Thread by @DrNosy10

What is 'The Song of the Roots of Hithaeglir' and where does it fit into #Tolkien? Is #TheRingsOfPower making up new lore?

This goes out to my fellow Tolkien aficionados who are mulling over its purpose in the ROP story🧵

#tropspoilers #fantasy #folklore

1. What is `The Song of the Roots of Hithaeglir`?

Well, Mellons, in the words of Elrond himself, it is `An obscure legend regarded by most to be apocryphal`. Elrond is underscoring the point that this legend is folklore.

[A meta point: #Tolkien is based in folklore!]

(1/5)

(2/5)

Now, this is what makes folklore interesting— Their origins are often based in truth.

Not literal truths but something akin to parables & fables that HINT to the truth. Afterall you have heard it said, "the truth is [more frightening] than fiction".

(3/5)

In Western folklore, we are familiar with the concept of 'werewolves'. This lore is entirely fictious. Yet the lore itself has basis in fact.

That lore was our ancestors' way of warning us about 'the wolves in our midst', i.e., 'serial killers'.

(4/5)

Anthropological POV: Folklore is essential to the human survival. It functions as a warning to the listener about the realities of the world without exposure to the brutality of its truths. It is a way to keep us safe.

`Nobody goes off-trail and nobody walks alone`

(5/5)

Coming back to this `apocryphal` origin of mithril— the `Song of Hithaeglir` is not Tolkienian!

Within the ROP story, however, it is an Elven folkore that has basis in the facts on the nature of mithril and the truth of what else might lie beneath the Misty Mountains.

2. The Myth of Mithril

`True creation requires sacrifice`

An Elven warrior (`with a heart as pure as Manwë`) and a Balrog (`all his hatred`) poured themselves into a tree bearing the light of Silmarils. One seeking to protect it, the other seeking to destroy it.

(1/4)

(2/4)

Lighting (likely from Manwë) struck the tree which resulted in the creation of the tree's roots... veins of mithril into the mountain.

This sacrifice made by both warrior and Balrog resulted in the subcreation of mithril— a thing so good and yet so dangerous.

(3/3)

`The Song of the Roots of Hithaeglir` is a warning fable to all the peoples of Middle-earth.

While mithril will bring glory to Dwarves, salvation to the Elves, and riches to the Men. It will also bring inevitable Doom upon those who seek it.

(4/4)

Gil-galad's hope in mithril is Tolkienian (Letter 131)— Mithril comes from a good root but a frightful evil will also arise from it.

"[But] the problem: this frightful evil can and does arise from an apparently good root, the desire to benefit the world and others."

Cc: @Katherine_Sas @DigitalTolkien @Quickbeam2000 @keyton__ @nerdoftherings1 @TeawithTolkien @TolkienWonder @tolkienprof @CruisingCathy

Sorry for the tags! I saw that some of you were wondering abt this last night & I thought a🧵would be the most efficient way to convey ideas.

@threadreaderapp unroll