by Kyle Raney
It has been many years since we left
Middle-Earth. We left before the First Age began, and at the time
of this great tale I will tell, the Third Age was nearing its
close. As I said before, I and many more of the host of Noldor
that originally left Middle-Earth, seemed to be destined to
return. At the beginning of the third age a great host left
Valinor for Middle-Earth. Among the Noldor was a council of wise
wizards. Gandalf, Saruman, and Radagast were the leaders of these
wise wizards. We arrived in Middle-Earth as evil was brewing...
When we landed, we immediately sought out our kindred, the wood elves, to make alliances. It came to our knowledge that in the time we were absent (the First and Second Ages), a great adviser had helped the Elves of Middle-Earth construct sixteen rings of power. Seven rings were given to the dwarves and nine to mankind. Soon after the completion of the rings, the wise adviser disappeared. The elves then forged three rings for themselves, without the aid of the adviser. The elves who forged the rings later learned that after disappearing, the great adviser returned to his stronghold in the north, Mordor. It later became apparent that the rings were meant to subvert the wills of the people they were given too. When the elves told our wise wizards their story, the wizards explained that the elves' adviser was the Dark Lord Sauron. Sauron had returned to Mordor in the Second Age to forge the Ruling Ring, with which he could control all those under the influence of his other sixteen rings. The elves and their three rings were not under his influence however.
http://www.angelfire.com/film/lotrshrine/ilustr.htm
When we landed, we immediately sought out our kindred, the wood elves, to make alliances. It came to our knowledge that in the time we were absent (the First and Second Ages), a great adviser had helped the Elves of Middle-Earth construct sixteen rings of power. Seven rings were given to the dwarves and nine to mankind. Soon after the completion of the rings, the wise adviser disappeared. The elves then forged three rings for themselves, without the aid of the adviser. The elves who forged the rings later learned that after disappearing, the great adviser returned to his stronghold in the north, Mordor. It later became apparent that the rings were meant to subvert the wills of the people they were given too. When the elves told our wise wizards their story, the wizards explained that the elves' adviser was the Dark Lord Sauron. Sauron had returned to Mordor in the Second Age to forge the Ruling Ring, with which he could control all those under the influence of his other sixteen rings. The elves and their three rings were not under his influence however.
http://www.angelfire.com/film/lotrshrine/ilustr.htm
There was a great war that brought
the Second Age to a close. In it a a great man named Isildur,
along with a host of other men, elves, and dwarves defeated Sauron and
captured his Ring. But the Ring was lost to Isildur when he was
ambushed by Orcs; and it fell into a river where it was lost for over
2000 years. It was later recovered by a creature named
Smeagol. The Ring corrupted Smeagol, turning him into the
creature Gollum. Gollum was in possession of the Ring for over
900 years, kept alive by its evil powers. During an adventure for
Gandalf the wizard, the Ring was recovered by a Hobbit named Bilbo
Baggins, and was lost to Gollum. Bilbo left the Ring to his heir,
Frodo Baggins, who lived in an area called the Shire.
http://www.angelfire.com/film/lotrshrine/ilustr.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/film/lotrshrine/ilustr.htm
Here is where the Elves re-enter
the story. At this point it is nearing the end of the Third
Age. It has been discovered by Gandalf and a few of the wisest
among Men and Elves that the evil Sauron has not been completely
vanquished. He has returned in his wraith form to Mordor and has
begun his search for his lost Ring of Power. He has also gathered
all evil around him to make an assault upon Middle-Earth. It has
been decided that a Fellowship of Nine from the races of Middle-Earth
must take the Ring to Mordor and destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom,
and in effect completely annihilating Sauron and his powers.
The powers of Sauron descended upon Middle-Earth from the north and met opposition at Gondor, the stronghold of Men. The evil also came from the south and met the Men of Rohan. Here the elves came to the aid of Men in a stand against the Orcs of Sauron. When the southern forces of Sauron were defeated, the host of men and elves from the south came to the aid of the Men in Gondor. Here is where the main force of evil came against Middle-Earth. There was a great battle, in which Men and Elves prevailed. But that was not the end of the war. The forces of Sauron still remaining in Mordor were immense, too immense in fact to be defeated. His power had grown great and only the destruction of his Ring would bring his defeat. Luck and a couple hobbits were on our side, however, and the Ring was destroyed.
Author's Note: This is the story, and as much history as I could cram in without making it too long, of the Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. I really enjoyed doing this story, and researching the history behind it. I actually had to make myself quit reading background info and start writing the story down. There is so much stuff that I had to leave out, simply to make the story fit on one page. I could probably have done my entire storybook over Lord of the Rings, but wanted to have more variety in my stories. For one thing, the Tolkien story is a three volume book, but in another of his books, The Silmarillion, the War of the Ring is simply a couple of pages. That is why I wanted to include this story as only one of my storybook entries. I think this is the story that people are most familiar with because of the movies, but I hope that they have gained a lot of history info from my telling of this story.
Bibliography:
The Encyclopedia of Arda website
weblink: http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/default.htm?http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/e/elves.html
http://www.angelfire.com/film/lotrshrine/ilustr.htm
The powers of Sauron descended upon Middle-Earth from the north and met opposition at Gondor, the stronghold of Men. The evil also came from the south and met the Men of Rohan. Here the elves came to the aid of Men in a stand against the Orcs of Sauron. When the southern forces of Sauron were defeated, the host of men and elves from the south came to the aid of the Men in Gondor. Here is where the main force of evil came against Middle-Earth. There was a great battle, in which Men and Elves prevailed. But that was not the end of the war. The forces of Sauron still remaining in Mordor were immense, too immense in fact to be defeated. His power had grown great and only the destruction of his Ring would bring his defeat. Luck and a couple hobbits were on our side, however, and the Ring was destroyed.
The Dark Tower
by John Howe
That
is the history of the Elves that I can relate to you. I am very
tired now, and would like to retire to my own home. I chose not
to travel to Valinor with the rest of the Elves from this world, but
rather opted to stay here with all of humanity. I have grown fond
of men and children in my long years upon the Earth, and count myself
lucky to have lived and survived through all of the trials and
adventures of the Elves. I am Elthindur, and I am finished now.by John Howe
Herein lies where the Third Age
ends, along with the dominance of the Elves in Midlde-Earth. As
you have heard in my story, the attacks of evil were held off by the
Men of Middle-Earth, and the Fourth-Age has become the Age of
Men. All but a handful of the Elves have left Middle Earth to
return to Valinor, and for some among us it will be the first journey
there. A small group of non-Elves were allowed to travel to the
Undying Lands with us, such as the members of the Fellowship that
wished to do so, along with Gandalf and Bilbo.
Author's Note: This is the story, and as much history as I could cram in without making it too long, of the Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. I really enjoyed doing this story, and researching the history behind it. I actually had to make myself quit reading background info and start writing the story down. There is so much stuff that I had to leave out, simply to make the story fit on one page. I could probably have done my entire storybook over Lord of the Rings, but wanted to have more variety in my stories. For one thing, the Tolkien story is a three volume book, but in another of his books, The Silmarillion, the War of the Ring is simply a couple of pages. That is why I wanted to include this story as only one of my storybook entries. I think this is the story that people are most familiar with because of the movies, but I hope that they have gained a lot of history info from my telling of this story.
Bibliography:
The Encyclopedia of Arda website
weblink: http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/default.htm?http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/e/elves.html