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The Seven '''Fathers of the Dwarves''' were the first of their race.
The Seven '''Fathers of the Dwarves''' were the first of their race.


The [[Valar|Vala]] [[Aulë]] created the [[Dwarves]] because he was impatient for the arising of the Children of [[Ilúvatar]] ([[Elves]] and [[Men]]). He created seven Dwarves, and was teaching them the language he had devised for them ([[Khuzdul]]) when Ilúvatar confronted him. Aulë offered his creations to Ilúvatar, who accepted them and gave them life.<ref name="Aule">{{S|Aule}}</ref>
The [[Valar|Vala]] [[Aulë]] created the [[Dwarves]] because he was impatient for the arising of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]] ([[Elves]] and [[Men]]) and he wished for children to love and instruct. It was the period known as the [[Sleep of Yavanna]] when [[Middle-earth]] was dark and silent and was roamed by monsters from [[Utumno]]. For this, Aule made them strong and resistant and able to endure hardships; but as he had only a vague impression of the Children of Ilúvatar, his creations were structured differently, shorter and stunted.<ref name="Aule"/>
 
He created seven [[Dwarves]], and was teaching them the language he had devised for them ([[Khuzdul]]), but Aulë was not Ilúvatar who had the [[Flame Imperishable]] and his children were dumb, able to move and speak only if he wished so, and would remain motionless whenever Aule would think elsewhere.<ref name="Aule"/>
[[File:Ted_Nasmith_-_Aulë_the_Destroyer.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Aulë the Destroyer'']]
[[File:Ted_Nasmith_-_Aulë_the_Destroyer.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Aulë the Destroyer'']]
However, the Fathers of the Dwarves had to wait until the Elves first arrived, and Aulë laid them to rest in various places in the continent of Middle-earth.<ref name="Aule"/>
Ilúvatar confronted him for his impatience. Aulë offered his creations to Ilúvatar and was ready to break them in repentance. But Ilúvatar accepted his offer and gave them life of their own, and the Dwarves started cowering and pleading for mercy despite Aule's will.<ref name="Aule">{{S|Aule}}</ref>


The eldest of all, [[Durin]], "lay alone" at [[Mount Gundabad]] in the north of the [[Misty Mountains]].<ref name="Dwarves">{{PM|Dwarves}}</ref> He later founded the line of the '''[[Longbeards]]''' (or ''[[Sigin-tarâg]]'' in Khuzdul), the Dwarves which were most friendly to the Elves and Men, mostly referred to as [[Durin's folk]]. His city was [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]].<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>
However, the Fathers of the Dwarves had to wait until the Elves first arrived, and Aulë laid them to rest in various places in Middle-earth.<ref name="Aule"/> The eldest of all, [[Durin]], "lay alone" at [[Gundabad|Mount Gundabad]] in the north of the [[Misty Mountains]].<ref name="Dwarves">{{PM|Dwarves}}</ref> He later founded the line of the '''[[Durin's Folk|Longbeards]]''' (or ''[[Sigin-tarâg]]'' in Khuzdul), the Dwarves which were most friendly to the Elves and Men, mostly referred to as [[Durin's Folk]]. His city was [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]].<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>


Two others were laid to rest near [[Mount Dolmed]] in the [[Ered Luin]] or ''Blue Mountains'', and they founded the lines of the '''[[Broadbeams]]''' and the '''[[Firebeards]]''' who later lived in [[Nogrod]] and [[Belegost]].<ref name="Dwarves"/>
Two others were laid to rest near [[Mount Dolmed]] in the [[Ered Luin]] or ''Blue Mountains'', and they founded the lines of the '''[[Broadbeams]]''' and the '''[[Firebeards]]''' who later lived in [[Nogrod]] and [[Belegost]]. The other four Fathers of the Dwarves were laid to rest in two pairs in lands at least as far east of Mount Gundabad as it lay east of the Blue Mountains. They founded the lines of the '''[[Ironfists]]''', '''[[Stiffbeards]]''', '''[[Blacklocks]]''', and '''[[Stonefoots]]'''.<ref name="Dwarves"/>


The other four Fathers of Dwarves were laid to rest in the far east, two of them at the northern end of the [[Orocarni]], and the other two near the southern end of the range. These founded the lines of the '''[[Ironfists]]''', '''[[Stiffbeards]]''', '''[[Blacklocks]]''', and '''[[Stonefoots]]'''.<ref name="Dwarves"/> No Dwarves of these lines appear in the tales.
It was said that the Seven Fathers would be reincarnated after generations among their own folk.<ref name="Aule"/> Durin for example was said to be reincarnated [[Durin (disambiguation)|six more times]].<ref name="Durin"/>


