Magic

by Arwil

Elven Magic

By Arwil and Númellotë

Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Letter # 131
(pg. 146)

"Their [Elves] 'magic' is Art, delivered from many of its human limitations: more effortless, more quick, more complete (product, and vision in unflawed correspondence). And its object is Art not Power, sub-creation not domination and tyrannous re-forming of Creation. (...) But at Eregion great work began - and the Elves came their nearest to falling to 'magic' and machinery. With the aid of Sauron's lore they made Rings of Power (...)

(pg, 152)
The chief power (of all the rings alike) was the prevention of decay (i.e. 'change' viewed as a regreattable thing), the preservation of what is desired or loved, or its semblance - this is more or less an Elvish motive. But also they enhanced the natural powers of a possessor - thus approaching 'magic', a motive easily corruptible into evil, a lust for domination. (...)

(pg. 152)
The Elves of Eregion made Three supremely beautiful and powerful rings, almost solely of their own imagination, and directed to the preservation of beauty (...)"

Letter # 155

(pg. 199-200)
"I am afraid I have been far too casual about 'magic' and especially the use of the word; though Galadriel and others show by the criticism of the 'mortal' use of the word, that the thought about it is not altogether casual. But it is a v. large question, and difficult; and a story which, (...) is largely about motives (choice, temptations etc.) and the intentions for using whatever is found in the world, could hardly be burdened with a pseudo-philosophic disquisition! (...) some would say there is a latent distinction such as once was called the distinction between magia and goeteia. Galadriel speaks of the 'deceits of the Enemy'. Well enough, but magia could be, was, held good (per se), and goeteia bad. Neither is, in this tale, good or bad (per se), but only by motive or purpose or use. Both sides use both, but with different motives. The supremely bad motive is (for this tale, since it is specially about it) domination of other 'free' wills. The Enemy's operations are by no means all goetic deceits, but 'magic' that produces real effects in the physical world. But his magia he uses to bulldoze both people and things, and his goeteia to terrify and subjugate. Their magia the Elves and Gandalf use (sparingly): a magia, producing real results (like fire in a wet faggot) for specific beneficent purposes. Their goetic effects are entirely artistic and not intended to deceive: they never deceive Elves (but may deceive or bewilder unaware Men) since the difference is to them as clear as the difference to us between fiction, painting, and sculpture, and 'life'.

(pg. 200)
(...) Anyway, a difference in the use of 'magic' in this story is that it is not to be come by by 'lore' or spells; but is in inherent power not possessed or attainable by Men as such. Aragorn's 'healing' might be regarded as 'magical', or at least a blend of magic with pharmacy and 'hypnotic' processes. But it is (in theory) reported by hobbits who have very little notions of philosophy and science; while A. is not a pure 'Man', but at long remove one of the 'children of Lúthien'."

The Sil.- Of Beren and Lúthien

(pg. 202)
"It is told in the Lay of Leithian how she escaped from the house in Hirilorn; for she put forth her arts of enchantment and caused her hair to grow to great length, and of it she wove a dark robe that wrapped her beauty like a shadow, and it was laden with a spell of sleep. (...)

(pg. 206)
Then Lúthien stood upon the bridge, and declared her power: and the spell was loosed that bound stone to stone, and the gates were thrown down, and the walls opened, and the pits laid bare (...)

(pg. 209)
With that leaf she [Lúthien] staunched Beren's wound, and by her arts and by her love she healed him; and thus at last they returned to Doriath.

(pg.212)
But suddenly some power, descended from of old from divine race, possessed Lúthien, and casting back her foul raiment she stood forth, small before the might of Carcaroth, but radiant and terrible. Lifting up her hand she commanded him to sleep, saying: 'O woe-begotten spirit, fall now into dark oblivion, and forget for a while the dreadful doom of life.' And Carcaroth was felled, as though lightning had smitten him.

(pg. 212-213)
Then suddenly she [Lúthien] eluded his sight, and out of the shadows began a song of such surpassing loveliness, and of such blinding power, that he [Morgoth] listened perforce; and a blindness came upon him, as his eyes roamed to and fro, seeking her.
All his court were cast down in slumber, and all the fires faded and were quenched; but the Silmarils in the crown on Morgoth's head blazed forth suddenly with a radiance of white flame; and the burden of that crown and of the jewels bowed down his head, as though the world were set upon it, laden with a weight of care, of fear, and of desire, that even the will of Morgoth could not support. Then Lúthien catching up her winged robe sprang into the air, and her voice came dropping down like rain into pools, profound and dark. She cast her cloak before his eyes, and set upon him a dream, dark as the Outer Void where once he walked alone."

BoLT2 - The Tale of Tinúviel

(pg. 19)
"Now Tinúviel took the wine and water when she was alone, and singing a very magical song the while, she mingled them together, and as they lay in the bowl of silver she sang another song, and the names of all the tallest and longest things upon Earth were set in that song; the beards of the Indravangs, the tail of Karkaras, the body of Glorund, the bole of Hirilorn, and the sword of Nan she named, nor did she forget the chain Angainu that Aulë and Tulkas made or the neck of Gilim the giant, and last and longest of all she spake of the hair of Uinen the lady of the sea that is spread through all the waters. Then did she lave her head with the mingled water and wine, and as she did so she sang a third song, a song of uttermost sleep, and the hair of Tinúviel which was dark and finer than the most delicate threads of twilight began suddenly to grow very fast indeed, and after twelve hours had passed it nigh filled the little room, and then Tinúviel was very pleased and she lay down to rest; and when she awoke the room was full as with a black mist and she was deep hidden under it, and lo! her hair was trailing out of the windows and blowing about the tree boles in the morning. Then with difficulty she found her little shears and cut the threads of that growth nigh to her head, and after that hre hair grew only as it was wont before.

