The Second Set of Stories
THE FIRST AGE OF THE SUN
(lasting 601 years)
(Some conjecture that this began on March 25, 10160 BCE in our reckoning)
Chapter Four: Early Men, Elves in Middle Earth, and The War of the Silmaril Jewels
FOR REFERENCE AS YOU READ THIS: Be aware of the maps in:
The History of Middle Earth
Vol. 11: The War of the Jewels: Part
2 The Later Quenta Silmarillion, under II. Beleriand and Its Realms (pp. 182-185).
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 5: The Lost Road and Other Writings: Appendix III The Second Silmarillion Map
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 4: The Shaping of Middle-Earth: Chapter IV and the First Silmarillion Maps on the inside covers.
THE STORY: Silmarillion's Quenta Silmarillion Chapters 12 through 20 re years
1 through 473:
12 Men
+ 13 Return of Noldor (First
Age years 1-260)
+ 14 Beleriand
+ 15 Noldor in Beleriand
(52-70)
+ 16 Maeglin (304-330)
+ 17 Coming of Men into the
West (310-425)
+ 18 Ruin of Beleriand and
Fall of Fingolfin (455-462)
+ 19 Beren and Luthien
(462-468)
+ 20 Fifth Battle Nirnaeth
Arnoediad (473)
OTHER FASCINATING FACTS:
About the dwarves: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 11: The War of the Jewels: Part 2 The Later Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 13 (Concerning the Dwarves)'s section Of the Naugrim and the Edain (pp. 203-215 in my edition, especially the earlier info)
Genealogies of men: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 11: The War of the Jewels: Part 2 The Later Quenta Silmarillion, about the latter half of Chapter 14 (Of the Coming of Men into the West), under The House of Beor then The House of Hador then The Haladin (pp. 230-238, especially the actual charts)
Don't miss these bits when you read the below Book of Lost Tales, Part I:
in its chapter X Travail of Noldoli and Coming of Mankind another wizard! pp 262ff and also there our oldest human relatives
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 11: The War of the Jewels: Part 4 Quendi and Eldar (unless you're into languages, I'd just do section C The Clan Names including how very few elves the world started with pp380-385; Appendix B Elvish Names for the Dwarves including an explanation of the Petty Dwarves p388; Appendix D Words for Language its last couple pages on writing systems and on the gathering of elven lore pp396-397; Note on the Language of the Valar re how it sounded p398 and comparing it with human language p402 and just before author's notes re telepathy and elven lore pp406-407; and its Appendix The Legend of the Awakening of the Quendi which is another story! pp420-424)
IF you're interested in various languages, see: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 12: The Peoples of Middle Earth, Part Two, XI: The Shibboleth of Feanor (though it has info all the way into the 4th Age I think it is of interest right now).
INTERESTING RETELLING(S): NOTE there will be more about Beren & Luthien and also the silmarils in later chapters.
The Book of Lost Tales, Part I, The Tales of Valinor (AKA The History of Middle Earth Vol. 1),
X Travail of Noldoli and Coming of Mankind
IF you want even more summary, see: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 11: The War of the Jewels: Part 1 The Grey Annals continue especially history of elves, from Section 41 Of the Coming of the Noldor part of the year 1497 of the Valar Years up to where begins history of especially men in year 370 of the 1st Age of the Sun (pp16-48) (skipping the notes at the end unless have a question).
APOCRYPHAL STORIES YOU MAY LIKE OR NOT:
Re the relation of hobbits to humans: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 6: The Return of the Shadow: Chapter XIX, p. 310 bottom through p.314 1st.
HAPPY OR OTHERWISE INTERESTING FUTURE STUFF NOT COVERED ABOVE: Actually within my last chapert’s Book of Lost Tales, Part I: in its chapter IX Hiding of Valinor: how the Valar could have been greater and how important humans might be, p 248.
Chapter Five: The Stories of Hurin and His Children in Late Years of the First Age of the Sun
THE STORY: The Children of Hurin all except its appendix 1
+ The History of Middle Earth Vol. 11: The War of the Jewels: Part 3 Chapter I: The Wanderings of Hurin (re First Age year 501) (has much more than I know of elsewhere on this; a welcome look at more of Hurin's personality)
OTHER FASCINATING FACTS:
On the history of Dragon Helm: Unfinished Tales the last couple pages of Part One The First Age, Chapter II's The Departure of Túrin, pp 75-76
On Saeros: Unfinished Tales Part One The First Age, Chapter II's Túrin in Doriath's 3rd paragraph, p77
On Turin's grey hair and also the lifestyles of some elves: The Book of Lost Tales, Part II, Other Tales of Elfinesse (AKA The History of Middle Earth Vol. 2): II Turambar and Foaloke (of Turin) p81.
