The song it was singing hushed Arwen as she listened. Arwen smiled at it,
and a strange light was in her eyes. Elrohir looked at his mother.
"It's tinuviel, a nightingale."
Celebrian sat on the floor beckoning the boys to sit next to her.
"A very long time ago," she began "before I was even born, there was a beautiful elf-maiden. Not only was she beautiful, but she could sing and dance better than any other maiden. She was the most beautiful elf in the whole world."
"More beautiful than you?" Elladan asked.
Celebrian laughed. "Yes. Much more beautiful than me. Her name was Luthien, and she lived in a hidden forest. Her father, Thingol, was the king of all the elves in that forest, so she was a princess. When Luthien was grown up, her father let her wander through the forest, singing and dancing with the different birds. Her favorite birds, were the nightingales, for their song was the fairest of all birds. One day, Beren, a mortal, got lost. He ended up in King Thingol's forest, and he saw Luthien singing and dancing. He thought she was so beautiful, and that her song was so beautiful, he called out to her, naming her Tinuviel; nightingale. Luthien had never seen Beren before, and she became afraid, so she fled from him. But she did not forget him, for he had named her in her own tongue. He had named her Tinuviel. The most beautiful bird and the most beautiful elf. Beren, entranced by her beauty, he followed her into the forest. When he saw her again, he called out to her, again calling her Tinuviel. This time, Luthien did not flee. She stood and watched Beren, for she was interested in this mortal. You see children, Beren was very special. He was the first person; elf, beast, or man, to find his way into Thingol's hidden forest. And very few mortals knew the elven tongue. He approached Luthien and held out his hand, and she took it. After a time, Luthien fell in love with Beren. When Luthien's father learned about this, he was very angry. He knew that if his daughter fell in love with a mortal, that she might choose to become mortal just to be with him, and he did not want to lose his only child. Thingol called Beren to him, and told him that if he wanted to marry Luthien he would have to do something very dangerous. At that time, there was a very bad person, and he had in his possession three very beautiful jewels that he had stolen from the elves. They were the Silmarils. Thingol wanted Beren to steal one of the Silmarils and bring it to him. This was very dangerous, because the person who had the Silmarils was very mean, and if he caught Beren, he would hurt him very badly. Beren could have refused the quest, and left the forest forever; but because he loved Luthien Tinuviel so much, he was willing to risk his life to prove himself to her father. When Luthien learned about this, she was very sad, because she knew it would be hard for him to do it, and she knew the danger. So Luthien did everything she could to help him, even though her father didn't want her to. In the end, because of Luthien's help, Beren was able to marry Luthien. They had a son, Dior, who married and had three children of his own. Elwing, his youngest and only daughter, is your father's mother."
Elladan thought for a moment. "Father shares blood with Tinuviel?"
"Yes." She leaned in very close to them. "And so do you."
Elrohir looked thoughtfully at Arwen. "Mother, is that why Arwen is so beautiful? Because she shares blood with the most beautiful elf ever?"
Celebrian smiled. "Yes. Arwen is very special. The beauty of Luthien Tinuviel, which we see in Arwen, will never again appear among elves in Middle-earth."
Elrond, who had been standing in the doorway, walked into the room.
"My love, your mother and father are here."
"It's tinuviel, a nightingale."
Celebrian sat on the floor beckoning the boys to sit next to her.
"A very long time ago," she began "before I was even born, there was a beautiful elf-maiden. Not only was she beautiful, but she could sing and dance better than any other maiden. She was the most beautiful elf in the whole world."
"More beautiful than you?" Elladan asked.
Celebrian laughed. "Yes. Much more beautiful than me. Her name was Luthien, and she lived in a hidden forest. Her father, Thingol, was the king of all the elves in that forest, so she was a princess. When Luthien was grown up, her father let her wander through the forest, singing and dancing with the different birds. Her favorite birds, were the nightingales, for their song was the fairest of all birds. One day, Beren, a mortal, got lost. He ended up in King Thingol's forest, and he saw Luthien singing and dancing. He thought she was so beautiful, and that her song was so beautiful, he called out to her, naming her Tinuviel; nightingale. Luthien had never seen Beren before, and she became afraid, so she fled from him. But she did not forget him, for he had named her in her own tongue. He had named her Tinuviel. The most beautiful bird and the most beautiful elf. Beren, entranced by her beauty, he followed her into the forest. When he saw her again, he called out to her, again calling her Tinuviel. This time, Luthien did not flee. She stood and watched Beren, for she was interested in this mortal. You see children, Beren was very special. He was the first person; elf, beast, or man, to find his way into Thingol's hidden forest. And very few mortals knew the elven tongue. He approached Luthien and held out his hand, and she took it. After a time, Luthien fell in love with Beren. When Luthien's father learned about this, he was very angry. He knew that if his daughter fell in love with a mortal, that she might choose to become mortal just to be with him, and he did not want to lose his only child. Thingol called Beren to him, and told him that if he wanted to marry Luthien he would have to do something very dangerous. At that time, there was a very bad person, and he had in his possession three very beautiful jewels that he had stolen from the elves. They were the Silmarils. Thingol wanted Beren to steal one of the Silmarils and bring it to him. This was very dangerous, because the person who had the Silmarils was very mean, and if he caught Beren, he would hurt him very badly. Beren could have refused the quest, and left the forest forever; but because he loved Luthien Tinuviel so much, he was willing to risk his life to prove himself to her father. When Luthien learned about this, she was very sad, because she knew it would be hard for him to do it, and she knew the danger. So Luthien did everything she could to help him, even though her father didn't want her to. In the end, because of Luthien's help, Beren was able to marry Luthien. They had a son, Dior, who married and had three children of his own. Elwing, his youngest and only daughter, is your father's mother."
Elladan thought for a moment. "Father shares blood with Tinuviel?"
"Yes." She leaned in very close to them. "And so do you."
Elrohir looked thoughtfully at Arwen. "Mother, is that why Arwen is so beautiful? Because she shares blood with the most beautiful elf ever?"
Celebrian smiled. "Yes. Arwen is very special. The beauty of Luthien Tinuviel, which we see in Arwen, will never again appear among elves in Middle-earth."
Elrond, who had been standing in the doorway, walked into the room.
"My love, your mother and father are here."
