Nightingales
Nightingales were small brown birds of thrush kind, famous for their clear singing, and the fact that they would sing during the night as well as the day (hence their name).
The Maia Melian was said to always have nightingales about her and she taught them their songs. When Elwë, lord of the Teleri, chanced to come alone into Nan Elmoth it was the song of these birds that enchanted him just before he met Melian.[1]
Names and Etymology
Nightingale in Sindarin is dúlin[2] or merilin. The Sindarin poetic word for "nightingale" was tinúviel, the name Beren gave to Lúthien when he first saw her.[3] They were also called the "Birds of Melian", circling above her head while she sat in Menegroth.
In Quenya the nightingale is called lómelindë,[1] tindómerel,[4] or morilinde[5].
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Thingol and Melian"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", dú
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beren and Lúthien"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", tin-
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", p. 373 (root MOR-)
