Cú nan Eilch

From Tolkien Gateway

Cú nan Eilch was an unspecified place, probably in Valinor, according to the early version of the legendarium in a prose fragment following The Book of Lost Tales.[1]

History[edit | edit source]

Following the darkening of Valinor and the unrest of the Gnomes, the Solosimpi refused to go with the Gnomes in pursuit of Melko. In response, Fëanor threatened to "march to Cú nan Eilch", after which the Gnomes took the ships of the Solosimpi by force.[1]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

The name Cú nan Eilch is in Noldorin, but its meaning was never specified.

However, in a text called the Noldorin Word-lists, there appears the word ("bay, cove");[2] and in the earlier Gnomish Lexicon Slips, the word alch ("shrine") is given, with eilch (or elcin) being its plural form.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "I. Prose Fragments Following the Lost Tales: (iii)", p. 9
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Alphabet of Rúmil & Early Noldorin Fragments", in Parma Eldalamberon XIII (edited by Carl F. Hostetter, Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, Patrick H. Wynne, and Bill Welden), "Noldorin Word-lists", entry , p. 141
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Alphabet of Rúmil & Early Noldorin Fragments", in Parma Eldalamberon XIII (edited by Carl F. Hostetter, Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, Patrick H. Wynne, and Bill Welden), "Gnomish Lexicon Slips", entry alch, p. 109