#tra la la lally elf

[thesummerestsolstice]

A very important update to my Maglor = Erestor, Finrod = Gildor, and Daeron = Lindir post.

They all take shifts as the Tra-la-la-lally elf.

Gildor thinks it's delightful and uses it as a chance to talk to all the valley's visitors. He actually uses some of his free time to teach Glorfindel some basic bard skills. Glorfindel is surprisingly into it.

Lindir refused to at first because he's composed full symphonies before, why should he spend his time on that, but then Gandalf accused him of being too afraid to improvise rhyming lyrics and the challenge was on.

Erestor just desperately needs some Tra-la-la-lally in his life. He's also re-learning to sing without making everyone around him experience the horrors. It's good practice.

Elrond, who arranged this, thought it was a master stroke because surely, if they have to talk to each other about Tra-la-la-lally duty, they'll realize, right?

They've all become pretty good friends over the years, and spend plenty of time together! They still have no idea.

Thranduil's gotten in on the betting pool. He's betting on it taking divine intervention.

#silmarillion #silm headcanons #rivendell #imladris #maglor #erestor #finrod #gildor #daeron #lindir #elrond #glorfindel #gandalf #thranduil #tra la la lally elf #this is a tragedy for Elrond and a comedy for everyone else

[hypothetical-silmarillion]

i just spent 15 minutes drawing a spinning elf to see art improvement

look i know one is a dragon and one is an elf but look at the improvement

#art improvement #digital art #animation #idk what's going on with the weird lines #elf guy #not a specific silmarillion character #but he looks like he sings tra-la-la-lally #let's microwave him

[nin-varisse]

Feanor would be a tra-la-la-lally elf if it wasn't for the doom

#doomed by the narrative for real #feanor #silm #silmarillion #nin's thoughts #mumblings

[silmarillion-ways-to-die]

#tolkien #lord of the rings #silmarillion #lotr #lotr rop #lotr trop #jrr tolkien #fantasy #the hobbit #lotr poll #tolkien polls #tolkien quotes

[thelordofgifs]

Obscure Tolkien Blorbo: The Final!

Nerdanel vs One (1) Rivendell elf who sings tra-la-la-lally

Nerdanel:

Nerdanel, called The Wise, was the wife of Fëanor, and known as a great sculptor. She refused to follow her family to Middle-earth in the revolt of the Noldor.

Best known as the woman who looked at the hot mess that is Fëanor, went “is anyone going to marry that?” and did not wait for an answer, Nerdanel is also so much more than just the beloved wife of Fëanor. Most notably, she is a sculptor (apparently a male-dominated field in Noldorin society) - her statues are so life-like that the friends of the depicted would go up and talk to them! She is also wise enough to land the epithet Istarnië, which means Wise One, and she is the only person Fëanor ever listened to, which borders miracle territory. Although when she married the pretty young crown prince of the Noldor, people said she was not good-looking enough for him, Fëanor begged to differ, as they had seven kids together, which is the largest amount of kids any Elven couple ever had. There must have been a lot of passion there (or maybe they just really wanted a daughter?). Although Nerdanel always seemed to have wise counsel for her husband, apparently she did not put up with his, as she was close friends with Indis, his stepmother he did not like. Unfortunately, their marital bliss did not last; when Fëanor pulled a sword on his half-brother Fingolfin (Indis's son) and was exiled, she did not come with him and instead stayed with Indis. This is often seen as her inventing divorce, although a more boring reading could simply suggest she disagreed and did not fancy accompanying him (LaCE does say Elven couples could keep separate households for extended periods of time). She also did not think about coming to Beleriand with him after he swore his terrible oath, although she did beg for him to leave her at least one of her kinslaying spawn sweet adorable baby boys (preferably the one she very ominously tried her hardest to name The Fated as a baby). I suppose the resulting, kind of permanent, separation, could definitely count as divorce.

she is a sculptor and an artisan so skilled that Feanor’s love for her competed with his own love of craft and creation. She raised seven sons and pleaded for their fates with Feanor because of how much she loved them and even though she loved him too, she stuck to her own beliefs and refused to leave Valinor….she’s so girlboss and she said you can go be a tragic archetype but our children don’t deserve that and also I will stay right here. We love a woman who refuses to give up her joys and her home even for a man she loves and ESPECIALLY since it was Feanor….the strength of her will is insane. I love her.