(pg. 20)
Then was the labour of Tinúviel begun, and though she laboured with the deftness of an Elf long was she spinning and longer weaving still, (...)

(pg. 20)
Now of that cloudy hair Tinúviel wore a robe of misty black soaked with drowsiness more magical far than even that one that her mother had worn and danced in long long ago before the Sun arose, and therewith she covered her garments of shimmering white, and magic slumbers filled the airs about her; (...) she began a song very soft and low, and as she sung she cast out her long hair from the window so that its slumbrous mist touched the heads and faces of the guards below, and they listening to her voice fell suddenly into a fathomless sleep.

HoME 3 - Lay of Leithian

(pg. 280)
With elvish magic Lúthien wrought,
lest raiment foul with evil fraught
to dreadful madness drive their hearts;
and there she wrought with elvish arts
a strong defence, a binding power,
singing until the midnight hour.

FotR - The Mirror of Galadriel

(pg. 352-353)
'Many things I can command the Mirror to reveal,' she [Galadriel] answered, 'and to some I can show what they desire to see. But the Mirror will also show things unbidden, and those are often stranger and more profitable than things which we wish to behold. What you will see, if you leave the Mirror free to work, I cannot tell. For it shows things that were, and things that are, and things that yet may be. But which is it that he sees, even the wisest cannot always tell. Do you wish to look?'

Frodo did not answer.

'And you?' she said, turning to Sam, 'For this is what your folk would call magic, I believe; though I do not understand clearly what they mean; and they seem to use the same word of the deceits of the Enemy. But this, if you will, is the magic of Galadriel. Did you not say that you wished to see Elf-magic?'

SOURCE: ''MORGOTH'S RING''
Chapter: ''The Annals of Aman''
''1450 – The Silmarilli of Fëanor's are made''

Pages: 94, 95

''§ 93 – In this year the Silmarils were full-wrought, the wonder of Arda. As Three great jewels they were in form. But not until the End, when Fëanor shall return who perished when the Sun was young and sittech now in the Halls of Awaiting and comes no more amongst his kin; not until Sun passeth and the Moon falls shall it be known of what substance they were made. Like the crystal of diamond it appeared and yet was more strong than adamant, so that no violence within the walls of this world could mar it or break it. Yet that crystal was to the Silmarils but as is the body to the Children of Ilúvatar: the house of its inner fire, that is within it and yet in all parts of it, and is its life. And the inner fire of the Silmarils Fëanor made of the blended Light of the Trees of Valinor which lives in them yet, though the Trees have long withered and shine no more. Therefore even in the uttermost darkness the Silmarils of their own radiance shone like the stars of Varda; and yet, as were they indeed living things, they rejoiced in light and received it, and gave it back in hues more lovely than before.''

SOURCE: ''THE SILMARILLION''
Chapter: ''Of Beren and Lúthien''

Pages: 200, 201 ''Thus befell the contest of Sauron and Felagund which is renowned. For Felagund strove with Sauron in songs of power, and the power of the King was very great, but Sauron had the mastery, as is told in the Lay of Leithian:

He chanted a song of wizardry,
Of piercing, opening, of treachery,
Revealing, uncovering, betraying.
Then sudden Felagund there swaying,
Sang in answer a song of staying,
Resisting, battling against power,
Of secrets kept, strength like a tower,
And trust unbroken, freedom, escape;
Of changing and of shifting shape,
Of snares eluded, broken traps,
The prison opening, the chain that snaps.
Backwards and forwards swayed their song.
Reeling and foundering, as ever more strong.
The chanting swelled, Felagund fought,
And all the magic and might he brought
Of Elvenesse into his words.
Softly in the gloom they heard the birds
Singing afar in Nargothrond,
The sighing of the Sea beyond,
Beyond the western world, on sand,
On sand of pearls in Elvenland.
Then the gloom gathered; darkness growing,
In Valinor, the red blood flowing
Beside the Sea, where the Noldor slew
The Foamriders, and stealing drew
Their white ships with their white sails.
From lamplit havens. The wind wails,
The wolf howls. The ravens flee.
The ice mutters in the mouths of the Sea.
The captives sad in Angband mourn.
Thunder rumbles, the fires burn –
And Finrod fell before the throne.

Chapter: ''Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin''
Page: 289 – Foresight of Idril

''But Idril Celebrindal was wise and far-seeing, and her heart misgave her, and foreboding crept upon her spirit as a cloud. Therefore in that time she let prepare a secret way, that should lead down from the city and passing out beneath the surface of the plain issue far beyond the walls, northward of Amon Gwareth; and she contrived it that the work was known but to few, and no whisper of it came to Maeglin's ears.''

Chapter: '' Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age''
Page: 345 – Of Narya,Vilya and Nenya

''Now these were the Three that had last been made, and they possessed the greatest powers. Narya, Nenya, and Vilya they were named, the Rings of Fire, and of Water, and of Air, set with ruby and adamant and sapphire; and of all the Elven-rings Sauron most desired to possess them, for those who had them in their keeping could ward off the decays of time and postpone the weariness of the world.''

Page: 350 – Palantíri

''Now these Stones had this virtue that those who looked therein might percieve in them things far off, whether in place or in time. For the most part they revealed only things near to another kindred Stone , for the Stones each called to each, but those who possessed great strength of will and of mind might learn to direct their gaze whither whey would. These Stones were gifts of the Eldar to Amandil, father of Elendil, for the comfort of the Faithful of Numenor in their dark days, when the Elves might come no longer to that land under the shadow of Sauron. They were called the Palantíri, those that watch from afar; but all those that were brought to Middle-earth long ago were lost.''

