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:: From Galadhorn's Life :: |
Life
of Galadhorn Elvellon
by
Ryszard Derdzinski
Galadhorn was born in 495 FA in Mithrim as the only son of Galachal and Meleth. His parents were fugitives of Dor-lomin and they found help and rest
among the Grey Elves of Mithrim. There Galadhorn met the Elves for the first
time and befriended many of them. Other Men called the boy 'Elvellon' that
means Elendil in High Elvish. Galadhorn's mother-tongue was Mannish that
later became the usual language of Númenor, but he loved Mithrim Elvish
dialect so much that he began to compose short poems and songs in this
language. Later - as will be told - he found out the beauty of Quenya.
When Galadhorn was fifteen Gondolin fell and some of the Gondolinrim people
escaped to the Mouths of Sirion. There they founded the last Elvish kingdom
of Beleriand.
Galadhorn's parents were killed in the meantime by the Easterlings and our
boy escaped southwards with the other people of the Hador's folk. He found
his new homeland in the Sirion's Havens and there he met Pengolodh and the
other Lambengolmor of Gondolin. Finally Galadhorn could share his linguistic
passion with the others. Pengolodh the Wise was his master and from him the
young man learned a lot about Quenya and Sindarin and about the writing systems. Pengolodh was content too, because he could listen the true
Northern Mannish dialect in the Galadhorn's mouth. Galadhorn's main interest
was Sindarin with all its dialects. He composed a big Sindarin dictionary
where he recorded the Grey-tongue of Beleriand. He wrote many poems and
histories in Sindarin too. [His writings were taken to Númenor and later to
Gondor (Minas Tirith) and Imladris - Bilbo Baggins found the manuscripts in
Elrond's library and in this way they were transported to the Shire. Now I,
Frodo G. Maggot, have a copy of one of the Galadhorn's MS]
Galadhorn fought with the Feanor's sons where they attacked the Havens and
defended Pengolodh - his master. He was wounded in the battle but
fortunately survived and could write a lament about the terrible Kinslaying.
In 551 Galadhorn being a man in his 56 was killed in the War of Wrath, at
the Angband Gates. His sons - Galachal and Galdor - and his son's families emigrated to
Númenor
in the Second Age.
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:: From Galadhorn's Life :: |
Galadhorn and Pengolodh (A
Fragment)
by
Adaneth
I have ventured to send you what I found in one of my drawers, for it seems
to me that it may concern you closely enough. Acting in accordance with an
old tradition of my land, which is trying to tidy my house before Yuletide
(which is also called Christmas in the vulgar tongue) I came across a piece
of parchment which may have been lying there for years uncounted (you see, I
am not a very tidy person...) It was written in strange characters but the
language was known to me, except for one word which I could not read, though
it comes several times in the text. I have put ***** instead. This word
seems a name to me, but it also seems to mean "a tree" or even "trees", and
I suppose it is a diminutive. Were I Fangorn, I would have rendered it "my
little Enting", perhaps. Anyway, here it is and I hope you will find it of
interest.
"Tell me, master, will I ever be able to write like that?"
Pengolodh smiled in answer.
The
room was dark, only faint flickers of orange and red danced upon the floor -
flames mirrored in the polished stone.
"It's all in me, somehow. But I cannot put it into words. And if I do, the
beauty seems to fade," Galadhorn nervously wiped his forehead with a sleeve.
A thick book fell from his lap as he moved. "The signs now, those what-d'you-call-them
- Tengwi. I know them almost as well as I should, you say. But when I write,
they come out clumsy and uncouth. And when it comes to reading, they never
mean what I thought they would. And..." Galadhorn ran out of breath.
"You're young, too young, *****." Pengolodh raised to pick up the book. Two
Trees portrayed upon the cover shone crimson in the firelight as he held it.
"Nay, do not deny! I know you've seen much. But," he sighed, "such is the
way of it. You fight if you want to gain, *****, you struggle if you want to
achieve. As for the beauty..." he gazed in wonder at the cover of his book.
"The real beauty is no more, nor does it belong here. Elves can see it in
their memories, they say."
"And Men in their dreams," added Galadhorn. "Alas! that it should be in
dreams only. No speech I know has the right words to describe it, not even
the fair Elven-tongues." Here he stopped short, fearing he had said too
much.
But
Pengolodh did not frown. His fingers traced slowly the intertwining branches
of the Trees. "Then maybe Men see more in their dreams than Elves can
remember," he said slowly and now he was not smiling. "New things that no
speech has words for. You cannot tell me about them, not yet. Perhaps you
never will. Perhaps, *****, your words will always be too small and your
signs too clumsy. Still," he added giving the book to Galadhorn, "still I
think that the right words will come. Time is what you need. And more
dreams."
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:: From Galadhorn's Life :: |
Cuil Galadhorn
by
Adaneth
Galadhorn was
of the people of Malach Aradan, the people that dwelt in Dor-lómin.
His father,
called Galachal (High Tree?) as a teenage boy took part in Nirnaeth
Arnoediad (running errands, messages and that stuff). He was sent back home
before the final stand of Dor-lóminians (which he did not like, but which
saved his life). After the Battle of Unnumbered Tears with many of his folk he
escaped to Mithrim, as Easterlings were harassing the land of Dor-lómin. In
Mithrim Galachal married Meleth. He was then over 30 years old. (the year was
493 or so). Two years later their eldest son Galadhorn was born.
Galadhorn was
bred among the Sindar of Mithrim, and he could speak two tongues. He was
blue-eyed and fair-haired, but darker than most of the folk of Hador, among
his ancestors on his mother’s side were also the Men of the House of Bëor who
once upon a time had sought shelter in Dor-lómin.
His parents
were killed by Easterlings just after Gondolin fell – there was an assault on
Mithrim – Galadhorn not at home, went with some of his Elvish friends to the
lake. When they returned, they found only burned houses and corpses. Galadhorn
then 15 years old (more or less). After that all who survived decided to move
away – join other refugees at the Havens of Sirion. Galadhorn did not want to
leave, he meant to stay where his parents died and look for revenge or death,
or both. But Muindis - a girl that was in love with him - persuaded him to
leave, then in the Havens they married.
At the time of
Kinslaying Galadhorn (43 years old) fights defending the Havens, so does his
elder son Galachal. Then he watches Eärendil set off on his quest, but with
little hope.
War of Wrath
551 – Galadhorn killed. Both his sons fight there.
Númenor...