On elvish lanterns: The Book of Lost Tales, Part II, Other Tales of Elfinesse (AKA The History of Middle Earth Vol. 2): II Turambar and Foaloke (of Turin) p78.
Re dragons: The Book of Lost Tales, Part II, Other Tales of Elfinesse (AKA The History of Middle Earth Vol. 2): II Turambar and Foaloke (of Turin), pp142-143.
On how the Valar sometimes "interfere," summarized on pp141-142 of The Book of Lost Tales, Part II, Other Tales of Elfinesse (AKA The History of Middle Earth Vol. 2): II Turambar and Foaloke (of Turin).
At least at one point Tolkien was fine with not writing all the stories down, as is true of any myth. (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, pp144b-145t).
INTERESTING RETELLING(S):
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 3: The Lays of Beleriand: Part I The Lay of the Children of Hurin UP TO Second Version of the Lay read a bit later (though the main story is covered elsewhere, this is a verse version with the usual extra details of poetry)
ONLY if you're really interested in reading more (I would skip it next time except as noted above and below re some interesting facts): The Book of Lost Tales, Part II, Other Tales of Elfinesse (AKA The History of Middle Earth Vol. 2): II Turambar and Foaloke (of Turin).
HAPPY OR OTHERWISE INTERESTING FUTURE STUFF NOT COVERED ABOVE: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 12: The Peoples of Middle Earth: Part Two, XII. The Problem of Ros just the more complete description of Turin's future in the long note 17.
INTERESTING MANUSCRIPT NOTES: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 11: The War of the Jewels: Part 1 The Grey Annals: just all 3 notes at the end re Children of Hurin, Battle of Unnumbered Tears, and Hurin and Huor to Gondolin; those notes begin at page 161 in my copy. They are especially interesting re an alternate ending to the Children of Hurin.
The Children of Hurin appendix 1, The Evolution of the Great Tales
Chapter Six: The Ruin of Doriath
Note that my chapters 6 and 7 overlap.
THE STORY: Silmarillion's Quenta Silmarillion Chapter 22 (re First Age years 502-505): Ruin of Doriath
And for a non-canonical but only complete account of the Nauglafring: The Book of Lost Tales, Part II, Other Tales of Elfinesse (AKA The History of Middle Earth Vol. 2): IV Nauglafring.
FASCINATING FACTS: About an interesting ability of dwarves to understand "the languages of plant and stone": The History of Middle Earth Vol. 7: The Treason of Isengard: Chapter XII, 221b-222t.
INTERESTING MANUSCRIPT NOTES: just the part at the end of The History of Middle Earth Vol. 11: The War of the Jewels: Part 3 Chapter V: The Tale of Years its last section, re the Silmarillion chapter 22
Chapter Seven: More of the Tale of Beren and Luthien
THE STORY:
Beren and Luthien
FASCINATING FACTS: In the below Hurin lay: I enjoyed the interesting bits about Beleg; is there a rumor he was like a wizard?? pp 25-26, 127 in my ed.
In the below The Book of Lost Tales, Part II, Other Tales of Elfinesse (AKA The History of Middle Earth Vol. 2): I Tinuviel (of Beren and Luthien): why certain elves are so musical, p42; how the Valar sometimes "interfere," summarized on p68.
INTERESTING RETELLING(S):
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 3: The Lays of Beleriand: Parts III + IV: The Lay of Leithian through the end
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 3: The Lays of Beleriand: Part I The Lay of the Children of Hurin, Second Version of the Lay (though the main story is covered elsewhere, this is a verse version with the usual extra details of poetry) (In spite of its title, this has a lot about Beren and Luthien, and also about Aragorn; NOTE if you have not read Fellowship of the Ring you should probably wait and read this after that, and even if you have you might enjoy reading this then instead.)
(keeping in mind this is a different version but still very useful, more than just interesting:) The Book of Lost Tales, Part II, Other Tales of Elfinesse (AKA The History of Middle Earth Vol. 2): I Tinuviel (of Beren and Luthien)
A different version of the poem: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 6: The Return of the Shadow: Chapter X, pp. 180-182.
A different? retelling by Aragorn: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 6: The Return of the Shadow: Chapter X, pp. 182-184.
HAPPY OR OTHERWISE INTERESTING FUTURE STUFF NOT COVERED ABOVE: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 5: The Lost Road and Other Writings: Part 2, Chapter VI: Quenta Silmarillion, just re ends of Beren and Luthien, the end of the notes re 12-15, beginning p. 334.