Page: 357 –

''In that house were harboured the Heirs of Isildur, in childhood and old age, and because he knew in his wisdom that one should come of their line to whom a great part was appointed in the last deeds of that Age.''

Page: 358

''Of the Three Rings that the Elves had preserved unsullied no open word was ever spoken among the Wise, and few even of the Eldar knew where they were bestowed. Yet after the fall of Sauron their power was ever at work, and where they abode there mirth also dwelt and all things were unstained by the grief of time.''

''Thus it was that in two dominions the bliss and beauty of the Elves remained still undiminished while that Age endured: in Imladris, and in Lothlórien, the hidden land between Celebrant and Anduin.; where the trees bore flowers of gold and no Orc or evil thing dared ever come. Yet many voices were heard among the Elves foreboding that, if Sauron should come again, then either he would find the Rulling Ring that was lost, or at best his enemies would discover it and destroy it; but in either chance the powers of the Three must then fail and all things maintained by them must fade, and so the Elves should pass into the twilight and the Dominion of the Men begin. And so indeed it has befallen: the One and Seven and the Nine are destroyed, and the Three have passed away, and with them the Third Age is ended, and the Tales of the Eldar in Middle-earth draw to their close.''

Page: 361

''Therefore naught was done at that time, though Elrond's heart misgave him, and he said to Mithrandir: ''Nonetheless I forebode that the One will yet be found, and then war will arise again, and in that war this Age will be ended.. Indeed in a second darkness it will end, unless some strange chance deliver us that my eyes cannnot see.''

Page: 363

''Then in the midst of gathering fear and the rumour of war, the foreboding of Elrond was proved true, and the One Ring was indeed found again, by a chance more strange than even Mithrandir had foreseen; and it was hidden from Curunír and from Sauron.''

Page: 366

''But when all these things were done, and the Heir of Isildur had taken up the lordship of Men, and the dominion of the West had passed to him, then it was made plain that the power of the Three Rings also was ended, and to the Firstborn the world grew old and grey.''

SOURCE : ''UNFINISHED TALES''
Chapter: ''Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin''
Page: 24

''But Annael forbode this: ''Far hence, I deem, your doom lies, Tuor son of Huor.''

Page: 29

''But fear not,'' said Gelmir: ''a great doom is written upon your brow, and it shall lead you far from these lands, far indeed from Middle-earth, as I guess.''

Chapter: ''The History of Galadriel and Celeborn''
Page: 297

''From her earliest years she hada marvellous gift of insight into the minds of others; but judged them with mercy and understanding; and she witheld her goodwill from none save only Fëanor.''

Page: 303

''Or rather, since Sauron has as yet no single name, and his operations had not been percieved to proceed from a single evil spirit, prime servant of Morgoth, she percieved that there was an evil controlling purpose abroad in the world, and that it seemed to proceed from a source further to the East, beyond Eriador and the Misty Mountains.''

Page. 306

''It was at that time that she had received Nenya, the White Ring, from Celebrimbor, and by its power the realm of Lórinand was strengthened and made beautiful; but its power upon her was great also and unforeseen, for it increased her latent desire for the Sea and for return into the West, so that her joy in Middle-earth was diminished.''

Page: 317

''In her wisdom Galadriel saw that Lórien would be a stronghold and point of power to prevent the Shadow from crossing the Anduin in the war that must inevitably come before it was again defeated (if that were possible); but that it needed a rule of greater strength and wisdom than the Silvan folk possessed.''

''The Elessar''
Pages. 321, 322, 323, 324, 325.

''Enerdhil loved all green things that grew, and his greatest joy was to see the Sunlight through the leaves of trees. And it came into his heart to make a jewel within which the clear light of the sun should be imprisoned, but the jewel should be green as leaves. And he made this thing, and even the Noldor marvelled at it. For it is said that those who looked through this stone saw things that were withered or burned healed again or as they were in the grace of their youth, and that the hands of one who held it brought to all that they touched healing from hurt. This gem Enerdhil gave to Idril the King's daughter, and she wore it upon her breast, and so it was saved from the burning of Gondolin. And before Idril set sail she said to Eärendil her son: ''The Elessar I leave with thee, for there are grievous hurts to Middle-earth which thou maybe shalt heal. But to none other shalt thou deliver it.'' And indeed at Sirion's Haven there were many hurts to heal both of Men and Elves, and of beasts that fled thither from the horror of the North; and while Eärendil dwelt there they were healed and prospered, and all things were for a while green and fair.''

''And when Olórin had told her many tidings, she sighed, and said:''I grieve in Middle-earth, for leaves fall and flowers fade, and my heart yearns, remembering trees and grass that do not die. I would have them in my home.'' Then Olórin said: ''Would you the have the Elessar?'' And Galadriel said. ''Where now is the stone of Eärendil? And Enerdhil is gone who made it.'' ''Who knows?'' said Olórin. ''Surely,'' said Galadriel, ''they have passed over Sea, as almost all fair things beside. And must Middle-earth then fade and perish for ever?'' ''This is its fate,''said Olórin''Yet for a little while that might be amended, if the Elessar should return For a little, until the Days of Men are come.'' ''If –and yet how could that be, ''said Galadriel. ''For surely the Valar are now removed and Middle-earth is far from their thought, and all who cling to it are under a shadow.'' ''It is not so,'' said Olórin. ''Their eyes are not dimmed nor their hearts hardened. In token of which look upon this!'' And he held before her the Elessar, and she looked on it and wondered. And Olórin said: ''This I bring to you from Yavanna. Use it as you may, and for a while you shall make the land of your dwelling the fairest place in Middle-earth. But it is not for you to possess. You shall hand it on when the time comes. For before you grow weary, and at last forsake Middle-earth one shall come who is to received it, and his name shall be that of the stone: Elessar he shall be called.''

