A Elbereth Gilthoniel
| The name Elbereth refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Elbereth (disambiguation). |
A Elbereth Gilthoniel is an aerlinn (poem) of Rivendell addressed to Varda, sung in Sindarin and in iambic tetrameter. The first stanza (the only one known) rhymes aababcc.
| ] ljwl7l3 s~j3h6lj | A Elbereth Gilthoniel |
| 8~j~r7l6 ql5] 6~V7lj | silivren penna míriel |
| h yl6lj ]sj]7 ljl6]3 | o menel aglar elenath! |
| 6]d]l7l2 q]j]62~V7lj | Na-chaered palan-díriel |
| h s]j]47lt~6 l5h7]3 | o galadhremmin ennorath, |
| e]6.Öjh8 jl j5]3h6 | Fanuilos, le linnathon |
| 6lr ]l]7 8~V 6lr ]l]7h6 | nef aear, sí nef aearon! |
Which translates as:
- O Elbereth Starkindler
(white) glittering slants down
sparkling like jewels
from [the] firmament [the] glory [of] the star-host!
To-remote distance far-having gazed
from [the] tree-tangled middle-lands,
Fanuilos, to thee I will chant
on this side of ocean, here on this side of the Great Ocean!
The rest of it is not saved but it is possible that Oh Snow-white is a Westron translation or variation of this aerlinn. Variations of this hymn are sung throughout the book, such as the very last one written down:
[ Frodo Baggins has just sung a song ]
...and as if in answer, from down below, coming up the road out of the valley, voices sang:
- A! Elbereth Gilthoniel!
silivren penna míriel
o menel aglar elenath,
Gilthoniel, A! Elbereth!
We still remember, we who dwell
In this far land beneath the trees
The starlight on the Western Seas
[edit] Legacy
Donald Swann wrote music for this song, which can be found in the book The Road Goes Ever On where Tolkien gives also a Tengwar text of the poem in the Mode of Beleriand given above; it is also found on the accompanying CD of the latest version.
A different musical version was recorded by the Tolkien Ensemble. The first version cited above can be found on their album A Night in Rivendell, and takes the form of a chant sung by a female soloist. The second version can be found on the album At Dawn in Rivendell.
Tolkien Journal (Vol.2, No.1) 1966, included the poem and an English translation by Tolkien.[1]
[edit] References
- ↑ An Illustrated Tolkien Bibliography, at Tolkienbooks.net