Vána

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Vána
Vala
Elena Kukanova - The Ever Young.jpg
"The Ever Young" by Elena Kukanova
Biographical Information
Other namesthe Ever-young
LocationValinor
AffiliationMelian, Arien
Family
SiblingsYavanna
SpouseOromë
Physical Description
GenderFemale
Hair colorGolden
WeaponryPowers of the Valar
GalleryImages of Vána

Vána, one of the Valier, was the younger sister of Yavanna and the spouse of Oromë. Among the seven Valier, Vána was the sixth named.[1]

History

Like her sister, Vána had influence with the flora and fauna of Middle-earth, "all flowers spring as she passes and open if she glances upon them; and all birds sing at her coming."[1] She robed herself in flowers and her hair was golden in color.[2] She had "the beauty of both heaven and earth upon her face and in all her works."[3]

Nessa, the sister of Vána's spouse Oromë, wedded Tulkas on the Isle of Almaren, the Valar's first dwelling. Vána robed Nessa with her flowers for the wedding.[4]

Vána dwelt in gardens filled with golden flowers and often came to the forests of Oromë. In the days of the Two Trees of Valinor, the Maia maiden, Arien, "tended to the golden flowers of the gardens of Vána by watering them with the bright dews from Laurelin." Melian was another Maia who initially served Vána and Estë before she departed to Middle-earth.[5]

After the Darkening of Valinor and the flight of the Noldor to Middle-earth, most of the Valar were glad to have their ancient peace back, wishing neither the rumours of Melkor and his violence nor the murmur of the restless Noldor to disturb them again. For such reasons, they sought the concealment and protection of their land Aman. It was said that particularly Vána and Nessa were of one mind in this matter, in accordance with most of the other Valar, although Ulmo pled pity and pardon for the Noldoi.[6]:218

Etymology

Vána (Q: "Beauty", pron. [ˈvaːna]) or Wána (Vanyarin, [ˈwaːna]) was the name of the Vala who was also called the Ever-young.[1]

Other versions of the legendarium

In the earliest form of the mythology, Vána and Oromë had a daughter, Nielíqui.[7] Whilst in the origins of the story of the Two Trees, Vána played a formative role in the growth of Laurelin:

Then was the pit covered with rich earths that Palúrien devised, and Vána came who loveth life and sunlight and at whose song the flowers arise and open, and the murmur of her maidens round her was like to the merry noise of the folk that stir abroad for the first time on a bright morning. There sang she the song of spring upon the mound, and danced about it, and watered it with great streams of that golden light that Ulmo had brought from the spilled lakes--yet was Kulullin almost o'erflowing at the end.[8]

In The History of Middle-earth, Tolkien wrote that when the power of Yavanna had failed to heal the wounds of the Two Trees, Vána's love for Laurelin was so great that it caused the tree's remaining life to come forth one last time as a fruit of gold from which the Valar later fashioned the Sun. Vána's maiden, Urwen, would later steer the Sun's vessel across the sky. Vána, who repented of speaking against the harvest Laurelin's last fruit, cut her hair short to weave the tresses as the sails for the Sun-ship.[2]:186

In The Silmarillion, Nienna's tears cleansed the trees and Yavanna's songs brought forth the final bloom of Telperion and fruit of Laurelin; Vána was not involved.

Genealogy

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aulë
 
Yavanna
 
VÁNA
 
Oromë
 
Nessa
 
Tulkas
 
 
 
 


See also

References

Ainur
Valar Lords Manwë · Ulmo · Aulë · Oromë · Mandos · Irmo · Tulkas · Melkor
Valier Varda · Yavanna · Nienna · Estë · Vairë · Vána · Nessa
Maiar Arien · Blue Wizards · Eönwë · Gandalf · Ilmarë · Melian · Ossë · Radagast · Salmar · Saruman · Tilion · Uinen
Úmaiar Sauron · Balrogs (Gothmog · Durin's Bane) · Boldogs
Concepts and locations Almaren · Aratar (indicated in italics) · Creation of the Ainur · Fana · Máhanaxar · Ainulindalë · Order of Wizards (indicated in bold) · Second Music of the Ainur · Timeless Halls · Valarin · Valinor · Valimar