The other tale runs so….

Therefore he took thought, and began a long and delicate labour, and so for Galadriel he made the greatest of his work (save the Three Rings only). And it is said that more subtle and clear was the green gem that he made than that of Enerdhil, but yet its light had less power.''

''Radiant nonetheless was the Elessar of Celebrimbor; and he set it within a great brooch of silver in the likeness of an eagle rising upon outspread wings. Wielding the Elessar all things grew fair about Galadriel, until the coming of the Shadow to the Forest. But afterwards when Nenya, chief of the Three (21), was sent to her by Celebrimbor, she needed it (as she thought) no more, and she gave it to Celebrían her daughter, and so it came to Arwen and to Aragorn who was called Elessar.''

Chapter: ''The Palantíri''
Pages: 529, 530.

''The ''lore of the Stones'' is now forgotten, and can only be partly recovered by conjecture and from things recorded about them. They were perfect spheres, appearing when at rest to be made of solid glass or crystal deep black in hue. At smallest they were about a foot in diameter, but some, certainly the Stones of Osgiliath and Amon Súl, were much larger and could not be lifted by one man. Originally they were placed in sites suitable to their sizes and intended uses, standing on low round tables of black marble in a central cup or depression, in which they could at need be revolved by hand. They were very heavy but perfectly smooth, and would suffer no damage if by accidente or malice they were unseated and rolled off their tables. They were indeed unbreakable by any violence then controlled by men, though some believed that great heat, such as that of Orodruin, might shatter them, or surmised that this had been the fate of the Ithil-stone in the fall of Barad-dur.

Though without any external markings of any kind they had permanent poles, and were originally so placed in their sites that they stood ''upright'': their diameters from pole to pole pointed to the earth's centre, but the permanent nether pole must then be at the bottom. The faces along the circumference in this position were the viewing faces, receiving the visions from the outside, but transmiting them to the eye of a ''surveyor'' upon fair side. A surveyor, therefore, who wished to look west would place himself on the east side of the Stone, and if he wished to shift his vision northward must move to his left, southward. But the minor Stones, those of Orthanc, Ithil, and Anor, and probably Annúminas, had also fixed orientation in their original situation, so that (for example) their west face would only look west and turned in other directions was blank. If a Stone became unseated or disturb it could be re-set by observation, and it was then useful to resolve it. But when removed and cast down, as was the Orthanc-stone, it was not so easy to set right.''

''The mayor Stones were not so fixed: their circumference could be revolved and they could still''see''in any direction.

Alone the palantíri could only''see'', they did not transmit sound. Ungoverned by a directing mind they were wayward, and their''visions''were (apparently at least) haphazard. From a high place their westward face, for instance, could look to vast distance, its vision blurred and distorted to either side and above and below, and its foreground obscured by things behind receding in ever-diminishing clarity. Also, what they''saw'' was directed or hindered by chance, by darkness, or by ''shrouding'' (see below). The vision of the palantíri was not ''blinded''or ''occluded'' by physical obstacles, but only by darkness; so they could look through a mountains they could look through a patch of dark or shadow, but see nothing within that did not receive some light. They could see through walls but see nothing within rooms, caves, or vaults unless some light fell on it; and they could not themselves provide or project light. It was possible to guard against their sight by the process called ''shrouding'', by which certain things or areas would be seen in a Stone only as a shadow or a deep mist. How this was done (by those aware of the Stones and the possibility of being watched by them) is one of the lost mysteries of the palantíri. (18)

A viewer could by his will cause the vision of the Stone to concentrate on some point, on or near its direct line. (19)The uncontrolled ''visions'' were small, especially in the minor Stones, though they were much larger to the eye of a beholder who placed himself at some distance from the surface of the palantír (about three feet at best). But controlled by the will of a skilled and strong surveyor, remoter things could be enlarged, brought as it were nearer and clearer, while their background was almost suppressed. Thus a man at a considerable distance might be seen as a thiny figure, half an inch high, difficult to pick out against a landscape or a concourse of other men; but concentration could enlarge and clarify the vision till he was seen in clear if reduced detail like a picture apparently a foot or more in height, and recognized if he was known to the surveyor. Great concentration might even enlarge some detail that interested the surveyor, so that it could be see (for instance) if he had a ring on his hand. But this ''concentration'' was very tiring and might become exhausting. Consequently it was only undertaken when information was urgently desired, and chance (aided by other information maybe) enabled the surveyor to pick out items (significant for him and his immediate concern) from the welter of the Stone's vision.''

''The palantíri could not themselves survey men's minds, at unawares or unwilling; for the transference of thought depended on the wills of the user on either side, and thought (received as speech) (21) was only transmittable by one Stone to another in accord.''

(18) The later note referred to in note 17 treats some of these aspects of the palantíri slightly differently; in particular the concept of ''shrouding'' seems differently employed. This note, very hasty and somewhat obscure, reads in part: ''They retained the images received, so that each contained within itself a multiplicity of images and scenes, some from remote past. They could not ''see''in the dar; that is, things that were in the dark were not recorded by them. They themselves could be and usually were kept in the dark, because it was much easier then to see the scenes that they presented, and as the centuries passed to limit their ''overcrowding''…How they were thus ''shrouded'' was kept secret and so is now unknown. They were not ''blinded'' by physical obstacles, as a wall, a hill, or a wood, so long as the distant objects were themselves in light. It was said, or guessed, by later commentators that the Stones were placed in their original sites in spherical cases that were locked to prevent their misuse by the unauthoorized; but that this casing also performed the office of shrouding them and making them quiescent. The cases must therefore have been made of some metal or other substance not now known.'' Marginal jottings associated with this note are partly illegible, but so much can be made out, that the remoter the past the clearer the view, while for distant viewing there was a ''proper distance'', varying with the Stones, at which distant objects were clearer. The greater palantíri could look much further than the lesser, for the lesser the ''proper distance'' was of the order of five hundred miles, as between the Orthanc-stone and that of Anor. ''Ithil was too near, but was largely used for (illegible words), not for personal contacts with Minas Anor.''

