Dance of the Twilight

(This happened at the first age in Nan Tathren… about a musician's love for the daughter of the vassal of the moon, Tilion and Ithilien or StarMoon… it is a story of immortal love between man and Maia.)

In the deeps of the Sylvan trees,

When all was dark and still,

He built a fire under the great trees

And played on the flute a trill.

The trill was sweet and smooth

Loud it went and soft again

Deafening the woodland calls

And the sighs of the cold wind.

He was waiting for his loved one

Elwen, star maiden the fair.

Daughter of the great Night Sun

And under the white Moon's care.

The trill was for Ithilden

For her to sing and dance to

It spoke of stars and the dark forest

And the black sky up above it.

He waited; he waited for his Tindomerel dear

Under the silver boughs of the great white tree

The animals listened, the seas wailed

Hearing the sad song of longing for Tindomerel dear

But Lo! Beyond the west of River Sirion, lights appear!

And songs so lovely, so beautiful to hear.

And swift, the brightest light hath land

On the eastern banks of lake Aman.

Awe struck he was yet he continued to play

The song of fair Ithilden, the twilight mayd

And lo behold the bright star that stand

On the eastern banks of River Sirion, Elwen StarMoon!

She danced along the meadows

And the sky and land stars blossomed

She sang beside the rivers

And all listened to her song

It was a song of the elder days

A lay about the once young world

And there he saw before his eyes

The great wisdom behind her eyes

Her hair was long and raven colored

It rested on her shoulder

And on her pretty head there was a circlet

Made from mithril and the great white jewel

Her eyes were deep and grey

It beheld the evening light

It mirrored her love for lore and song

And everything beautiful in sight

Her face was pale and white

But her cheeks were a slightly red

As for her lips so full and nice

Like the words she often said

Her raiment was silver blue

Her body willow figured

Her skin was white and soft and smooth

Striking beyond belief

She continued her merry dance

Her feet so nimble and quick

And everywhere she went flow'rs grew

And they followed her lead

He witnessed what man did not see

Between twilight and dusk in the woods

The fair Elwen, immortal beauty

Daughter of Twilight and the Good

She danced, she sang, she skipped, she ran

And the forest was alive again

Her voice, the sweetest one there is

Sang of immortal love

She sang a song of old

Of men and elves renowned

A tale of Beren Erchamion

And Luthien Tinuviel, daughter of Thingol Greycloak

In his thoughts he was so pleased

And he was excited indeed

For how many long nights have he endured

To see her dance among the reeds!

But then an ever frightful thought

Had crept inside his head

That he shall never see her again

Until he sleeps on his deathbed

After the cheerful dance

The woodlanders went back to slumber

And Elwen crept beside her beloved

And they slept, her face not somber

Then Arien rode on her golden steed

And all was morn again

And both the lovers gave heed

To the chariot of maiden Arien

They said goodbye and off she went,

Carried by Manwë's breeze

To Valinor, the Blessed Realm,

Where no man lived as they pleased

But the jealous suitor spied on Elwen

And saw her with the musician

And his jealousy grew along with his anger

And reported back to Tilion

Thus Tilion was bewildered

Of hearing the outlandish news

And he ordered audience with his daughter

And barred her from her beloved

So she obeyed and spoke not a word

But fled to Mandos' Halls

Where Nienna, mourning Valier dwelt

To share with Mourning her troubles and falls

While Ithilden was away with Nienna

The musician sang out his lament

And all the beast, and woods, and winds

Listened to his sorrows

His song was loud and clear

And bittersweet to the ears

For the musician hardly made

A song that was with tears

Then Arda was moved to pity

After hearing his sorrow

And so they sang with sympathy

And wept with copious woe

So they offered their greatest help

To lovers doomed in heart

They bade them use the dove and owl

For contacting each other

Great were their thanks to them

Yet they still had lot to offer

The great wind agreed to be

The vassal of the songs they sang for the other

For many years, hurt lessened

Between the star-crossed lovers

Though many recovered from the wounds

The doomed still sought each other

Four and fifty years have passed

And all was now elapsed

But the two still recall their warmest summer

And of their coldest winter

Another twenty years have passed

Yet Elwen was still young

But the musician, old, was nearing death

Yet his memories were still young

Three years later he passed away

To worlds far and unheard of

And so his friends, the woods and beast

Told Elwen what hath surpassed.

The elves of Nan Tathren

Fashioned a beautiful boat

'Twas made from white and gold wood

and it's sails were made of the finest silk

And so they heaved his body on this boat

For Ulmo to carry off

To the great sea that was far south

Of which the musician love and often sang off

And Elwen wept and sang a song

The saddest one she wrought

For she still missed her musician dear

And off she ran to Manwë

There she spoke of her lament

And begged them to consider

To bring him back to Nan Tathren

To live under her watch forever

The court was silent after her speech

Taking council in their minds

But at last The Greatest Vala spoke

And his voice was soft and solemn

'Tis not our right to change Eru's design

For it is he who hath made man

And it is he who gave them the gift of death

For it is just as he planned'

Then Elwen stared among their eyes

And spoke not a whisper

For she believed that this was just

Yet mourning was still astir

But Manwë knew what lieth behind

Her placid, temperate eyes

And off she ran from the Blessed Realm

Estranging herself from them till her demise

She fled back to Nan Tathren

To where she first beheld him

And there beside great Sirions's mouth

She sobbed and sobbed on it's western shore

Her tears flooded down her cheeks

And gathered in the foamy waters

And turned them sweet as the tears continued to leak

And her cries they didn't falter

The next day Ithilien flew down to Nan Tathren

There she sought for her daughter dear

And inquired the woodland where she was

But they never saw Tindomerel beloved

They sought and sought for Tindomerel dear

Yet she wasn't found

They continued their grueling search

But still she wasn't around

Then it was already sunset

But nobody here she met

Until the party came at last

To Sirion's great mouth

There they saw Lady Uinen

Spouse of mighty Ősse

Here they saw her weep and cry

And asked her what passed and why

She confessed of conversing with Elwen

The starry night before she vanished

She heard of Elwen's heartrending tale

And she was move to mercy

'She asked me to aid her

to help her in her quest

To find her lost adored

Until he is found, she will not rest'

'I told you once before

I was very moved to pity

Seeing her lament all night

About her darling somewhere down the sea'

'So then I lent her my help

and she threw herself on me

I pleaded to Ősse to be gentle to her

And lead her safely to him, the beloved'

'But then I also weep

for lending her my aid, I lead her to her death

but she was already lost

and Ulmo wouldn't reveal where he hath leaded her.'

And Uinen continued to cry

And along with her the others did

But Ithilien did not tarry, she flew

She flew west to her spouse, the moon

There she repeated what she heard

And she broke down into tears

And Tilion with her

And they flew to Mandos' Halls

They pleaded to see their daughter

Celeb-Ithil, docile heart

But Mandos shooked his head

And bade them to depart

Bewildered were they to hear his words

And both wondered why

Mandos told them she didn't abode here

And he heaved a wistful sigh

He told them of her choice

To count her part of mortal men

So she can ever hear his voice

And be forever with him

And Eru granted her wish

And now she was lost

Forever her body sank in sea

Soul lost, distant from the blessed shore

So silent were the two

And heartbroken indeed

But like all things good, respected Eru's decree

And continued there lives less happily

Yet by the by the Sirion, passing Nan Tathren

Whenever it was silent and still

And whenever the stars were hiding

Then the greatest light could be seen shining

The light came from the west, some said

And it always landed upon the eastern shore

Then people will hear the joyful songs of the flute

And the light will dance to it, and people close to it will mourn no more