Hildórien

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Hildórien
Region
Lady Elleth - First Sunrise.png
"First Sunrise" by Lady Elleth
General Information
Pronunciationhil-door-ee-en
Other namesLand of the Followers
LocationFar East of Middle-earth
TypeRegion
People and History
InhabitantsMen
EventsAwakening of Men
GalleryImages of Hildórien

Hildórien was the land in the far east[1] of Middle-earth in which the first Men or Hildor, awoke at the beginning of the First Age.[2][3]

It was said among the Elves, that Morgoth went there and put a darkness in the hearts of the Men.[4] Some Men, who were at war with those who fell under the Shadow, fled Hildórien seeking the Light of the West.[5]

Etymology

The Silmarillion appendix confirms that Hildórien is of the same root as the word Hildor.[6] It can be therefore understood as Quenya hildor + -ien, therefore "Land of the Followers".

Other versions of the legendarium

In The Book of Lost Tales, Men awoke in a hidden valley called Murmenalda, the Vale of Sleep or Slumbrous Dale. It was enclosed by a wall of encircling mountains, east of Palisor, described as "hallowed" and full of sweet fragrances and odours, and songs of nightingales, its beauty being comparable to Valinor. It was full of sleeping figures.

It was discovered by the Dark Elf Nuin after finding a passage through the mountain wall. Nuin almost swooned at its loveliness and was puzzled by the Sleepers. Despite Tu's warnings, Nuin visited it often to watch the Sleepers until, overcome with curiosity, he woke the first pair of them.[7]

Murmenalda is Qenya, composed of murme "sleep" (root MURU) and nalda (root NLDL).[8]

See also

References