One (1) Rivendell elf who sings tra-la-la-lally:

One of the Elves of Rivendell who sing tra-la-la-lally in The Hobbit.

This one specific elf sings tra la la lally with the rest but he is slightly off key and the other elves bully him for it

they’re SILLY!!! We need NEED more silly elves!! Like who are these weirdos just hanging out in the trees of Rivendell? Did they know the dwarves were coming and gather their friends to specifically climb those trees to sing nonsense at them? Do they just normally sit there and sing about every little thing they see? Is this a traditional Rivendell thing or are those elves just really strange? I’m obsessed with them they’re everything to me. Elves are oft portrayed as being Too Serious in this fandom and silly elves need rights too! Silly elf rights!!!!

Final masterpost

#obscure tolkien blorbo #nerdanel #queuevienen

[tolkien-feels]

Thingol is also one of the only silm characters to canonically have a sense of humor.

“The Silmaril is in my hand” making him laugh and that is what makes him like Beren and allow for the rules lawyering of Luthien’s brideprice.

“I was sitting in a tree” “many have done so, and yet not felt the need to tell me” (paraphrased) is him using that same sense or humor, and it’s that humor that puts… I’m forgetting her name rn… at ease enough to tell her tale.

It’s why he is unironically one of my faves, particularly with the (sometimes) canon explanation that his actions in Leithian are because he’s afraid a spell has been put on Luthien and it’s nothing but a trap from Morgoth. Sure he was wrong, but that might speak more to him being the forefather of those “more dangerous, less wise” of the elves than to him being an asshole

Thingol's sense of humor is great tbh! And one thing I always think about when it comes to Thingol is this:

In Beleriand King Thingol upon his throne was as the lords of the Maiar, whose power is at rest, whose joy is as an air that they breathe in all their days, whose thought flows in a tide untroubled from the heights to the deeps.

Between this and the glimpses we get of his characterization outside of crises, I tend to headcanon Thingol, if not outright a tra-la-la-lally kind of elf, would at least get along well enough with them.

Idk, Thingol just generally strikes me as one of the most elfin elves (intentional choice of adjective) in Tolkien. I find him pretty much impossible to distinguish from medieval fairy kings, both in good aspects (ties to beauty and nature, playfulness, coolness) and in negative aspects (pride, unpredictability, danger.) This informs a lot of how I read him, but I know it's very much a personal preference

[sallysavestheday]

Hello! For the writer ask:

3. What’s the fic you’re most proud of?

19. Do you have any OCs? Tell us about them!

20. Summarize a random fic of yours in 10 words or less.

Thank you 😊

Thanks for the ask!

3 I've answered here.

19. I am very sparing with OCs. Not sure why -- I enjoy reading fics where OCs play a significant role, but I just don't feel comfortable with writing them much, myself. There are two with whom I'm pretty happy, though. One is the tra-la-la-lally Elf in All Will Be Well, And All Will Be Well, which was written as a consolation prize for @theghostinthemargins because I voted for said Elf in the Tolkien blorbos poll and he beat out their darling Eldacar (the other character in this fic). I am actually quite fond of him: he sings a bit off-key, for Reasons, and Eldacar is battered from the flight from Gondor, and they click, nicely. The other OC of mine that I really love is Legolas' mother, the one-armed, reluctant Queen of the Greenwood. She appears in A Mighty Shot in the Darkness, and in a couple of upcoming pieces, and I am just really happy with her. I'd like to be her friend, or her kid, or something.

20. I keep answering these asks with all my serious stuff, so let's diverge a bit and go with Full Disclosure for a little humor. 9 word summary: Finrod fucks for Science, with color commentary by Russingon.

Thanks again for asking!

I'm still taking questions, if anyone else wants to grab one from this list.

#asks and answers #my fics #fic recs

[a-lonely-dunedain]

6, 14, 42 for ethedis!

6. What is their favourite music genre? If they don’t have one, what’s their favourite song?

I don't know what genre this is called, but whatever the elves in the trees at the entrance of the Rivendell Valley have going on. Singing Nonsense About Every Random Thing You See? Tra-La-La-Lally-core? whatever that is it slaps

14. Quickly, let them give us some life advice!

"Any action, no matter how seemingly trivial or dumb, is never wasted if someone got a laugh or even just a smile out of it. Especially if that someone is you."

