"losses" amongst the Eldar before the finding

toooldnotto

New Member
In the The Nature of Middle-earth Tolkien several times refers in passing to “losses” among the Eldar before the finding. Did he envision no elvish deaths but disappearances only? For if any died, what would happen to their fëar? Assuming Mandos had built the Halls of Waiting in anticipation of the arrival of the Children, could Elves be summoned thereto if he didn’t know they existed? If the summons were automatic and any obeyed, should not their arrival have tipped off the Valar that the Children were out there somewhere? If not summoned, did these fëar wander houseless forever unless, perhaps, their friends and relatives submitted their names for summoning after the finding? Is it after all reasonable, and easier, to believe no one of the Eldar died in all that time?
 
Mandos may have simply held this knowledge close. Not a talkative guy, in any case. The finding of the Elves was fated, so there was no need to go blabbing about the Fëar already in his keeping . . .
 
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