Don't miss from above about their future in The Book of Lost Tales, Part II, Other Tales of Elfinesse (AKA The History of Middle Earth Vol. 2): I Tinuviel (of Beren and Luthien), pp40-41, 60; IV Nauglafring, p240.
OTHER MEDIA YOU MIGHT WANT TO ENJOY AT THIS POINT:
The tape of Christopher Tolkien reading this story from the Silmarillion (Tape Four)
Chapter Eight: The Story of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin
FOR REFERENCE AS YOU READ THIS: When you are at stories about Celegorm and Curufin, see for a discussion of their motives and a map and a discussion of geography The History of Middle Earth Vol. 11: The War of the Jewels: Part 3 Chapter III Maeglin pp 327-330.
THE STORY:
Fall of Gondolin (I would only re-read “The Original Tale”
and “The Last Version”)
OTHER FASCINATING FACTS: Don't miss in the above The Book of Lost Tales, Part II, Other Tales of Elfinesse (AKA The History of Middle Earth Vol. 2): III Fall of Goldolin (note this is repeated in Fall of Gondolin’s “The Original Tale”)
re Ulmo's music, p155
an alternate origin of orcs, pp159-160, 219
a good description of Gondolin, p160
robots, p170
Gondolin festivals, pp171-172
Gondolin soldiers, pp172-174
human cities mentioned by Tolkien, p196
INTERESTING RETELLINGS:
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 3: The Lays of Beleriand: Part II last, unnumbered section 3: Lay of the Fall of Gondolin (I enjoyed the new bits of verse, though the story is often a different version)
IF you wish a summary, especially if you are interested in battle stories, read: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 11: The War of the Jewels: Part 1 The Grey Annals finish (from paragraph 120; re years 370-499 of the 1st Age of the Sun) (from page 48 in my edition).
Chapter Nine: Stories of Eärendil (Tuor's son and Elrond's father)
THE STORY: Silmarillion's Quenta Silmarillion Chapter 24 (re First Age years 543-601): Voyage of Earendil and War of Wrath
OTHER FASCINATING FACTS: The Book of Lost Tales, Part II, Other Tales of Elfinesse (AKA The History of Middle Earth Vol. 2): re world geography, p261.
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 4: The Shaping of Middle-Earth: re what the fading of elves means p. 33m; re Britain/England p. 39 2nd from bottom and p. 199.
INTERESTING RETELLING(S):
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 4: The Shaping of Middle-Earth: Appendix 2 of a song Tuor made for Earendil.
The Book of Lost Tales, Part II, Other Tales of Elfinesse (AKA The History of Middle Earth Vol. 2): V Earendil, just the poems.
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 3: The Lays of Beleriand: Part II unnumbered section 2: Lay of Earendil.
If want date references: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 4: The Shaping of Middle-Earth: Chapter VII.
On Earendil and Bilbo's poem re: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 7: The Treason of Isengard: Chapter V, poems on pp. 91-96m, 99 near b to 102t, 102m-103b for background, NOTE 103b-105m give the actual finalized form of Earendillinwe. (NOTE TO SELF: Would be lovely to memorize 91b-92t.)
Morgoth's Ring Part 4
INTERESTING MANUSCRIPT NOTES: Re various things from the First Age of the Sun:
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 5: The Lost Road and Other Writings:
Part 2, Chapter III: The Later Annals of Beleriand, just the discussion of the Drowning of Beleriand at the end re Annal 350.
+ Part 2, Chapter V: The Lhammas, just skimming the text and skipping the commentary except for its charts; concentrating on how not all languages produced written works, and which ones survived in what type of writings or as spoken tongues of which there's a chart p213
+ Part 2, Chapter VI: Quenta Silmarillion, just these parts:
Aelfwine's note on who originally
wrote the ancient texts – Pengalod the Wise etc, beginning p. 222 in my ed.;
various
ancient names of the elves, commentary beginning p. 236
+ Part 3, The Etymologies ONLY if you're into languages
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 12: The Peoples of Middle Earth:
Part Two, XII. The Problem of Ros just note 13 re the Atani
Part Three, XIV: part of the Teachings of Pengolod: Dangweth Pengolod (an explanation of why elvish languages changed; a real pleasure to read; note the picture of its illuminated manuscript in the frontispiece; I loved "The Eldar being skilled and eager in art will readily make things new, both for delight to look on, or to hear, or to feel, or for daily use: be in vessels or raiment or in speech.")
HAPPY OR OTHERWISE INTERESTING FUTURE STUFF: The History of Middle Earth Vol. 4: The Shaping of Middle-Earth: Chapter II, p. 41 top.