42. Let them vent for a second, without the fear of being judged. What would they like to say?

I think the thing that has been weighing on Ethedis a lot (or will eventually) is probably the fact that she doesn't have the option to make Luthien's choice and choose a mortal fate. The love of her life and her closest friends are humans, and being an elf, once they die she's going to be separated from them for what might as well be forever.

She tries not to think about it too much, her friends will die eventually and she would rather not borrow grief from the future, she wants to enjoy the time she has with them without it being sullied by their inevitable fates. But the knowledge still eats away at her some nights. She feels as if her fate, doomed to be separated from the people she cares for most is a terrible injustice. To suffer the pain of losing them forever as punishment, as if loving her friends is some sort of crime. It just isn't fair. (and I happen to agree. one of these days I'll figure out a satisfying way to break the lore and get Ethedis into the human afterlife. somehow.)

...ok so that last one kinda left this on a sad note so I'm just gonna add one more here to end it on something nicer

2. Give them a warm drink of your choice, what would it be? Would their choice differ from yours?

I am giving Ethedis some hot mulled cider in a heart-shaped mug with a plate gingersnaps on the side. also a little kiss on the head.

#ty friend! #ask games #lotro oc #Ethedis

[starspray]

⭐ Director's commentary for Runes? I love that fic so much, Daeron is just so endearing and delightful in it, and the characterisation of Lúthien is also interesting.

General thoughts about Daeron & Lúthien's relationship are also welcome, if you feel like it!

Ooh, thanks for asking! That fic was really fun to write.

So, I wrote Runes for the SWG Breaking Boundaries challenge, where the prompt was to write about characters from different cultures meeting one another. I can't quite remember how I settled on Dwarves and Elves, but the relationship between Doriath and the Dwarves is so interesting to me, especially in the beginning--and the line that I used as an epigraph, about Daeron's runes and how the Dwarves appreciated them more than the Elves, was the launching point for this fic.

I brought Luthien in because I needed a reason for the Dwarves and Daeron to meet--Luthien realizing that they would benefit from Daeron's Cirth, and also knowing that he would greatly appreciate their appreciation--doing princess things, you know, bringing people together and working out what benefits everyone the most.

I wrote the characters the way I did because this story takes place during a time of peace and happiness for everyone, where they have the freedom to be kind of silly and just generally merry--y'know, like the tra la la lally Elves in Rivendell, but with even less to worry about. And then Daeron meets the Dwarves and they all just click because he's got a thing he's desperate to share, and they're extremely eager to learn stuff that will improve their own craft. I like to think they help him perfect the Cirth afterward, so the end result is more of a collaboration than just that an Elf made a thing and the Dwarves adopted it wholly as-is.

And my favorite Daeron & Luthien is them being best friends! Daeron acting as he does later, when Beren shows up, is a lot more interesting IMO if he's not acting out of romantic jealousy, but far more out of concern for her safety, and fear of what Beren's arrival means, and what lies outside of the Girdle. He's a powerful figure and I think he can sense the Doom that Beren brings with him. Not that Luthien can't, but Daeron has more of an outsider's POV to the situation--and also he's the court historian/minstrel, so his loyalties to Thingol as his king would be in conflict with his loyalty to Luthien as his friend, and clearly the former win out. And I think Luthien understands that, but he's still her first go-to when she needs help planning to go after Beren, and he's even the one she asks to make her the stuff she uses in the treehouse for her escape (is that bit only in the Lay? I can't quite remember, but I love it). I also HC that they grew up together as childhood friends, but I haven't worked out who Daeron's parents are or what happened to them.

#meme response

[shrikeseams]

Mentally casting Jack Black as a tra-la-la-lally elf.

#tolkien #San shoots the breeze

[tolkienmatters]

The dragon is withered, His bones are now crumbled; His armour is shivered, His splendour is humbled! Though sword shall be rusted, And throne and crown perish With strength that men trusted And wealth that they cherish, Here grass is still growing, And leaves are yet swinging, The white water flowing, And elves are yet singing Come! Tra-la-la-lally! Come back to the valley! The stars are far brighter Than gems without measure, The moon is far whiter Than silver in treasure; The fire is more shining On hearth in the gloaming Than gold won by mining, So why go a-roaming? O! Tra-la-la-lally Come back to the Valley. O! Where are you going, So late in returning? The river is flowing, The stars are all burning! O! Whither so laden, So sad and so dreary? Here elf and elf-maiden Now welcome the weary With Tra-la-la-lally Come back to the Valley, Tra-la-la-lally Fa-la-la-lally Fa-la!

