which thou knowest is beyond thy power and thy authority？ For thou hast from me as a gift thy own bring only； and no
more； and therefore the creatures of thy hand and mind can live only by that being； moving when thou thinkest to move
them； and if thy thought be elsewhere； standing idle。 Is that thy desire？'
Then Aul？ answered： 'I did not desire such lordship。 I desired things other than I am； to love and to teach them；
so that they too might perceive the beauty of E？； which thou hast caused to be。 For it seemed to me that there is great
room in Arda for many things that might rejoice in it； yet it is for the most part empty still； and dumb。 And in my
impatience I have fallen into folly。 Yet the making of thing is in my heart from my own making by thee； and the child of
little understanding that makes a play of the deeds of his father may do so without thought of mockery； but because he is
the son of his father。 But what shall I do now； so that thou be not angry with me for ever？ As a child to his father； I offer
to thee these things； the work of the hands which thou hast made。 Do with them what thou wilt。 But should I not rather
destroy the work of my presumption？'
Then Aul？ took up a great hammer to smite the Dwarves； and he wept。 But Ilúvatar had passion upon Aul？
and his desire； because of his humility； and the Dwarves shrank from the hammer and wore afraid； and they bowed down
their heads and begged for mercy。 And the voice of Ilúvatar said to Aul？： 'Thy offer I accepted even as it was made。 Dost
thou not see that these things have now a life of their own； and speak with their own voices？ Else they would not have
flinched from thy blow； nor from any mand of thy will。' Then Aul？ cast down his hammer and was glad； and he gave
thanks to Ilúvatar； saying： 'May Eru bless my work and amend it！'
But Ilúvatar spoke again and said： 'Even as I gave being to the thoughts of the Ainur at the beginning of the
World； so now I have taken up thy desire and given to it a place therein； but in no other way will I amend thy handiwork；
and as thou hast made it； so shall it be。 But I will not suffer this： that these should e before the Firstborn of my
design； nor that thy impatience should be rewarded。 They shall sleep now in the darkness under stone； and shall not
e forth until the Firstborn have awakened upon Earth； and until that time thou and they shall wait； though long it
seem。 But when the time es I will awaken them； and they shall be to thee as children； and often strife shall arise
between thine and mine； the children of my adoption and the children of my choice。'
Then Aul？ took the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves； and laid them to rest in far…sundered places； and he returned to
Valinor； and waited while the long years lengthened。
Since they were to e in the days of the power of Melkor； Aul？ made the Dwarves strong to endure。 Therefore
they are stone…hard； stubborn； fast in friendship and in enmity； and they suffer toil and hanger and hurt of body more
hardily than all other speaking peoples； and they live long； far beyond the span of Men； yet not for ever。 Aforetime it
was held among the Elves in Middle…earth that dying the Dwarves returned to the earth and the stone of which they were
made； yet that is not their own belief。 For they say that Aul？ the Maker； whom they call Mahal； cares for them； and
gathers them to Mandos in halls set apart； and that he declared to their Fathers of old that Ilúvatar will hallow them and
give them a place among the Children in the End。 Then their part shall be to serve Aul？ and to aid him in the remaking
of Arda after the Last Battle。 They say also that the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves return to live again in their own kin
and to bear once more their ancient names： of whom Durin was the most renowned in after ages； father of that kindred
most friendly to the Elves； whose mansions were at Khazad…d？m。
Now when Aul？ laboured in the making of the Dwarves he kept this work hidden from the other Valar； but at last
he opened his mind to Yavanna and told her of all that had e to pass。 Then Yavanna said to him： 'Eru is merciful。
Now I see that thy heart rejoiceth； as indeed it may； for thou hast received not only forgiveness but bounty。 Yet because
thou hiddest this thought from me until its achievement； thy children will have little love for the things of my love。 They
will love first the things made by their own hands； as doth their father。 They will delve in the earth； and the things that
grow and live upon the earth they will not heed。 Many a tree shall feel the bite of their iron without pity。'
But Aul？ answered： 'That shall also be true of the Children of Ilúvatar； for they will eat and they will build。 And
though the things of thy realm have worth in themselves； and would have worth if no Children were to e； yet Eru
will give them dominion； and they shall use all that they find in Arda： though not； by the purpose of Eru； without respect
or without gratitude。'
'Not unless Melkor darken their hearts；' said Yavanna。 And she was not appeased； but grieved in heart； fearing
what might be done upon Middle…earth in days to e。 Therefore she went before Manw？； and she did not betray the
counsel of Aul？； but she said： 'King of Arda； is it true； as Aul？ hath said to me； that the Children when they e shall
have dominion over all the things of my labour； to do as they will therewith？'
'It is true；' said Manw？。 'But why dost thou ask； for thou hadst no need of the teaching of Aul？？'
