It is the 20th day of Laer
In the 3016th year of the Sun
Of the Third Age of Middle-earth

"A Elbereth Gilthoniel
silivren penna míriel
o menel aglar elenath!
Na-chaered palan-díriel
o galadhremmin ennorath,
Fanuilos, le linnathon
nef aear, sí nef aearon!"

(Translation by Eldamo)

Each new day begins with the rising of the stars ^[1], and we welcome them by uplifting the name of Elbereth Gilthoniel in song. For she it was who kindled the bright stars for the comfort of the Firstborn Eruchîn; and when the Unbegotten Elves awoke, their eyes beheld first of all things the stars of heaven, and thus has my kindred ever held a great love for the starlight and revere Elbereth above all the Rodyn. But now my mind is puzzled... Elbereth is esteemed by all the Tawarwaith, and it matters not if our lineage be of the Nandor, Sindar, Morbin or Laegil; yet we do not all honour the other Holy Ones likewise. Though oft have I heard hunters invoke the name of Araw, and Ivann is beloved by all who dwell in the greenwood, but seldom are heard the names of the Exalted. The scattered folk of the Woodland Realm number many thousands and our forebears are diverse, thus is our kinship with the Rodyn also.

The tale of Elvenkind begins with the Awakening at Nen Echui in the noontide of Dor-Rodyn, ere the War of the Powers. After three hundred and thirty-five years the Unbegottten and their kin were found by Araw, but he was unwelcomed for the emissaries of Melkor had aforetimes spread false rumours of fear among the Penedh. And those first Elves, witnesses of the wrath of the Rodyn and the devastation of the war, were afeared and unwilling to heed the words of ones who had wrought such violence and death.

Thus did Araw bring to the Blessed Realm three elven lords as ambassadors, and these were Ingwë of the Minyar, Finwë of the Tatyar, and Elwë of the Nelyar. And they beheld the Light of the Two Trees and the glory of Dor-Rodyn and therefore they counselled their kin to embark upon the Great Journey to the Uttermost West, and Araw led them thither. But not all followed, for there were many who refused the summons, preferring the starlight and the wide spaces of Middle-earth to the rumour of the Trees; and there were those who heard not the invitation, for they had wandered far and wide betweentimes. And thus were the Morbin sundered from the Rodyn from the beginning; and likewise the Host of Dân^[2], who foresook the Journey and dwelt thereafter in Eryn Galen and Lindórinand, knew not of the Rodyn save in tales of myth and legend.

Now Teithoron Tegilbor told me that in the days of peace ere the Wars of Beleriand, Araw still at times rode across that land and his mighty hunting-horn echoed in the hills; and when the Eledhrim heard it sound all knew that the Huntsman was pursuing the fell servants of Morgoth. And he said also that the name of Beleriand means "the Country of Balar" (who is Gaerys) and was beheld by the Lindar with awe and fear.) Whilst Echeleb, my father's father, said that aforetime in Ossiriand the Laegil dwelt in the protection of the seven rivers; for after Sirion Ulmo, Dweller of the Deep, loved Gelion above all the waters of the western world and his voice was heard in its music, for the spirit of Ulmo runs in all the veins of the world. And when my forebears fled to Eryn Galen after the ruin of Beleriand, my Laegrim clan brought with them such rites and customs with which we show reverence to the Rodyn.

Thus have our lives been ever entwined with the Exalted, and so too the folk of the Sindar... what is it that holds common for both kins? Perhaps it is that we dwelt in Beleriand for a long count of years ere the return of the Golodhrim? Ah... the Gelydh! For they had aforetime dwelt in Dor-Rodyn under the Light of the Trees and were called the Lachend, and the Rodyn had taught them much wisdom and many cunning-handed skills; thus they brought with them to Beleriand such knowledge and reverence as they had learned directly from the Holy Ones. And after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad there were Gelydh who removed to Doriath and others who mingled with the Laegil in Ossiriand^[3], thus both the Grey-elves and Green-elves learned much lore from the Exiles thereafter. This, I deem, is whence our reverence arose, but now something occurs to me...

When I was but an elf-boy I hearkened to the rumour of a white stag that dwelt in Mirkwood westwards of the Elvenking's Halls, and thus I set out to find it. However, it found me... and I deem it was no bodily creature but the spirit of the forest that was, Eryn Galen (for we yet honour the spirits of Ardhon.) Long have I pondered if my adventure was perhaps a rare glimpse into the Unseen? For it is said that the High Elves dwell in both the Seen and the Unseen, the world of form and the world of spirit; and this set me to wonder if my bloodline is purely Green, or if there flows within my veins a trace of a Golodh from days of yore? Although such a thing has never happened to me again, so I know not... (but I hear still the voices of tree, stone and singing water, like all my kin.)

Truth be told, I am unsure how I would feel if it were so, for many of the deeds of the Golodhrim were evil, or so the tales tell. But it seems to me that not all Gelydh bear the guilt; nor have I have ever met a Golodh, not even in the Halls of the Elvenking where dwell the Sindar nobles of our kindred. But I have heard tell that their number in Imladris is great. Alas that it is more than a hundred and thirty leagues hence by path, road and pass; yet one day I shall journey thither.

But it matters not, for the bright Summer Sun is now high over the green-shadowed woodlands and a merry breeze is in the West. This is a day for swimming and mirth, not overthinking!

[1] "A ‘day’ of the sun [the Eldar] called ré and reckoned from sunset to sunset."

- The Lord of the Rings, 'Appendix D'

 [2] "They became a people apart, unlike their kin, save that they loved water, and dwelt most beside falls and running streams. Greater knowledge they had of living things, tree and herb, bird and beast, than all other Elves."

 - The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion: 'Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor'

[3] "The realm of Fingon was no more; and the sons of Fëanor wandered as leaves before the wind. Their arms were scattered, and their league broken; and they took to a wild and woodland life beneath the feet of Ered Lindon, mingling with the Green-elves of Ossiriand, bereft of their power and glory of old."

- The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion: 'Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad'

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