- The Elves of Rivendells’ song after Smaug’s destruction. The Hobbit, The Last Stage.

#lotr #tolkien #hobbit #rivendell #song #poem #quote

[morgulscribe]

Lorien Is Protected By Song

In this quote, Galadriel talks about the various defenses of Lorien, leading up to her admission that she possesses the Ring of Adamant:

"'I know what it was that you last saw,' she said; 'for that is also in my mind. Do not be afraid! But do not think that only by singing amid the trees, nor even by the slender arrows of elven-bows, is this land of Lothlórien maintained and defended against its Enemy." --The Mirror of Galadriel, Fellowship of the Ring, p. 409

The line 'singing amid the trees' probably goes unnoticed by most readers; after all, that is what elves do: sing a lot. However, this reference to singing comes in a list of Lorien's defenses, not in a list of the various ways that elves entertain themselves in the forest. So this implies that these songs are not ordinary "Tra la lally, welcome to the valley" songs, but rather Songs of Power. Notice that Galadriel lists the singing first and then uses the words "nor even" when referring to the "slender arrows of the elven-bows," implying that the songs have the greater power when compared to ordinary martial strength.

There are two opinions among Tolkien fans regarding Galadriel's powers. One argument states that, while Galadriel possesses much inner strength, wisdom, and foresight, she is an ordinary elf, and most of her magic powers come from Nenya. The counter argument states that Galadriel has much innate power as a daughter of the Noldor, and even without Nenya, she would be a force to be reckoned with. After all, she is the sister of Finrod Felagund, who had no ring of power when he used a song "of changing and of shifting shape" to disguise himself and his companions as orcs, or when he fought against Sauron in a duel of song, sorcery, and shapeshifting.

Most likely, the "singing amid the trees" referenced in this chapter are some Girdle of Melian type enchantments, which Galadriel would have learned from Melian herself. I believe it can be argued that Galadriel used her own native power here, a power which was amplified by Nenya.

I also feel that there is an implication that the voices of other elves are bolstering the magic defenses around Lorien. Perhaps Galadriel has a group of pupils to whom she has taught the art of Songs of Power, much like how she herself was taught by Melian.

#tolkien #galadriel #lorien #fellowship of the ring #mirror of galadriel #songs of power #nenya #tolkien headcanons #girdle of melian #elfhild's essays

[lacnunga]

Actually I think the real problem with the Tolkien cinematic verse is that they have yet to present me a good candidate of an elf who would tra-ra-ra-rally or fa-la-la-lally

#maybe and i say maybe #those two mirkwood guards who got absolutely sloshed

[whats-in-a-sentence]

The dragon is withered,

His bones are now crumbled;

His armour is shivered,

His splendour is humbled!

Though sword shall be rusted,

And throne and crown perish

With strength that men trusted

And wealth that they cherish,

Here grass is still growing,

And leaves are yet swinging,

The white water flowing,

And elves are yet singing

Come! Tra-la-la-lally!

Come back to the valley!

The stars are far brighter

Than gems without measure,

The moon is far whiter

Than silver in treasure:

The fire is more shining

On hearth in the gloaming

Than gold won by mining,

So why go a-roaming?

O! Tra-la-la-lally

Come back to the Valley.

O! Where are you going,

So late in returning?

The river is flowing,

The stars are all burning!

O! Whither so laden,

So sad and so dreary?

Here elf and elf-maiden

Now welcome the weary

With Tra-la-la-lally

Come back to the Valley,

Tra-la-la-lally

Fa-la-la-lally

Fa-la!

"The Hobbit" - J. R. R. Tolkien

#book quotes #the hobbit #jrr tolkien #song #singing #elves #dragon #gold #silver #fire #valley #rivendell

[thelordofgifs]

Obscure Tolkien Blorbo: Semifinal

Eldacar of Gondor vs One (1) Rivendell elf who sings tra-la-la-lally

Eldacar of Gondor:

The twenty-first King of Gondor, also known as Vinitharya. During his reign the conflict known as the Kin-strife occurred and he was forced from his throne for ten years.