Then Yavanna was silent and looked into her own thought。 And she answered： 'Because my heart is anxious；
thinking of the days to e。 All my works are dear to me。 Is it not enough that Melkor should have marred so many？
Shall nothing that I have devised be free from the dominion of others？'
'If thou hadst thy will what wouldst thou reserve？' said Manw？。 'Of all thy realm what dost thou hold dearest？'
'All have their worth；' said Yavanna； 'and each contributes to the worth of the others。 But the kelvar can flee or
defend themselves； whereas the olvar that grow cannot。 And among these I hold trees dear。 Long in the growing； swift
shall they be in the felling； and unless they pay toll with fruit upon bough little mourned in their passing。 So I see in my
thought。 Would that the trees might speak on behalf of all things that have roots； and punish those that wrong them！'
'This is a strange thought；' said Manw？。
'Yet it was in the Song；' said Yavanna。 'For while thou wert in the heavens and with Ulmo built the clouds and
poured out the rains； I lifted up the branches of great trees to receive them； and some sang to Ilúvatar amid the wind and
the rain。'
Then Manw？ sat silent； and the thought of Yavanna that she had put into his heart grew and unfolded； and it was
beheld by Ilúvatar。 Then it seemed to Manw？ that the Song rose once more about him； and he heeded now many things
therein that though he had heard them he had not heeded before。 And at last the Vision was renewed； but it was not now
remote； for he was himself within it； and yet he saw that all was upheld by the hand of Ilúvatar； and the hand entered in；
and from it came forth many wonders that had until then been hidden from him in the hearts of the Ainur。
Then Manw？ awoke； and he went down to Yavanna upon Ezellohar； and he sat beside her beneath the Two Trees。
And Manw？ said： 'O Kementári； Eru hath spoken； saying： 〃Do then any of the Valar suppose that I did not hear all the
Song； even the least sound of the least voice？ Behold！ When the Children awake； then the thought of Yavanna will
awake also； and it will summon spirits from afar； and they will go among the kelvar and the olvar； and some will dwell
therein； and be held in reverence； and their just anger shall be feared。 For a time： while the Firstborn are in their power；
and while the Secondborn are young。〃 But dost them not now remember； Kementári； that thy thought sang not always
alone？ Did not thy thought and mine meet also； so that we took wing together like great birds that soar above the
clouds？ That also shall e to be by the heed of Ilúvatar； and before the Children awake there shall go forth with wings
like the wind the Eagles of the Lords of the West。'
Then Yavanna was glad； and she stood up； reaching her arms towards the heavens； and she said： 'High shall climb
the trees of Kementári； that the Eagles of the King may house therein！'
But Manw？ rose also； and it seemed that he stood to such a height that his voice came down to Yavanna as from
the paths of the winds。
'Nay；' he said； 'only the trees of Aul？ will be tall enough。 In the mountains the Eagles shall house； and hear the
voices of those who call upon us。 But in the forests shall walk the Shepherds of the Trees。'
Then Manw？ and Yavanna parted for that time； and Yavanna returned to Aul？； and he was in his smithy； pouring
molten metal into a mould。 'Eru is bountiful；' she said。 'Now let thy children beware！ For there shall walk a power in the
forests whose wrath they will arouse at their peril。'
'Nonetheless they will have need of wood；' said Aul？； and he went on with his smith…work。
Chapter 3
Of the ing of the Elves
and the Captivity of Melkor
Through long ages the Valar dwelt in bliss in the light of the Trees beyond。 The Mountains of Aman； but all Middle…earth
lay in a twilight under the stars。 While the Lamps had shone； growth began there which now was checked； because all
was again dark。 But already the oldest living things had arisen： in the seas the great weeds； and on earth the shadow of
great trees； and in the valleys of the night…clad hills there were dark creatures old and strong。 To those lands and forests
the Valar seldom came； save only Yavanna and Orom？； and Yavanna would walk there in the shadows； grieving because
the growth and promise of the Spring of Arda was stayed。 And she set a sleep upon many things that had arisen in the
Spring； so that they should not age； but should wait for a time of awakening that yet should be。
But in the north Melkor built his strength； and he slept not； but watched； and laboured； and the evil things that he
had perverted walked abroad； and the dark and slumbering woods were haunted by monsters and shapes of dread。 And
in Utumno he gathered his demons about him； those spirits who first adhered to him in the days of his splendour； and
became most like him in his corruption： their hearts were of fire； but they were cloaked in darkness； and terror went
before them； they had whips of flame。 Balrogs they were named in Middle…earth in later days。 And in that dark time
Melkor bred many other monsters of divers shapes and kinds that long troubled the world； and his realm spread now
ever southward over Middle…earth。
And Melkor made also a fortress and armoury not far from the north…western shores of the sea； to resist any
assault that might e from Aman。 That stronghold was manded by Sauron； lieutenant of Melkor； and it was
named Angband。
It came to pass that the Valar held council； for they became troubled by the tidings that Yavanna and Orom？