Nessa

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Nessa
Vala
Elena Kukanova - Autumn Nessa.jpg
"Autumn Nessa" by Elena Kukanova
Biographical Information
TitlesThe Dancer, The Swift
LocationValinor
Family
SiblingsOromë
SpouseTulkas
Physical Description
GenderFemale
GalleryImages of Nessa
"...she also is lithe and fleetfooted. Deer she loves, and they follow her train whenever she goes in the wild; but she can outrun them, swift as an arrow with the wind in her hair. In dancing she delights, and she dances in Valimar on lawns of never-fading green."
The Silmarillion, "Valaquenta: Of the Valar"

Nessa was the wife of Tulkas and sister of Oromë. In "due order," Nessa was the last named Valië.[1]

History[edit | edit source]

Nessa was noted for her speed, swift as an arrow, and ability to outrun the deer who followed her in the wild. She was also renowned for her dancing ability, as she danced on the ever-green lawns of Valimar.[1] She wed Tulkas upon the Isle of Almaren[2] in the Year of the Valar 3400.[3]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aulë
 
Yavanna
 
Vána
 
Oromë
 
NESSA
 
Tulkas
 
 
 
 

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Nessa ([ˈnesːa]) is a Quenya word meaning "young"; in the same text, Nessa has also the name Indis "bride".[4][5]:14

The Noldorin names of Nessa were Neth (a cognate of the Quenya/Qenya word) or Dineth, a Noldorin word meaning "bride", related to the Quenya word indis.[6]

In a later text, Pengolodh notes that Nessa's name is "not elvish" and probably represents a Valarin title, much like the name of her spouse, adopted in Quenya, but there is no record.[7]

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

In The Book of Lost Tales, Nessa was one of the Valarindi, daughter of Aulë and Yavanna. Her son with Tulkas was Telimektar.

Nessa was seen at the House of Tulkas bringing goblets of wine and drinks to his champions.[8]:75

Nessa loved to retire to the green swards which her brother, Oromë, had cultivated from the richness of his forest.[8]:75 When creating the forests of Oromë, Yavanna had planted forest glades with spells so that the glades would always remain green and smooth, and Nessa along with her maidens would dance there as long as Laurelin was in bloom. She was even a better dancer than Vána.[8]

Early etymology[edit | edit source]

Her other names in Qenya were Helinyetille meaning "Eyes of Heartsease", from helin ("violet, pansy"), and Melesta, from mele ("to love").[9]

Early genealogy[edit | edit source]

 
 
 
 
 
 
Aulë
 
Yavanna
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Vána
 
Oromë
 
NESSA
 
Tulkas
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nielíqui
 
 
 
 
 
Telimektar
 
 
 
 


References