Of the Fathers of the Dwarves, only Durin is said to have "lain alone".<ref name="Durin"/> This can be interpreted as referring to the fact he was indeed laid down to rest alone while the other Fathers were laid to rest in pairs, but older versions of the story suggest that it meant Durin alone had no female companion. The other Fathers did: references are made by Tolkien to the "Thirteen Dwarves" created by Aulë (Durin and the six pairs).<ref>{{PM|Dwarves}}, Note 24</ref>
Of the Fathers of the Dwarves, only Durin is said to have "lain alone".<ref name="Durin"/> This can be interpreted as referring to the fact he was indeed laid down to rest alone while the other Fathers were laid to rest in pairs, but older versions of the story suggest that it meant Durin alone had no female companion. The other Fathers did: references are made by Tolkien to the "Thirteen Dwarves" created by Aulë (Durin and the six pairs).<ref>{{PM|Dwarves}}, Note 24</ref>
==Inspiration==
==Inspiration==
According to the ''Tolkien Encyclopedia'', Aulë's creation of the Dwarves is  [[sub-creation]] which aims to honor the wider Creation of God/Eru, a concept expressed in ''[[Mythopoeia]]''; "and may indicate anxieties about the independent value of art."<ref>[[Michael D.C. Drout]], ed., ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment]]'', p. 134</ref>
According to the ''Tolkien Encyclopedia'', Aulë's creation of the Dwarves is  [[sub-creation]] which aims to honor the wider Creation of God/Eru, a concept expressed in ''[[Mythopoeia]]''; "and may indicate anxieties about the independent value of art."<ref>[[Michael D.C. Drout]], ed., ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment]]'', p. 134</ref>


{{References}}
{{References}}
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[de:Zwerge#Die_sieben_Väter_der_Zwerge]]
[[de:Zwerge#Die_sieben_Väter_der_Zwerge]]
[[fi:Kääpiöiden Seitsemän Isää]]
[[fi:Kääpiöiden Seitsemän Isää]]

Revision as of 14:28, 2 March 2018

Ted Nasmith - Aulë and the Seven Fathers

The Seven Fathers of the Dwarves were the first of their race.

The Vala Aulë created the Dwarves because he was impatient for the arising of the Children of Ilúvatar (Elves and Men) and he wished for children to love and instruct. It was the period known as the Sleep of Yavanna when Middle-earth was dark and silent and was roamed by monsters from Utumno. For this, Aule made them strong and resistant and able to endure hardships; but as he had only a vague impression of the Children of Ilúvatar, his creations were structured differently, shorter and stunted.[1]

He created seven Dwarves, and was teaching them the language he had devised for them (Khuzdul), but Aulë was not Ilúvatar who had the Flame Imperishable and his children were dumb, able to move and speak only if he wished so, and would remain motionless whenever Aule would think elsewhere.[1]

Ted Nasmith - Aulë the Destroyer

Ilúvatar confronted him for his impatience. Aulë offered his creations to Ilúvatar and was ready to break them in repentance. But Ilúvatar accepted his offer and gave them life of their own, and the Dwarves started cowering and pleading for mercy despite Aule's will.[1]

However, the Fathers of the Dwarves had to wait until the Elves first arrived, and Aulë laid them to rest in various places in Middle-earth.[1] The eldest of all, Durin, "lay alone" at Mount Gundabad in the north of the Misty Mountains.[2] He later founded the line of the Longbeards (or Sigin-tarâg in Khuzdul), the Dwarves which were most friendly to the Elves and Men, mostly referred to as Durin's Folk. His city was Khazad-dûm.[3]

Two others were laid to rest near Mount Dolmed in the Ered Luin or Blue Mountains, and they founded the lines of the Broadbeams and the Firebeards who later lived in Nogrod and Belegost. The other four Fathers of the Dwarves were laid to rest in two pairs in lands at least as far east of Mount Gundabad as it lay east of the Blue Mountains. They founded the lines of the Ironfists, Stiffbeards, Blacklocks, and Stonefoots.[2]

It was said that the Seven Fathers would be reincarnated after generations among their own folk.[1] Durin for example was said to be reincarnated six more times.[3]

Of the Fathers of the Dwarves, only Durin is said to have "lain alone".[3] This can be interpreted as referring to the fact he was indeed laid down to rest alone while the other Fathers were laid to rest in pairs, but older versions of the story suggest that it meant Durin alone had no female companion. The other Fathers did: references are made by Tolkien to the "Thirteen Dwarves" created by Aulë (Durin and the six pairs).[4]

Inspiration

According to the Tolkien Encyclopedia, Aulë's creation of the Dwarves is sub-creation which aims to honor the wider Creation of God/Eru, a concept expressed in Mythopoeia; "and may indicate anxieties about the independent value of art."[5]

References