(19) – The orientation was not, of course, divided into separate ''quarters'' but continuous; so that its direct line of vision to a surveyor sitting south-east would be to the north-west, and so on (Author's note)

(21) – In a detailed note this aspect is more explicitly described: ''Two persons, each using a Stone ''in accord''with the other, could converse, but not by sound, which the Stones did not transmit. Looking one at the other they would exchange ''thought'' – not their full or true thought, or their intentions, but ''silent speech'', the thoughts they wished to transmit (already formalized in linguistic form in their minds or actually spoken aloud), which would be received by their respondents and of course immediately transformed into ''speech'', and only reportable as such.''

INDEX
Page: 594

Palantíri – (singular palantír). The Seven Seeing Stones brought by Elendil and his sons from Númenor; made by Fëanor in Aman.''

SOURCE: ''THE LORD OF THE RINGS''
''THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING''

Chapter: ''Flight to the Ford''
Page: 227

''At that moment there came a roaring and a rushing: a noise of loud water rolling many stones. Dimly Frodo saw the river below him rise, and down along its course there came a plumed cavalry of waves. White flames seemed to Frodo to flicker on their crests and he half fancied that he saw amid the water white riders upon white horses with frothing manes.''

Chapter: ''Many Meetings''
Page: 236

''Who made that flood?'' –asked Frodo. ''Elrond commanded it,'' answered Gandalf. ''The river of this valley is under his power, and it will rise in anger when he has great need to bar the Ford.'' Chapter: ''The Ring goes South''
Page: 290 - Andúril

''The Sword of Elendil was forged anew by Elvish smiths, and on its blade was traced a device of seven stars set between the crescent moon and the rayed Sun, and about them was written many runes; for Aragorn, son of Arathorn, was going to war upon the marches of Mordor. Very bright was that sword when it was made whole again; the light of the sun shone redly in it, and the light of the moon shone cold, and its edge was hard and keen. And Aragorn gave it a new name and called it Andúril, Flame of the West.''

Page: 303 - miruvor

'' 'Give them this,' said Gandalf, searching in his pack and drawing out a leathern flosk ''Just a mouthful each – for all of us. It is very precious . It is miruvor, the cordial of Imladris. Elrond gave it to me at our parting. Pass it around.'' As soon as Frodo had swallowed a little of the warm and fragrant liquor he felt anew strength of heart, and the heavy drowsiness lift off his limbs. The others also revived and found fresh hope and vigour.''

Chapter: ''A Journey in the Dark''
Page: 318 – Elvish spells

''The Moon now shone upon the grey face of the rock, but they could see nothing else for a while. Then slowly on the surface, where the wizard's hands had passed, faint lines appeared, like slender veins of silver running in the stone. At first they were no more than pale gosammer-threads, so fine that they only twinkled fitfully where the Moon caught them, but steadily they grew broader and clearer, until their design could be guessed. At the top, as high as Gandalf could reach, was an arch of interlacing letters in an Elvish character. Below, though the threads were in places blurred or broken, the outline could be seen of an anvil and a hammer surmounted by a crown with seven stars. Beneath these again were two trees, each bearing crescent moons. More clearly, than all else there shone forth in the middle of the door a single star with many rays.''

'' 'An there is the Tree of the High Elves!' ''said Legolas. 'And the Star of the House of Fëanor,' said Gandalf. 'They are wrought of ''ithildin'' that mirrors only starlight and moonlight, and sleeps until it is touched by one who speaks words now long forgotten in Middle-earth. It is long since I heard them, and I thought deeply before I could recall them to my mind.' ''

'' 'The words are in the elven-tongue of the West of Middle-earth in the Elder Days,' answered Gandalf. ''But they do not say anything of importance to us. They say only: ''The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'' And underneath small and faint is written: I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew those signs.''

''What does it mean: ''Speak, friend and enter?'' –asked Merry. ''That is plain enough, ''said Gimli. ''If you are a friend, speak the password, and the doors will open and you can enter.''

Page: 320

''He stepped up to the rock again, and lightly touched with his staff the silver star in the middle –beneath the sign of the anvil. ANNON EDHELLEN, EDRO HI AMMEN FENNAS NOGOTHRIM, LASTO BETH LAMMEN! He said in commanding voice. The silver lines faded, but the blank grey stone did not stir. Many times he repeated these words in different order, or varied them. Then he tried other spells, one after another, speaking now faster and louder, now soft and slow. Then he spoke many single words of Elvish speech. Nothing happened.''

Page:321

''Again Gandalf approached the wall, and lifting up his arms he spoke in tones of command and rising wrath. Edro, edro! He cried, and struck the rock with his staff. Open, open! he shouted, and followed it with the same command in every language that had even been spoken in the West of Middle-earth.''

''Picking up his staff he stood before the rock and said in a clear voice: Mellon!''

