Green-elves

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Green-elves
People
Peter Xavier Price - Green-elf of Ossiriand.jpg
"Green-elf of Ossiriand" by Peter Xavier Price
General Information
Other namesLaiquendi
OriginsNandor who crossed into Beleriand
LocationsOssiriand, Lindon
LanguagesOssiriandrin
MembersDenethor
Physical Description
LifespanImmortal

The Green-elves (Q Laiquendi, S Laegrim; also Green Elves[1]) were a clan of the Nandor.[2]

History

Lenwë was an Elf of the Telerin clan, who set out with the Great Journey of the Elves into the West. When his people found their path blocked by the Misty Mountains, he resolved to leave the Journey and instead led his followers south down the Vales of Anduin, and they became known as the Nandor. After many years, Lenwë's son Denethor set out westward once again, and led some part of the Nandor across the Misty Mountains and the Blue, settling at last in the Land of Seven Rivers beneath the Ered Luin; the land called Ossiriand.

Laiquendi by Karolina Węgrzyn

Denethor and his followers did not have peace for long. Soon after his return to Middle-earth, before the Noldor had followed him, Morgoth loosed armies of orcs on King Thingol and his allies, Círdan in the west and Denethor in the east. Denethor's Nandor were ill-equipped for warfare, and suffered great hardship in that battle. Denethor himself was slain on Amon Ereb, though the Elves beat back the orcs at last. After that time many of Denethor's people left Ossiriand for the guarded forests of Doriath: these settled in Arthórien and became known as the Guest-elves.[3][4] Those few that remained took up a secretive existence, camouflaging themselves in green. From that time, they were known as the Green-elves.

The hidden people of the Green-elves played little part in history after the First Battle of the Wars of Beleriand. Most significantly, they lent their aid to Beren and Dior (who dwelt on Tol Galen in the far south of their land). After the loss of their ancient ally Thingol at the hands of the Dwarves, they went with Beren to avenge him. Much later, after the deaths of Beren and Lúthien, one of their lords took up the Silmaril that Lúthien had borne, and brought it to Menegroth where Dior now dwelt.

After the end of the First Age, their fate is not clearly known. Much of their land survived the destruction of Beleriand, and as Lindon came under the rule of Gil-galad. Some at least seem to have removed to Eriador, and dwelled on the shores of Lake Nenuial during the Second Age[5]. After this, nothing is known of their fate.

Etymology

The Sindarin name Laegrim (class plural; sing Laegel, pl Laegil) or Laegel(d)rim, meaning "Green-elves", was a name used by the Sindar of Beleriand for the inhabitants of Ossiriand and Lindon. This term was translated by the Noldor to Quenya Laiquendi.[2][note 1]

In the Etymologies appears early Elvish names for the Green-elves: Qenya Laiqendi and Noldorin Lhoebenidh or Lhoebelidh.[6]

Other writings

In Letters from Father Christmas, green elves are mentioned as kin of the red elves.[7]

Notes

  1. While Tolkien states in the late manuscript Quendi and Eldar (ca. 1959-60) that the Quenya form Laiquendi "was not much used" (p. 385), it is the only Elvish translation of "Green-elves" which occurs in the published Silmarillion.

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XI. The Shibboleth of Fëanor", "The names of Finwë's descendants", p. 349
  2. 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Four. Quendi and Eldar: C. The Clan-names, with notes on other names for divisions of the Eldar", p. 385
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Narn i Hîn Húrin (The Tale of the Children of Húrin)", "Túrin in Doriath"
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals", pp. 112-3
  5. A note in the Unfinished Tales
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", p. 368 (root LÁYAK)
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Baillie Tolkien (ed.), Letters from Father Christmas, "Dec. 23rd 1936"
Elves
(Quendi · People of the Stars · Firstborn · Elder Kindred)
Three Kindreds:
(Eldar · Eldalië · Edhil)
 Vanyar (Fair-elves · Minyar) · Noldor (Deep-elves · Tatyar) · Teleri (Lindar · Nelyar)
Calaquendi:
(High-elves · Amanyar)
 Vanyar · Noldor · Falmari
Úmanyar:  Sindar (Grey-elves · Eglath · Falathrim) · Nandor (Green-elves · Silvan Elves)
 Moriquendi:  Úmanyar · Avari (Cuind · Hwenti · Kindi · Kinn-lai · Penni · Windan)
See also:  Awakening of the Elves · Sundering of the Elves · Great Journey