Sylphs

Sylphs were creatures only mentioned fleetingly in the earliest versions of the tales of Arda and linguistic writings of the Eldar.^[1]

[edit] Characteristics and divisions

The sylphs were part of what apparently was a three-fold division of the lesser Ainu spirits: sylphs (spirits of the air), sprites (spirits of the earth), and water spirits.^[1]

Manwë had "two clans of air-spirits",^[2] a basic division of two groups of sylphs which, with their Elvish names, are given as follow:

• Qenya Mánir: "spirits of the air";^[3]; Gnomish môna or môni^[2]
• Qenya Súruli/Sūruli, also Suluthrim) (sing. Sūru): "spirits of the winds"; Gnomish Sulus (pl. Sulussin)^[2][3]

[edit] The later legendarium

As the sylphs are not mentioned in later versions of the legendarium, it might be that Tolkien envisioned these creatures as the "servants and helpers" of the Maiar (mentioned in later versions of Elven chronicles)^[4] — lesser spirits that would have remained in Middle-earth (and would thus perhaps be equivalent to the Faeries). As Tolkien never cared to elaborate much on these "lesser Maiar" in the texts used by his son Christopher when preparing the published The Silmarillion, one could speculate on how much Tolkien would have retained or rejected of this earlier conception.

[edit] See also

• Mermaids
• Sprites
• Fairies

[edit] External links

• Sylph at Wikipedia

[edit] References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "The Coming of the Valar and the Building of Valinor", p. 66
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} J.R.R. Tolkien, "I-Lam na-Ngoldathon: The Grammar and Lexicon of the Gnomish Tongue", in Parma Eldalamberon XI (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), pp. 57, 68
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Index
4. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Valaquenta: Of the Maiar"