The next day as Eriol roamed some gardens he met Rúmil (who in the published lore created the first alphabet of the Elves). Rúmil was not happy for he was watching a bird whose speech he could not decipher: "'It irks me sir, it irks me, for methought at least I knew the simple speeches of all birds. I have a mind to send him down to Mandos for his pertness!'" (p. 47, The Book of Lost Tales - Volume I). The Elf revealed he passed his time as a thrall of Melko (Melkor) by learning the speeches all: monsters, goblins, birds, voles, Men, mice, etc.
The two continued to speak and Eriol asked his new friend about the Valar. Rúmil began with Ilúvatar whom Eriol mistakingly assumed was one of the gods. "'Nay,' said Rúmil, 'that he was not, for he made them. Ilúvatar is the Lord for Always who dwells beyond the world; who made it, and is not of it or in it, but loves it'" (p. 49, The Book of Lost Tales - Volume I). This conversation led into the Music of the Ainur. If you've read The Silmarillion you know it begins with the tale of the Music. How we came by that tale is unknown. But had Tolkien continued with the Eriol plot line we see that Men learned of the beginning via a wanderer who happened upon the Elves of Tol Eressëa and befriended them.
These early writings are so fluid it's hard to keep up (I haven't begun, nor will, to elucidate on the names of the differing branches of Elves). But alas, here are a couple of items that to some degree survived into the published writings:
- Ilverin or Littleheart the Gong Warden of the Cottage father is here stated as Voronwë. Voronwë (or Bronweg in Ilverin's speech) was linked with Tuor and Eärendel. Indeed, in a story from Unfinished Tales, it is Voronwë who leads Tuor to the Hidden City of Gondolin.
- The first mention of Tevildo, Prince of Cats. More on him later--but for now know this is an early forerunner of Sauron.
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