The Tale of Aulë and Yavanna
(Summary of The Silmarillion: Quenta Silmarillion: 2: Of Aulë and Yavanna)

The tale today is about Aulë and Yavanna, but not least about the creation of the Dwarves. Sit back and listen, because this is a story worth hearing :)

I have mentioned Aulë before - he is Lord of Making, Craftsmanship and of the substances the earth is made of - iron, gold, silver and so on. Before any life had been made and when Middle-Earth was still laid in darkness, Aulë anticipated much the coming of the Children of Ilúvatar, so that he could teach them his lore and craft. His desire was so great that he made the Dwarves in secret, but not knowing completely how Ilúvatar had imagined the Firstborn and because of the power of Melkor was still present on Arda, he made them strong and stubborn as they are today, fast in friendship and in enmity but also enduring, able to suffer toil and hunger and hurt of body more than all other speaking peoples. He made seven fathers of Dwarves in a hall under the mountains in Middle-Earth.

Ilúvatar knew what was done and he questioned Aulë about the Dwarves and Aulë regretted his doing so deeply that Ilúvatar took pity on him and allowed the Dwarves to be put to sleep until he decided to awaken them. Because, the Elves were meant as the Firstborn, and so it should be.

Elves today believe that Dwarves when they die, return to the earth and stone of which they were made, but Dwarves themselves say that Mahal, which is the name they use for Aulë, gathers them to the Halls of Mandos where Ilúvatar will give them place among the Children of Ilúvatar and they shall serve Aulë to help him in the remaking of Arda after the Last Battle.

Now, Aulë had made the Dwarves in secret - not even Yavanna had he told about this, until they had been put to sleep by Ilúvatar. When she heard, she said to Aulë that since he had hidden this from her, the Dwarves would have little love for the things she loved - that they would love first the things they themselves created and that they were to delve in earth, having little regards for fauna and beasts. Aulë said that they would however still be Children of Ilúvatar, having dominations of their own and eating, drinking and building as the others, but not without respect or gratitude.

Yavanna was grieved hearing about domination of realms and thereby her work, and she sought the counsel of Manwë, asking if nothing should be free from the domination of others. Manwë asked her, what of all her work she held dearest and she answered that she held dearest the trees and that she had thought of trees speaking on behalf of all things that have roots and punish those that wrong them.

Manwë pondered this request and Ilúvatar knew this and he renewed the song from the Timeless Halls for Manwë, making him see his purpose. Manwë understood and returned to Yavanna, telling her that in time when the Firstborn are in their power and the Followers are still young, Eagles will be summoned from the West as messengers from Manwë, with anger that shall be be feared. And Yavanna was happy, but still concerned about the trees. Manwë told her that in the forests shall walk the shepherds of the Trees, whose wrath will arouse at their peril. Aulë just said that despite this, the Children of Ilúvatar would still need wood and went on with his craft.

That was the tale of Aulë and Yavanna and the making of the Dwarves :) I still wonder this day if the Dwarves do indeed return to the soil or if they are gathered by Aulë in Mandos' Halls. I guess that someday, we will eventually know :) My next tale will be about the Coming of the Elves and about the overthrowing of Melkor. Be well until then, listeners :) 

 

Comments, suggestions and questions email to niya@goddess.dk