The Tale of the Ainulindalë - Part One
(Summary of The Silmarillion: Ainulindale - The Music of the Ainur)

Welcome back , dear listeners. Today, I will tell you a different kind of story about how Arda as we know it was made and about times so long ago that we can hardly comprehend it.

We have to go back in time to when everything was still nothing, when Arda was not thought of yet and when only one existed, Ilúvatar (Eru). >From his thoughts, he created the Ainur, whom he taught to sing for him and listen to eachother, thereby growing and eventually sing together and make great music - a theme, because the Ainur were not alike, but had each special gifts they had been granted from the thoughts of Ilúvatar.

The Ainur sang together, developing and growing with their songs, but among them, one became restless and ambitious, wanting power and glory of his own. He was Melkor - the one of the Ainur, whom Ilúvatar had granted most knowledge and power when creating him. He became impatient that the void around them was not filled with beings and wanted to create himself, but could not as only Ilúvatar is capable of creating life.

Therefore, Melkor began to wove his growing anger into the songs he sang with the other Ainur. Some of them listened and adapted to his new music and it eventually came to a war between Melkor and Ilúvatar. Not a war as we know it with steel and arrows, but a war of songs, words and thoughts. Ilúvatar won this, naturally, because who can win a strife against the father of everything?

But it had a price and a purpose. Because the song that the Ainur had been singing together was the theme and history of Arda - our world. Ilúvatar took the Ainur to the void, showing them Arda in a vision - it's splendour and wonder, but also the flaws which Melkor's anger had caused.

All this however, Ilúvatar had foreseen and intended. He showed the Ainur the history of Arda from the coming of the Firstborn to the increasing population of the Followers and eventually the fading of the Firstborn again. The Firstborn are the Elves and the Followers are Men. The Ainur was amazed by this vision. By it's splendour and greatness and most of all they were fascinated by the children of Ilúvatar, of whom they had not thought in their songs, nor expected - therefore loving them even more.

Melkor viewed this too, ashamed by seeing what his song had done, but it turned to anger and jealousy of what Ilúvatar could and he not. He envied the Elves and Men for the gifts Ilúvatar promised to grant them with and urged to control these children and subdue them to his power.

Ilúvatar then hid the vision from the Ainur and gave them choise to either stay with him or descent to Eä (Arda) forever until it is completed. Many descented and Ilúvatar named them the Valar - the powers of the World.

Of the Valar, there are 15: Seven Lords and Seven Queens (and one we will get back to in a minute):

• Manwë , who are closest and most insightful of the purpose of Ilúvatar therefore, Ilúvatar appointed him to be the first of Kings. Lord of Arda.
• Varda, Lady of the Stars, who lives with Manwë.
• Ulmo, Lord of Waters.
• Aulë, Lord of Craftmanship
• Yavanna, Giver of Fruits, who lives with Aulë
• Oromë, Lord of Forests and Hunting
• Vána the Ever-young, who lives with Oromë and is the sister of Yavanna
• Mandos (Námo), Lord of Spirits
• Vairë the Weaver, who lives with Mandos.
• Lórien (Irmo), Lord of Visions and Dreams
• Estë the Gentle, Healer of Hurts and Weariness
• Nienna the Weeper, sister to Mandos and Lórien
• Tulkas, Lord of Strength
• Nessa the Dancer, sister of Oromë and lives with Tulkas.

When the Valar left the Timeless Halls of Ilúvatar and first entered into Arda, it had not been shaped or made as in the vision, Ilúvatar had shown them. They then started mending and creating what they had seen in the vision, preparing Arda for the arrival of the Firstborn. But Melkor, the 15th Valar, who had also chosen to descent to Arda, was now filled with envy and hatred and tried to destroy or corrupt everything the other Valar created - changing mountains, destroying rivers and the like, but never being able to destroy it fully. But nor did anything the Valar made ever become exactly as they wanted, because of him.

And now, I am tired of telling :) I will tell more soon - about the Valar, Maiar and of course about Melkor. It will be about the beginning of days.

Comments, suggestions and questions email to niya@goddess.dk