After the darkening of the land of Valinor, the two trees no longer offered their lights for the peoples of Middle Earth, and the stars once more were seen as a distant glaze of fine silver tips against the dark velvet of a sky that shone no more with the silver scent of Telperion and the golden rains of Laurelin.
But all was not lost, for hope came to the Elves when the moon rose and outshone the ancient stars.
Isil the Sheen the Vanyar of old named the moon, flower of Telperion in Valinor; and Anar the Fire-golden, fruit of Laurelin, they named the Sun. But the Noldor named them also Rána, the Wayward, and Vása, the Heart of Fire, that awakens and consumes; fot the Sun was set as a sign for the awakening of Men and the waning of the Elves, but the Moon cherishes their memory.
The maiden whom the Valar chose from among the Maiar to guide the vessel of the Sun was named Arien, and he that steered the island of the Moon was Tilion. In the days of the Trees Arien had tended the golden flowers in the gardens of Vána, and watered them with the bright dews of Laurelin; but Tilion was a hunter in the company of Oromë, and he had a silver bow. He was a lover of silver, and when he would rest he forsook the woods of Oromë, and going into Lórien he lay in a dream by the pools of Estë, In Telperion's flickering beams; and begged to be given the task of tending for ever the last Flower of Silver. Arien the maiden was mightier than he, and she was chosen because she feared not the heats of Laurelin, and was unhurt by them, being from the beginning a spirit of fire, whom Melkor had not deceived nor drawn to his service. Too bright were the eyes of Arien for even the Eldar to look on, and leaving Valinor she forsook the form and raiment which like the Valar she had worn there, and she was as a flame, terrible in the fullness of her splendor.
Even as the light of the moon touched Middle-earth, Fingolfin let blow his silver trumpets and began his march into Middle-earth, and the shadows of his host went long and black before them.
After the evil of the kinslaying, Fingolfin's host reached Losgar, where Fëanor had come over the Sea in the white ships of the Teleri, where he landed and burned the boats that he had won by the slaying of those friendly elves.
Fëanor had left long before, and those who had been abandoned and left to cross the Helcaraxë -- the Grinding Ice -- were bitter and followed hard on the heels of those who left them, led by Fingolfin and his sons, and by Finrod and Galadriel, the elven queen. Small love they had for Fëanor and his own sons, and they hurried that they might gain on his host.
Morgoth hated the new lights, and despised Arien, for as a fallen being, he could not stand the burning that her glance laid on him, and he cowered in the darkest corner of his fortress, and from the rising of the Sun the orcs and evil creatures under his service dared not tread in sunlight.
As the Eldar were once more united, many wars and skirmishes were fought with Morgoth and his servant, Sauron. But the Calaquendi had the light of Aman in their faces and none of their enemies could yet master them, for they were not decieved by the deviousness of Morgoth's spies and rumors.
The Silmarils were caught up by Morgoth and taken to his stronghold, where they were set in his iron crown, starting the period that the elves now call the Quenta Silmarillion, the Recount of the Silmarils, the jewels of Fëanor.
But all was not lost, for hope came to the Elves when the moon rose and outshone the ancient stars.
Isil the Sheen the Vanyar of old named the moon, flower of Telperion in Valinor; and Anar the Fire-golden, fruit of Laurelin, they named the Sun. But the Noldor named them also Rána, the Wayward, and Vása, the Heart of Fire, that awakens and consumes; fot the Sun was set as a sign for the awakening of Men and the waning of the Elves, but the Moon cherishes their memory.
The maiden whom the Valar chose from among the Maiar to guide the vessel of the Sun was named Arien, and he that steered the island of the Moon was Tilion. In the days of the Trees Arien had tended the golden flowers in the gardens of Vána, and watered them with the bright dews of Laurelin; but Tilion was a hunter in the company of Oromë, and he had a silver bow. He was a lover of silver, and when he would rest he forsook the woods of Oromë, and going into Lórien he lay in a dream by the pools of Estë, In Telperion's flickering beams; and begged to be given the task of tending for ever the last Flower of Silver. Arien the maiden was mightier than he, and she was chosen because she feared not the heats of Laurelin, and was unhurt by them, being from the beginning a spirit of fire, whom Melkor had not deceived nor drawn to his service. Too bright were the eyes of Arien for even the Eldar to look on, and leaving Valinor she forsook the form and raiment which like the Valar she had worn there, and she was as a flame, terrible in the fullness of her splendor.
Even as the light of the moon touched Middle-earth, Fingolfin let blow his silver trumpets and began his march into Middle-earth, and the shadows of his host went long and black before them.
After the evil of the kinslaying, Fingolfin's host reached Losgar, where Fëanor had come over the Sea in the white ships of the Teleri, where he landed and burned the boats that he had won by the slaying of those friendly elves.
Fëanor had left long before, and those who had been abandoned and left to cross the Helcaraxë -- the Grinding Ice -- were bitter and followed hard on the heels of those who left them, led by Fingolfin and his sons, and by Finrod and Galadriel, the elven queen. Small love they had for Fëanor and his own sons, and they hurried that they might gain on his host.
Morgoth hated the new lights, and despised Arien, for as a fallen being, he could not stand the burning that her glance laid on him, and he cowered in the darkest corner of his fortress, and from the rising of the Sun the orcs and evil creatures under his service dared not tread in sunlight.
As the Eldar were once more united, many wars and skirmishes were fought with Morgoth and his servant, Sauron. But the Calaquendi had the light of Aman in their faces and none of their enemies could yet master them, for they were not decieved by the deviousness of Morgoth's spies and rumors.
The Silmarils were caught up by Morgoth and taken to his stronghold, where they were set in his iron crown, starting the period that the elves now call the Quenta Silmarillion, the Recount of the Silmarils, the jewels of Fëanor.