Chapter: ''Lothlórien''
Page: 353

'' 'Here is Nimrodel!', said Legolas.'' ''One by one they climbed down and followed Legolas. For a moment Frodo stood near the brink and let the water flow over his tired feet. It was cold but its touch was clean, and as he went on and it mounted to his knees, he felt that the stain of travel and all weariness was washed from his limb.''

Page: 355

''But in the spring when the wind is in the new leaves the echo of her voice may still be heard by the falls that bear her name. And when the wind is in the South the voice of Amroth comes up from the sea; for Nimrodel flows into Silverlode, that Elves call Celebrant, and Celebrant into Anduin the Great, and Anduin flows into the Bay of Belfalas whence the Elves of Lórien set sail.''

Page: 357

'' Out of the shadows a ladder was let down; it was made of rope, silver-grey and glimmering in the dark, and though it looked slender it proved strong enough to bear many men.''

Page: 364

''As soon as he set foot upon the fair bank of Silverlode a strange feeling had some upon him, and it deepened as he walked on into the Naith: it seemed to him that he had stepped ove a bridge of time into a corner of the Elder Days, and was now walking in a world that was no more. In Rivendell there was memory of ancient things; in Lórien the ancient things still lived on in the walking world. Evil had been seen and heard there, sorrow had been known; the Elves feared and distrusted the world outside: wolves were howling on the wood's borders: but on the land of Lórien no shadow lay.''

Pages: 365, 366

''Behold! You are come to Cerin Amroth,''said Haldir. ''For this is the heart of the ancient realm as it was long ago, and here is the mound of Amroth, where in happier days his high house was built. Here ever bloom the winter flowers in the unfading grass: the yellow elanor, and the pale niphredil.''

''The others cast themselves down upon the fragrant grass, but Frodo stood awhile still lost in wonder. It seemed to him that he had stepped through a high window that looked on a vanished world. A light was upon it for which his language had no name. All that he saw was shapely, but the shapes seemed at once clear out, as if they had been first concieved and drawn at the uncovering of his eyes, and ancient as if they had been endured for ever. He saw no colour but those he knew, gold and white and blue and grey but they were fresh and poignant, as if he had at that moment first percieved them and made for them names new and wonderful. In winter here no heart could mourn for summer or for spring. No blemish or sickness or deformity could be seen in anything that grew upon the earth. On the land of Lórien there was no stain.

He turned and saw that Sam was now standing beside him, looking round with a puzzled expression, and rubbing his eyes as if he was not sure that he was awake. ''It's sunlight and bright day, right enough, '' he said. ''I thought that Elves were all for moon and stars: but this is more elvish than anything I ever heard tell of. I feel as if I was inside a song, if you take my meaning.'' Haldir looked at them, and he seemed indeed to take the meaning of both thought and word. He smiled: ''You feel the power of the Lady of the Galadhrim,'' he said. ''Would it please you to climb with me up to Cerin Amroth?'' They followed him as he stepped lightly up the grass-clad slopes. Though he walked and breathed, and about him living leaves and flower were stirred by the same cool wind as fanned his face, Frodo felt that he was in a timeless land that did not fade or change or fall into forgetfulness. When he had gone and passed again into the outer world, still Frodo the wanderer from the Shire would walk there, upon the grass among elanor and niphredil in fair Lothlórien.''

''As Frodo prepared to follow him, he laid his hand upon the tree beside the ladder: never before had he been so suddenly and so keenly aware of the feel and texture of a tree's skin and of the life within it. He felt a delight in wood and the touch of it, neither as forester nor as carpenter, it was the delight of the living tree itself.''

Page: 366

''At the hill's foot Frodo found Aragorn, standing still and silent as a tree; but in his hand was a small golden bloom of elanor, and a light was in his eyes. He was wrapped in some fair memory; and as Frodo looked at him, he knew that he beheld things as they once had been in this same place.''

Chapter: ''The Mirror of Galadriel'' Page: 372

''And with that word she held them with her eyes, and in silence looked searhingly at each of them in turn. None save Legolas and Aragorn could long endure her glance. Sam quickly blushed and hung her head. At length the Lady Galadriel released them from her eyes, and she smiled.''

Pages. 373, 374

''They remained some day sin Lothlórien, so far as they could tell or remember. All the while that they dwelt there the sun shone clear, save for a gentle rain that fell at times, and passed away leaving all things fresh and clean. The air was cold and soft, as if it were early spring, yet they felt about them the deep and thoughtful quiet of winter.''

Page: 381

''She lifted up her hand and from the ring that she wore there issued a great light that illuminated her alone and left all else in the dark. She stood before Frodo seeming now tall beyond measurement, and beautiful beyond enduring, terrible and worshipful.''

Chapter: ''Farewell to Lórien'' Pages: 385, 386

''The food was mostly in the form of very thin cakes, made of a meal that was baked a light brown on the outside, and inside was the colour of cream.'' '' 'So it is, ' they answered. 'But we call it lembas or waybread, and it is more strengthening than any food made by Men, and it is more pleasant than cram, by all accounts.' ''

Page: 386

''The Elves next unwrapped and gave to each of the Company the clothes they had brought. For each they had provided a hood and cloak, made according to his size, of the light but warm silken stuff that the Galadhrim wove. It was hard to say of what colour they were: grey with the hue of twilight under the trees they seemed to be; and yet if they were moved, or set in another light, they were green as shadowed leaves, or brown as fallow fields by night, dusk-silver as water under the stars. Each cloak was fastened about the neck with a brooch like a green leaf veined with silver.

-Are these magic cloaks? –asked Pippin, looking at them in wonder.

