THE DAY
February 16, 3019 TA
The Fellowship leaves Lorien, and of course the giving of the gifts. Cloaks and weapons and rope and little wooden boxes. And of course, the Phial of Galadriel.
“’And you, Ring-bearer,’ she said, turning to Frodo. ‘I come to you last who are not last in my thoughts. For you I have prepared this.’ 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 Earendil’s star, set amid the waters of my fountain. It will shine still brighter when nigh is about you. May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out. Remember Galadriel and her Mirror!’”
And hair. Let us never forget the hair. And then a gift which is less well known. I rather think that it was one of Galadriel’s gifts to Aragorn that inspired the whole story in the movie of him acquiring the Evenstar. I feel I ought to mention at this moment that Galadriel is Arwen’s grandmother. So Galadriel gives Aragorn a sheath made for his sword, and then asks him if there is any other gift he would ask of her.
“And Aragorn answered: ‘Lady, you know all my desire, and long held in keeping the only treasure that I seek. Yet it is not yours to give me, even if you would; and only through darkness shall I come to it.’‘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 Celebrian my daughter, and she to hers; and now it comes to you as a token of hope. In this hour take the name that was foretold for you, Ellesar, the Elfstone of the house of Elendil!’”
So in a manner of speaking, he did get a jewel of sorts from Arwen.
THE YEAR
3002
Appendix B, The Tale of Years 3002 “Bilbo becomes a guest of Elrond, and settles in Rivendell.”
I like these daily posts--interesting to think of what was happening in Middle-earth on a given day.
ReplyDeleteAlthough not technically daily. I am just following off of Appendix B, The Tale of Years and the days that that lists.
DeleteRight. One of my favorite things to do is look at my friends' and family members' birthdays and find out what happened on those days, it's pretty fun.
DeleteSadly, there is nothing on my own birthday. This is a source of great sorrow to me. I should have been ridiculously happy to have been born on some important day in the Lord of the Rings.
DeleteThat would be very gratifying...especially a day like September 22nd, Bilbo and Frodo's birthday or March 25th, the anniversary of the second downfall of Sauron. Alas, nothing much of note happens on my birthday either.
DeleteOh to have been born on September 22nd!!
DeleteThere is some book I once read that tied a bunch of the dates in LOTR to important events or feast days. I don't remember all of them, but I know that March 25th was The Feast of the Annunciation, and now its Tolkien Reading Day. Which amuses me, because for me, every day is a day to read Tolkien.
And then the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel is when the hobbits first meet Aragorn in Bree, and I BELIEVE is also the day that Frodo leaves middle earth, and the beginning of the Fourth Age.
Interesting! I wonder if Prof. Tolkien did that on purpose...
DeleteOh yes, it was all intentional. More levels of genius.
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