Lothlorien

As Aragron led the Company into Lothlorien they came upon a stream that fed into the Silverlode. Legolas quickly identified it as Nimrodel noting his people had many songs about it. It was known for its healing virtues as well as its name. Legolas plunged through calling the others to follow them. Frodo did indeed feel all his weariness slip down the stream as he walked through. After crossing Nimrodel they rested with Legolas telling many fair stories about Lothlorien that the Mirkwood Elves remembered (for they did not venture to Lothlorien much in latter days). As Frodo sat he thought her heard a voice singing from the waters of Nimrodel. "'Do you hear the voice of Nimrodel?' asked Legolas. 'I will sing you a song of the maiden Nimrodel, who bore the same name as the stream beside which she lived long ago'" (p. 353, The Fellowship of the Ring).

Legolas began to sing of Nimrodel and Amroth and their sad fate in Middle-earth. Crazy to think songs were still sung nearly 1200 years after the fact. Legolas only sang what he remembered ending with Amroth swimming toward the shore. It was a long song, of which he had forgotten much, telling even of the sadness that came upon Lorien. Legolas told of how the stream Nimrodel flowed into the Silverlode which in turn flowed into Anduin the Great which flowed into the Bay of Belfalas where the Elves of Lorien set sail to leave Middle-earth. Remembering Nimrodel, Legolas told of how she had a house built in the trees which was custom for the Elves of Lorien. This custom led to their name: Galadhrim or Tree-people. Gimli wondered if that may aid them now looking back toward the Dimrill Dale. Aragron agreed fearing they had rested too long at the side of the stream.

Legolas offered to climb a tree and see if it would be suitable for spending the night in. The hobbits were none too happy for they do not like heights (yet another trait I have in common with Hobbits).  Legolas quickly and lightly moved up only to hear a voice speak to him. In fear he dropped down to the Company and bade them to be still. Soon laughter could be heard and voices called down speaking clearly in Elvish but a dialect that Frodo did not know. After speaking with them Legolas said they Elves had been aware of them for some time and recognized Legolas to be one of their Northern kindred. They asked for Legolas and Frodo to come up while they decided what to do.

A rope was let down and Frodo (along with Sam) found himself with three Elves who greeted him though he could only speak broken Elvish back. In the common tongue their host introduced himself as Haldir. He informed Frodo that they had met one of Elrond's messengers and were on the watch for the hobbits, who they did not know still existed in Middle-earth. Seeing the hobbits with Legolas made the Elves more at ease at befriending them. Elrond asked, though they were not accustomed, to leading strangers through their lands. Legolas informed Haldir there were eight in the Company: four hobbits, along with two men, including Aragorn. "'The name of Aragorn son of Arathorn is known in Lorien,' said Haldir, 'and he has the favour of the Lady. All then is well. But you have yet spoken only of seven'" (p. 358, The Fellowship of the Ring). The news that a dwarf was the eighth member did not please the Galadhrim in the least. The Lord of their land, Celeborn, was never fond of Dwarves.

Frodo, quick to stand up for Gimli, said he had been a faithful companion and Elrond had himself appointed the Dwarf to journey with him. After debate they permitted Gimli to enter the land under the condition that he must be blindfolded. Haldir then said they must leave the ground quickly for their had been more Orcs on the borders then usual. The hobbits were permitted to stay on the flet with Haldir while the remaining company was taken to another tree. They charged Legolas with the watch of the others. Merry and Pippen were sure they would never sleep so high but were quickly rewarded with a fine meal and eventually did nod off (Sam rather quickly). Frodo was the last to fall asleep and the first to wake. He thought he could hear marching and sounds of metal. An elf head popped out of branch saying "Yrch!" (Orc) and disappeared.

Frodo was worried the Orcs would catch their scent but soon they went away. He checked Sting and its light faded as the Orcs went further away. But his sense of danger only grew. He thought he could hear movements below perhaps even sniffing. Frodo peered down the tree trunk. "Something was now climbing slowly, and its breath came up like a soft hissing through closed teeth. Then coming up, close to the stem, Frodo saw two pale eyes. They stopped and gazed upward unblinking" (p. 360, The Fellowship of the Ring). At that moment Haldir returned and the creature vanished. Haldir had seen it but did not recognize it; the only reason he did not loose his bow was fear of making noise the Orcs could here. As it was Haldir and his companions had used their voices to lead the Orcs far from the trees where the Fellowship slept. "'None of the Orcs will ever return out of Lorien. And there will be many Elves hidden on the northern border before another night falls'" (p. 360, The Fellowship of the Ring).

Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 3019, January
Today's reading comes from: The Fellowship of the Ring, pages 353-360