- I do not know what you mean by that, ''answered the leader of the Elves. –They are fine garments, and the web is good, for it was made in this land. They are elvish certainly, if that is what you mean. Leaf and branch, water and stone: they have the hue and beauty of all these things under the twilight of Lórien that we love; for we put the thought of all that we love into all that we make.Yet they are garments, not armour, and they will not turn shaft or blade. But they should serve you well: they are light to wear, and warm enough or cool enough at need. And you will find them a great aid in keeping out of the sight of unfriendly eyes, whether you walk among the stones or the trees.''

Pages. 391, 392

'' 'Here is the gift of Celeborn and Galadriel to the leader of your Company, ' she said to Aragorn, and she gave him a sheath that had been made to fit his sword. It was overlaid with a tracery of flowers and leaves wrought of silver and gold, and on it were set in elven-runes formed of many gems the name Andúril and the lineage of the sword.

'The blade that is drawn from his sheath shall not be stained or broken even in defeat,' she said.'' '' 'Yet maybe this will lighten your heart,'said Galadriel; 'for it was left in my care to be given to you, should you pass through this land.' Then she lifted from her lap a great stone of a clear green, set in a silver brooch that was wrought in the likeness of an eagle with outspread wings, and as she held it up the gem flashed like the sun shining through the leaves of spring. 'This stone I gave to Celebrían my daughter, and she to hers; and now it comes to you as a token of hope. In this our take the name that was foretold for you, Elessar, the Elfstone of he House of Elendil!' ''

'' 'For you little gardener and lover of trees,' she said to Sam, 'I have only a small gift.' She put into his hand a little box of plain grey wood, unadorned save for a single silver rune upon the lid. 'Here is set G for Galadriel,' she said; 'but also it may stand for garden in your tongue. In this box there is earth from my orchard, and such blessing as Galadriel has still to bestow is upon it. It will not keep you on your road, nor defend you against any peril; but if you keep it and see your home again at last, then perhaps it may reword you. Though you should find all barren and laid waste, there will be few gardens in Middle-earth that will bloom like your garden, if you sprinkle this earth there. Then you may remember Galadriel, and catch a glimpse far off of Lórien, that you have seen only in our winter. For our spring and our summer are gone by, and they will never be seen on earth again save in memory.' ''

Pages: 392, 393.

''Then the Lady unbraided one of her long tresses, and cut off three golden hairs, and laid them in Gimli's hand. 'These words shall go with the gift,' she said. 'I do not foretell, for all foretelling is now vain: on the one hand lies darkness, and on the other only hope. But if hope should not fail, then I say to you, Gimli son of Gloin, that your hands shall glow with gold, and yet over you gold shall have no dominion.' ''

''She held up a small crystal phial: it glittered as she moved it, and rays of white light sprang from her hand. 'In this phial,' she said,'is caught the light of Eärendil's star, set amid the waters of my fountain. It will shine brighter when night is about you. May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out. Remember Galadriel and her Mirror!' Frodo took the phial, and for a moment as it shone between them, he saw her again standing like a queen, great and beautiful, but no longer terrible.''

''THE TWO TOWERS ''
Chapter: ''The Departure of Boromir''
Page: 19

''But in Gondor in after-days it long was said that the elven-boat rode the falls and the foaming pool, and bore him down through Osgiliath, and past the many months of Anduin, out into the Great Seat at night under the stars.''

Chapter: ''The Voice of Saruman''
Page: 189 – palantír

''But the ball was unharmed; it rolled on down the steps, a globe of crystal, dark, but glowing with a heart of fire.''

Chapter: ''The Timing of Sméagol''
Page: 216 – the rope

'' 'It's good to be able to see again,'said Frodo, breathing deep. 'Do you know, I thought for a bit that I had lost my sight? From the lightening or something else worse. I could see nothing, nothing at all, until the grey rope came down. It seemed to shimmer somehow.''

Page: 217

'' 'If you can think of any way we could have both used the rope and yet brought it down with us, than you can pass on to me: ninnyhammer, or any other name your Gaffer gave you,' said Frodo. 'Climb up and untie it and let yourself down, if you want to!' Sam scratched his head. 'Noo I can't think how, begging your pardon,' he said. 'But I don't like leaving it, and that's a fact.' He stroked the rope's end and shook it gently. It goes hard parting with anything I brought out of the Elf-country. Made by Galadriel herself, too, maybe. Galadriel,' he murmured, nodding his head mournfully. He looked up and gave one last pull to the rope as in farewell. To the complete surprise of both the hobbits it came loose. Sam fell over, and the long grey coils slithered silently down on top of him.''

Chapter: ''Shelob's Lair''
Page: 329 – phial of Galadriel

''Slowly his hand went to his bossom, and slowly he held aloft the Phial of Galadriel. For a moment it glimmered, faint as a rising star struggling in heavy eastward mists, and then as its power waxed, and hope grew in Frodo's mind, it began to burn, and kindled to a silver flame, a minute heart of dazzling light, as though Eärendil had himself come down from the high sunset paths with the last Silmaril upon his brow.''

Page: 330

''Then Frodo's heart flamed within him, and without thinking what he did, whether it was folly or despair or courage, he took the Phial in his left hand, and with his right drew his sword. Sting fleshed out, and the sharp elven-blade sparkled in silver light, but at its edges a blue fire flicked.''

Chapter: ''The Choices of Master Samwise''
Page: 339

''As if his indomitable spirit had set its potency in motion, the glass blazed suddenly like a white torch in his hand. It flamed like a star that leaping from the firmament stars the dark air with intolerable light. No such terror out of heaven had ever burned in Shelob's face before. The beams of it entered into her wounded head and scored it with unbearable pain, and the dreadful infection spread from eye to eye.''

