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The Tale of Tinúviel is the first chapter of The Book of Lost Tales 2, which is the second volume of The History of Middle-earth. It tells of the recounting of the earliest version of the story of Lúthien, named Tinúviel, and Beren. This early version had been written by Tolkien in 1917.

The chapter that follows is "Turambar and the Foalókë".

Chapter synopsis

The story of the adventures of Beren and Tinúviel is being told by young Vëannë to Eriol and Ausir, at the Cottage of Lost Play. The story she narrates remains very accurate to its later and final version in Quenta SiImarillion, save for various things that would later be altered:

  • The character of Sauron was the "Prince of Cats", named Tevildo, or Thû. This was the first known version of that major antagonist.
  • Tinwelint was the name of the King of Artanor, who later would be changed to Thingol, King of Doriath.
  • Gwendeling was the name of Tinwelint's wife, who later would be changed to the Maia Melian, Queen of Doriath.
  • Umuiyan is the name of a character who is Tevildo's doorkeeper.
  • Karkaras is the name of the beast-villain who later would be the wolf Carcharoth.
  • When Beren cut the Silmaril from Melkor's crown, he used a kitchen-knife of Tevildo's in this tale. Later, Angrist is the knife that he uses.
  • Glorund the dragon is mentioned in the tale - he later becomes Glaurung.
  • Two giants are mentioned, named Nan and Gilim. In a certain song that Tinúviel sings, they are noted for their length of sword and height of neck, respectively. (Nan's sword is said to be named Glend.)
  • Dairon, a minstrel and lover of Tinúviel whom she does not choose, would later be named Daeron.

Following Vëannë's telling of this Tale, Christopher Tolkien gives his notes and analyses of things such as the manuscript and typescript versions of the story, the changes underwent of character names, plot, events, and of things referenced in other early, various Middle-earth tales Tolkien had written, along with comparisons of said things.

References

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