II: Of the Laying and Slumber of the Dwarves

When it came time for Mahal to lay his creations to their sleep, he determined to set them far apart, so that the race would survive even if danger befell one of their beds. And he spoke to them as a group for the last time, saying, "Though I lay you each in a different place, and though the vast distances of this land shall lie between, I would have kinship and love between all of you, my creations. Therefore, when the time of your awakening comes, I would have you seek each other out across the distances which shall lie between you." And then he took each of the Fathers of the Dwarves, together with their mates, to their resting places.

He first took Fergon and his mate Brís, and brought them to the river where he had first fashioned them. And he said to them, "I shall lay you beside the banks where you were born, for the blessing of Ulmo is upon you, and a love for water shall ever be in your blood. Yet my domain will ever call to you, and then you shall go to the mountains in the east. And your home shall be in this land, between mountains and river, and you will not want for anything so long as the river is your friend." And Fergon looked to the west, and said, "There shall be our halls, safe under rock and stone." But Brís looked to the east, and said, "Yet far from rock and stone shall our hearts ever be." And Mahal named the country there Antabizar, which means "Middle-dale," and laid the two to rest in a shallow cave in the land which men call Ithillien.

Mahal then took Ergon and his mate Frís, and brought them to the west, where the mountains stretched out to the sea. And he said to them, "You shall live here, and work these peaks; for though they are poor in metals, they are rich in strong rock. Here you may delve halls that shall be remembered for many ages." But Ergon looked about with scorn, and spoke no word. And Frís spoke, saying, "Yet why do you deny us gold and silver? Why do you not gratify our desire for all material that we wish?" And Mahal answered, "I give you here work that shall last a thousand generations, and beauteous caverns hidden, waiting only for discovery and the love of conscious hands. Is that not enough?" And Ergon now looked at Mahal, but spoke to his wife, saying, "Peace, my love. What we lack, we shall find. And what we cannot find, we shall take." And these words troubled Mahal, but he did not give his concern voice. And Mahal named the land Olôr-daba, which is "Deep rock," but Ergon spoke, and named the land instead Hala-carnû, which is "Pettyhold." And Mahal was in doubt, but he laid the two to rest in the foothills of the White Mountains.

He then took Bergon and his mate Nís, and brought them deep into the south, where trackless deserts lie as far as mortal eyes can see in every direction. And in the midst of these sands stood a ridge of rocky mesas, barren and wind-swept. And Mahal said to them, "I set you here, in a land of dearth, yet never shall you thirst while his be your home, and more beautiful shall your work be, when set against this unloveliness!" Then he took them deep under the mesas, and Nís spoke in wonder, exclaiming, "Mayhaps my ears are deceived, but that sounds to be running water!" And Bergon said, "Strange are your ways, Mahal, but let it never be said that you do not love your children; for where there is water, there may be life as well, and we shall make dwellings here which will be ever to your glory, and to your honor!" And Mahal named the land Daba-nâla, which is "Rock-bed¹," and laid the two to rest deep in the country of the Haradrim, under the rocky outcroppings which they name Kezd-har, "Dwarf-hold," and will not go near to this day.

Then Mahal took Imbult and his mate Hann, together with Kimbult and his mate Mann, and brought them both west, to where stretched an unbroken line of mountains into the far northern wastes. And he said to them, "You I created as twins in my thought, and so I shall lay you near to one another. These mountains are filled with gold and silver, and these you shall work into things of beauty, for your gift with fine metals shall be great. And also you shall find copper here in abundance, and of this shall your first works be wrought, while yet your talents are in their infancy." And Imbult and Hann, and Kimbult and Mann all were glad in their hearts, and Kimbult spoke for all when he said, "We shall endeavor to be worthy of this gift you give to us. To you, Mahal, be all praises given." And Mahal smiled, for even then Kimbult's tongue was melodious, and a pleasure to hear. Then Mahal took Imbult and Hann to the south of the mountains, and brought them to a great cavern, which he named Tumunzahar, which is "Hollowbold." And he took Kimbult and Mann to the north of the Mountains, and brought them to a second cavern like unto the first in size and beauty, and named it Gabilgathol, which is "Great fortress." And he laid them each to rest, deep under the Blue Mountains.

Then he took Dimbult and his mate Fann, and brought them north and east, past a great forest where dark things prowled in the days before the sun, until they came to a vast ring of bald peaks, standing imposing on the flat landscape about them. And Mahal said, "In this land you shall live, in the face of any obstacle. For here you shall be secure, and none that go by land shall ever be able to assail you. Beneath these mountains are a wealth of iron copper, tin, and many other metals. And in time you shall learn to combine them into alloys of great value and worth." And Dimbult nodded, for already thoughts filled his mind; a great fortress, with the very mountains themselves for walls, and devious paths filled with cunning traps for the unwary invader. And Mahal named the land Olôr-kindik, which is "Deepsafe," and set the two to rest in the fastness of the Iron Hills.

And finally Mahal was left alone with Durin, and so spoke to him, saying, "Last I shall place you, final and greatest of all my creations. And I shall lay you here, in the same caverns where you were forged. Your first brothers are to your south, and your second brothers are to your north. Here at the center of all things shall you lie, and fashion your own great halls. And here there is gold, and silver, and iron, and gems beyond count. And also, the drippings of my forge as I labored have collected at the roots of these mountains, and you may find them to be of great value." And Durin replied, "I am not worthy to live in a cavern where one so great as you has spilt his sweat, but I shall endeavor in whatever way I can to make from this beginning a shadow of your excellence." And Mahal was pleased, and named the cavern Kazad-dûm, which is "Dwarrow-delf," and said to Durin, "Here may you lie in peace, until the coming of the Children of Illuvitar is brought to pass!" And so saying, he lay Durin to rest, deep under the three peaks of Barazinbar, Zirak-Zigil, and Bundushathûr.

And in these places the dwarves slept an age, while the world changed. The Firstborn came, and the Black Shadow was chained. The Lords of the West took many of the Firstborn back with them into the West, and brought them even to the uttermost end of the Great Sea. And it is said that at the same hour as those elves departed the lands of their birth, the dwarves awoke from their long slumber.

I----------

¹The suffix -nâla also denotes running water, as in "riverbed."

Next Chaper:

III: Of the Days of Labor, and the Discovery of Elves