Chapter: ''The Palantír'' Page:197

''The air seemed still and tense about him. At first the globe was dark, black as jet, with the moonlight gleaming on its surface. Then there came a faint glow and stir in the heart of it, and it held his eyes, so that now he could not look away. Soon all the inside seemed on fire; the ball was spinning, or the lights within were revolving. Suddenly the lights went out.''

Chapter: ''The Road to Isengard'' Pages: 151, 152 – Legolas hearing voices of wood

''They rode in silence for a while, but Legolas was ever glancing from side to side, and would often have halted to listen to the sounds of the wood, if Gimli had allow it.''

'' 'These are the strangest trees that I ever saw,' he said; 'and I have seen many an oak grow from acorn to ruinous age. I wish that there were leisure now to walk among them; they have voices, and in time I might come to understand their tongue.''

''THE RETURN OF THE KING''

Chapter: ''The Passing of the Grey Company''
Page: 60 – Legolas talking to a horse

''But Arod, the horse of Rohan, refused the way, and he stood sweating and trembling in a fear that was griveous to see. Then Legolas laid his hands on his eyes and sang some words that went soft in the gloom, until he suffered himslef to be led, and Legolas passed in.''

Page: 61 – Legolas and Elladan's abilty to see the Dead

''Legolas turning to speak to Gimli looked back and the Dwarf saw before his face the glitter in the Elf's bright eyes. Behind them rode Elladan, last of the Company, but not the last of those that took the downward road.'' 'The Dead are following,'said Legolas. 'I see shapes of Men and of horses, and pale banners like shreds of cloud, and spears like winter-thickets on a misty night. The Dead are following.' 'Yes, the Dead ride behind. They have been summoned,'said Elladan.''

Chapter: ''The Tower of Cirith Ungol''
Pages: 191, 192

''Sam drew out the elven-glass of Galadriel again. As if to do honour to his hardihood, and to grace with splendour his faithful brown hobbit-hand that had done such deeds, the phial blazed forth suddenly, so that all the shadowy court was lit with a dazzling radiance like lightening; but it remained steady and did not pass. 'Gilthoniel, A Elbereth!' Sam cried. For, why he did not know, his thought sprang suddenly to the Elves in the Shire, and the song that drove away the Black Rider in the trees. 'Aiya elenion ancalima!' cried Frodo once again behind him.''

Chapter: ''Many Partings''
Page: 253

''But wear this now in memory of Elfstone and Evenstar with whom your life has been woven!''

And she took a white gem like a star that lay upon her breast hanging upon a silver chain, and she set the chain about Frodo's neck. 'When the memory of the fear and the darkness troubles you,' she said, 'this will bring you aid. ''

Page: 260

''Then Aragorn took the green stone and held it up, and there came a green fire from his hand.''

Page: 263

''Often long after the hobbits were wrapped in sleep they would sit together under the stars, recalling the ages that were gone and all their joys and labours in the world, or hoding council, concerning the days to come. If any wanderer had chanced to pass, little would he have seen or heard, and it would have seemed to him only that he saw grey figures, carved in stone, memories of forgotten things now lost in unpeopled lands. For they did not move or speak with mouth, looking from mind to mind; and only their shining eyes stirred and kindled as their thoughts went to and fro.''

Chapter: ''The Grey Havens''
Page: 303

''Spring surpassed his wildest hopes. His trees began to sprout and grow, as if time was in a hurry and wished to make one year do for twenty. In the Party Field a beautiful young sapling leaped up: it had silver bark and long leaves and burst into golden flowers in April. It was indeeed mallorn , and it was the wonder of the neighbourhood. In after years, as it grew in grace and beauty, it was known far and wide and people would come long journeys to see it: the only mallorn west of the Mountains and east of the Sea, and one of the finest in the world. Altogether 1420 in the Shire was a marvellous year. Not only was there wonderful sunshine and delicious rain, in due times and perfect measure, but there seemed something more: an air of richness and growth, and a gleam of a beauty beyond that of mortal summers that flicker and pass upon this Middle-earth. All the children born or begotten in that year, and there was many, were fair to see and strong, and most of them had a rich golden hair that had before been rare among hobbits. The fruit was so plentiful that young hobbits very nearly bathed in strawberries and cream, and later they sat on the lawns under the plum-trees and ate, until they had made piles of stones like small pyramids or the heaped skulls of a conqueror, and then they moved on. And no one was ill, and everyone was pleased, except those who had to mow the grass.''

APPENDIX A
''Here follows a part of the tale of Aragorn and Arwen''
Page: 338

'' 'Here is the ring of Barahir,' he said, 'the token of our kinship from afar, and here also are the shards of Narsil. With these you may yet do great deeds; for I foretell that the span of your life shall be greater than the measure of Men, unless evil befalls you or you fail at the test. But the test will be heard and long. The Sceptre of Annúminas I withold, for you have yet to earn it.''

Page: 339

'' 'So many have said,' she said gravely. 'Yet her name is not mine. Though maybe my doom will be not unlike hers. But who are you?' ''

Page: 340

''But Elrond saw many things and read many hearts. One day, therefore, before the fall of the year he called Aragorn to his chamber, and he said: 'Aragorn, Arathorn's son, Lord of the Dúnedain, listen to me! A great doom awaits you, either to rise above the height of all your fathers since the days of Elendil, or fall into darkness with all that is left of your kin. Many years of trial lie before you. You shall neither have wife, nor bind any woman to you in troth, until your time comes and you are found worthy of it.''

Page: 341

''And Arwen said: 'Dark is the Shadow, and yet m heart rejoices, for you, Estel, shall be among the great whose valour will destroy it. But Aragorn answered: 'Alas! I cannot foresee it; and how it may come to pass is hidden from me. Yet with your hope I will hope.' ''