The blorbo of all time actually. He’s the protagonist of one of the most interesting stories in the LoTR appendices, the Kin-strife, and everything about his life story is so fascinating! His father was the crown prince of Gondor and his mother was the princess of Rhovanion so not a Númenorean. As a result all the racist nobles of Gondor made noises about how Eldacar was of “lesser race” and wouldn’t live as long as a “true Dúnadan”. One of the most fascinating examples of fantasy racism in Tolkien’s works imo – the bigotry is awful but the bigots have a shield to hide behind! Obviously their concerns are actually valid because they just don’t want their king to die young! (Their concerns aren’t valid. But I think the worldbuilding here is great.) Anyway Eldacar was born in Rhovanion and given the birth-name Vinitharya, but when he returned to Gondor aged five he was obliged to take up the Quenya name Eldacar, presumably to pacify all the racists in Gondor. He’s the EMBODIMENT of mixed-race/immigrant child trauma my beloved. Eventually his father died and he ascended to the throne of Gondor, but then his shitty second cousin Castamir (all my homies hate Castamir he’s the worst) started the civil war known as the Kin-strife and usurped Eldacar’s throne. Eldacar was forced to flee north to Rhovanion but Castamir captured his eldest son Ornendil and had him cruelly put to death which is SO SAD. But Eldacar, being brave and resourceful and clever and extremely cool, put together an alliance with his mother’s kinsfolk in Rhovanion and after ten years reclaimed his throne, which turned out to be slightly easier than expected because Castamir was The Worst and all his subjects hated him. And Eldacar PERSONALLY fought and killed Castamir HIMSELF and AVENGED HIS SON which is extremely important when you consider all the cringefail elves in the legendarium whose quests for revenge didn’t really go anywhere at all. Then he lived to be 235 proving that all the idiot racists who were worried about his lifespan didn’t have any idea what they were talking about, as is par for the course with racists. Also the Kin-strife itself has such far-reaching consequences for the history of Gondor! The Corsairs of Umbar, Gondor’s long-standing enemies, are actually followers of the descendants of Castamir. And during the Usurpation of Castamir Osgiliath was sacked and burned, leading to the beginning of its decline as Gondor’s greatest city. Even though Eldacar’s story is, to me, ultimately hopeful, it’s also such a fascinating turning point in the history of Gondor. Also ALSO he’s explicitly surrounded by textual ghosts which is really fascinating. His father Valacar has “children” plural – so Eldacar had siblings!! What were they like? How did they react to it all? And his son Aldamir is described as Eldacar��s second son and third child, meaning that he had a daughter too. Who was she?? What happened to her? He’s such a blorbo and there’s so much interesting stuff to dig into around him and he has to win this entire tournament please please please❤️

One (1) Rivendell elf who sings tra-la-la-lally:

One of the Elves of Rivendell who sing tra-la-la-lally in The Hobbit.

This one specific elf sings tra la la lally with the rest but he is slightly off key and the other elves bully him for it

they’re SILLY!!! We need NEED more silly elves!! Like who are these weirdos just hanging out in the trees of Rivendell? Did they know the dwarves were coming and gather their friends to specifically climb those trees to sing nonsense at them? Do they just normally sit there and sing about every little thing they see? Is this a traditional Rivendell thing or are those elves just really strange? I’m obsessed with them they’re everything to me. Elves are oft portrayed as being Too Serious in this fandom and silly elves need rights too! Silly elf rights!!!!

Semifinals masterpost

#obscure tolkien blorbo #eldacar #I am on my knees begging you my boy has made it this far do NOT let him go out like this. VOTE ELDACAR. #queuevienen

[silmaspens]

Tolkien OC Week - Day Four, Self Insert

The Artist

On a warm autumn day near the end of the second millennium of the third age, at the base of the Misty Mountains, the youngest elf in Imladris was born. She was called Mistarë, the wanderer, for her mind was always elsewhere.

Her days were spent at the main gate of Rivendell, greeting all who came to seek Lord Elrond’s hospitality at the Last Homely House East of the Sea. When she wasn’t tending to the various guests and pestering them for stories of their travels, she was busy drawing away in one of her many journals. She delighted in portraiture and was often inspired by the stories of great heroes and their impossible feats during the first age.

#and she’s a feanorian sympathizer 👀 #and she has a baby crush on Glorfindel #it’s the hair #lmao #my art #self insert #a silm sona as it were #tolkienocweek #my artwork #someone speculated that she was a tra la la lally elf and the answe is YES