Tales). Check out renditions of this scene here and here.

Ulmo called Tuor to rise and while not wrathful he rebuked Tuor for not heeding his calls sooner. For now a great host of the enemy lay between Tuor and the task of Ulmo. Tuor asked what his task might be. "'That which thy heart hath ever sought'" (p. 28, Unfinished Tales) Ulmo responded. Ulmo explained Tuor must go to Turgon and bear his message in the coats of arms he had long before prepared for him. Ulmo gave Tuor a mantle and instructed him to travel in it that he might be hidden from enemies along the way. Tuor agreed to be Ulmo's messenger. Ulmo promised he would supply the words for Tuor to say but began to teach him of things that no Man had heard and even some things the Eldar did not know.

"And Ulmo spoke to Tuor of Valinor and its darkening, and the Exile of the Noldor, and the Doom of Mandos, and the hiding of the Blessed Realm. 'But behold!' said he, 'in the armour of Fate (as the Children of Earth name it) there is ever a rift, and in the walls of Doom a breach, until the full-making, which ye call the End. So it shall be while I endure, a secret voice that gainsayeth, and a light where darkness decreed. Therefore, though in the days of this darkness I seem to oppose the will of my brethren, the Lords of the West, that is my part among them, to which I was appointed ere the making of the World. Yet Doom is strong, and the shadow of the Enemy lengthens; and I am diminished, until in Middle-earth I am become now no more than a secret whisper. The waters that run westward wither, and their springs are poisoned, and my power withdraws from the land; for Elves and Men grow blind and deaf to me because of the might of Melkor. And now the Curse of Mandos hastens to its fulfillment, and all the works of the Noldor shall perish, and every hope they build shall crumble. The last hope alone is left, the hope that they have not looked for and have not prepared. And that hope lieth in thee; for so I have chosen'" (p. 29, Unfinished Tales).

Tuor wondered what difference he, just one man, could make. "'If I choose to send thee, Tuor son of Huor, then believe not that they one sword is not worth the sending. For the valour of the Edain the Elves shall ever remember as the ages lengthen, marvelling that they gave life so freely of which they had on earth so little. But it is not for valour only that I send thee, but to bring into the world a hope beyond thy sight, and a light that shall pierce the darkness'" (p. 29-30, Unfinished Tales).

The once far-off storm was quickly approached. Ulmo ordered Tuor away from the shore to avoid Ossë's wrath. Once again Ulmo assured Tuor he would provide the words to say to Turgon when the time came. Ulmo also promised a guide, the last mariner of the last ship to seek the West until the rising of the Star. Reluctantly Tuor left the shore for his heart longed for the sea. Ulmo blew his horn and all at once Tuor was given a vision of all the waters in Middle-earth (what grace!) until the note ended. Tuor quickly retreated from the fury of the storm sleeping in the terrace with many dreams. Only one did he remember from that troubled night: "...a vision of an isle, and in the midst of it was a steep mountain, and behind it the sun went down, and shadows sprang into the sky; but above it there shone a single dazzling star" (p. 31, Unfinished Tales).

Wow! I love how Tolkien is weaving all these histories and legends of Middle-earth together. And how Eru, Illúvatar, must be behind these events ultimately through his Valar servants. This is not an allegory for Christian faith but I can't help but think of mine when I read. I love also Ulmo's words to Tuor that if Ulmo chose to send him to not think he's not worth sending--how many times have I wondered how God could use me? Just me, with all my stumblings, failings, and doubts but He is God. And if He calls me to something why should I doubt that I am not worth the sending? I was also struck by the Elves marvelling at how freely Men gave their lives in aid even though they had little span of years on earth. What a beautiful picture and it speaks to the nobility Tolkien sees in Men. Are they fallible? Yes. Greedy, prideful, and self-serving? Yes. But there is goodness and nobility too. Something I long to remember when interacting with people. That being image-bearers of God there is nobility and goodness in us all. As for Tolkien's story: there was a lot of talk of light in the darkness, a Star, and dreams of a dazzling star. Can't wait to see how this plays out in the fate of Tuor.

Middle-earth timeline: First Age, 495, autumn
Today's reading comes from: Unfinished Tales, pages 25-31