SCENE II.

Enter FINGOLFIN, FINROD and another elf.

Fingolfin: ...but Fëanor was told off just as me;

and I think he will keep the peace this time.

Finrod: It is a pity you can't get along.

Now, uncle, about what I said before...

Fingolfin: I have already told you what I think:

my daughter's a bit young for marriage yet.

Finrod: Plenty of girls are married at her age.

Fingolfin: You have a point, but still I hesitate.

She is the only daughter that I have,

and loth I am to give her hand away.

But court her, Finrod, that much I permit,

and when her love for you she does admit,

your wedding I will happily condone;

for her joy's more important than my own.

Now, I'm holding a feast this very night,

and your attendance would be a delight.

All Tirion's fair maidens will be there,

and you shall see them all; contrast, compare -

perhaps like my child best, or else perchance

some other beauty will your heart entrance.

[to the other elf, giving him a paper]

These are the people I wish to invite

to come to supper at my house tonight.

Exeunt FINGOLFIN and FINROD.

Other elf: Find them out whose names are written here! Well, well, let's see...

[looks at paper] What's this? I can't read these new-fangled Tengwar! What was wrong with Rúmil's letters, I'd like to know! Now what am I going to do?

Enter CELEGORM and MAEDHROS.

Maedhros: See, even as the light of one tree grows,

the other fades to nothing; ancient woes

are soon forgotten when new pains arise -

look for another love, that's my advice.

Celegorm: Belladonna is excellent for that.

Maedhros: For what?

Celegorm: For making you stop talking.

Maedhros: What? Celegorm, are you mad?

Celegorm: No, I am the cause of madness in other people.

[To the other elf] Good-day.

Other elf: Good-day to you too. Say, can you read?

Celegorm: If there are letters, I can read them; otherwise, I suggest you ask my fair cousin instead.

Other elf: I have a letter here...

Celegorm: A letter? Only one? One letter doesn't make for much reading.

Other elf: Forget I mentioned it; I'll ask someone else.

Celegorm: No, stay, I'll read it for you.

[Reads] "My brother Finarfin and his wife; my lady mother; Ecthelion and his lovely daughters; Angrod and his brother Aegnor; my fair niece Galadriel; Aranwë; my sons Fingon, Turgon and Argon; Rúmil, his wife and daughters..." A fair assembly; whither should they come?

Other elf: To supper.

Celegorm: Where?

Other elf: At our house.

Celegorm: Whose house?

Other elf: My lord's.

Celegorm: Fair enough, forget I mentioned it.

Other elf: No, stay, I'll tell you: my lord is the noble Fingolfin; and if you aren't followers of Fëanor, you too are welcome to the feast. Farewell!

Exeunt other elf.

Maedhros: What a coincidence! At this same feast

Galadriel, the object of your love,

will be, along with many other maids.

Go there, and I am sure that you will see

that there are other girls as fair as she.

Celegorm: And I am just as sure that you are wrong;

from the first moment of the Ainur's song,

until the world's end there's not, will not be,

has never been a maid as fair as she.

Maedhros: Now, Celegorm, you know that's hyperbole.

Stop milking this "distressed dogged lover"-role.

You'll go with me to Fingolfin's tonight,

and soon you'll see things in another light.

Celegorm: You're wrong, but I'll go with you nonetheless;

to see my love's enough of happiness.