What's in the History of Middle-earth?
A detailed list of the contents of the 12
HoMe-volumes and Unfinished Tales
By Ninni M. Pettersson
Contents
I started compiling this list a couple of years ago, because I had such a dreadful
time trying to find things in the History of Middle-earth volumes. The tables
of contents in the different volumes are often of no help when one, for example,
is looking for poetry written in Elvish. I hope that others too will find this
"expanded content-listing" a useful tool when exploring the riches offered us
in the History of Middle-earth.
I also wanted a quick way of knowing when something had been written. Extracting
that information was often difficult and I wish to thank John Garth and David
Bratman for providing needful correlation in some problematical cases.
It is only by the constant encouragement from the other members of the Mellonath
Daeron that I have at last finished this task and I wish to extend a heartfelt
Hantale! to them all.
Below are a detailed list of all the texts ordered by volume. I have also
compiled a list with the texts ordered by chronology: The HoMe-texts in chronological order, and one with the
texts ordered according to content: The HoMe-texts arranged
according to content. These lists are only intended as a complement to the
main one, and so contain only the barest minimum of information.
- The Book of Lost Tales Part I
- The beginning of it all. Tales included are 'The Cottage of Lost Play',
The Music of the Ainur', 'The Coming of the Valar and the Building of Valinor',
'The Chaining of Melko', 'The Coming of the Elves and the Making of Kôr',
'The Theft of Melko and the Darkening of Valinor', 'The Flight of the Noldoli',
'The Tale of the Sun and Moon', 'The Hiding of Valinor' and 'Gilfanon's Tale:
The Travail of the Noldoli and the Coming of Mankind'.
Poems included are 'You & Me', 'Kortirion', 'Habannan', 'Tinfang Warble',
'Over Old Hills', 'Kôr', 'A Song of Aryador' and 'Why the Man in the
Moon came down too soon' (some in different versions).
Maps included are "The earliest map" and "The World Ship".
Written: c. 1916 - 1918, poems both earlier and later
- Appendix - Names in the Lost Tales Part I
- Taken from the first "lexicons" of the Elvish languages and includes word
in "Qenya" and "Goldogrin or Gnomish".
Etymologically-connected words are given under an important name that contains
one of them.
The complete Goldogrin and Qenya Lexicons has been published in nos. 11 and
12 of the journal Parma
Eldalamberon.
Written: First layer c. 1915, second uncertain but belong to the period
of the Lost Tales
- The Book of Lost Tales Part II
- The beginning of it all. Tales included are 'The Tale of Tinúviel',
'Turambar and the Foalókë', 'The Fall of Gondolin', 'The Nauglafring',
'The Tale of Eärendel' and 'The History of Eriol or Ælfwine and
the End of the Tales'.
Poems included are 'Éalá Éarendel Engla Beorhtast', 'The
Bidding of the Minstrel', 'The Shores of Faëry', 'The Happy Mariners',
'The Town of Dreams and the City of Present Sorrow' and 'The Song of Eriol'.
Written: c. 1916 - 1920, poems both earlier and later
- Appendix - Names in the Lost Tales Part II
- Taken from the first "lexicons" of the Elvish languages and includes word
in "Qenya" and "Goldogrin or Gnomish". Also includes word from 'The Namelist
to the Fall of Gondolin'.
Etymologically-connected words are given under an important name that contains
one of them.
The complete Goldogrin and Qenya Lexicons has been published in nos. 11 and
12 of the journal Parma
Eldalamberon.
Written: First layer c. 1915, second uncertain but belong to the period
of the Lost Tales
- The Lay of the Children of Húrin
- The story of Húrin and his children in alliterative verse. Never
gets further than Turin's arrival in Nargothrond.
Written: c. 1920 - 1925
- Poems early abandoned
- Very brief poems (usually only the openings). Included are 'The Flight of
the Noldoli', a fragment of an alliterative 'Lay of Eärendel' and 'The
Lay of the Fall of Gondolin'.
Written: c. 1920 - 1925
- The Lay of Leithian
- The story of Beren and Lúthien in octosyllabic couplets. Ends with
Carcharoth engulfing Beren's hand and the Silmaril.
Also included is C S Lewis commentary from 1929.
Written: 1925 - 1931
- The Lay of Leithian recommenced
- Rewriting of the earlier Lay of Leithian, in part extensive. Ends at the
same place as the older version.
Written: 1949 or 1950, some revisions after 1955
- Prose fragments following the Lost Tales
- Three brief texts concerning Tuor and Gondolin and the Noldor's departure
from Aman and arrival in Middle-earth.
Written: Probably around 1920
- The Earliest 'Silmarillion' (The 'Sketch of the Mythology')
- A brief and very condenced synopsis of the mythology written to accompany
'The Lay of the Children of Húrin', but revised later.
Written: c. 1926, revised c. 1926 - 1930
- The Quenta [Noldorinwa]
- A reworking and expansion of 'The Sketch'.
Poem included is 'The Horns of Ylmir'.
Also included is 'Ælfwine's translation of the Quenta into Old English'.
Written: c. 1930
- The First 'Silmarillion' Map
- The working map for several years. Was much handled and altered.
Includes alphabetically-ordered comments on the names on the map.
Written: c. 1926, heavily altered during several years
- The Ambarkanta
- A short treatise on the shape of the world with associated maps.
Written: The middle 1930s
- The Earliest Annals of Valinor
- Annals of events in Valinor and elsewhere from the beginning of things until
the coming of the Noldor to Middle-earth.
Also included is 'Ælfwine's translations of the Annals of Valinor into
Old English'.
Written: The early 1930s
- The Earliest Annals of Beleriand
- Annals of events in Beleriand from the creation of the Sun and Moon until
the Great Battle against Morgoth. A revision included ends at the coming of
Men into Beleriand.
Also included is 'Ælfwine's translation of the Annals of Beleriand into
Old English'.
Written: The early1930s
- The Fall of Númenor
- The beginning of the tale of Númenor in different versions.
Written: 1936, second version after 1937
- The Lost Road
- A planned "time-travel" novel with chapters about Númenor and also
about such things as Scyld and Ælfwine. Fragmentary and never finished.
Poems included are 'Ilu Ilúvatar' in Elvish, 'King Sheave', 'The Nameless
Land' and 'The Song of Ælfwine'.
Various text-fragments in Elvish and Old English are also included.
Written: 1936 - 1937
- The Later Annals of Valinor
- Annals of events in Valinor and elsewhere from the beginning of things until
the first rising of the Sun. Not changed very much from 'The Earlier Annals'.
Written: The middle/later 1930s
- The Later Annals of Beleriand
- Annals of events in Beleriand until the Great Battle and the destruction
of Beleriand. Much fuller and more "finished" than 'The Earlier Annals'.
Written: The middle/later 1930s
- Ainulindalë
- The cosmogonical myth. Follows the Lost Tales fairly closely but is at every
point rephrased.
Written: The middle/later 1930s
- The Lhammas
- An account of the Elvish tongues (and a few others) and their interrelations.
Written: The middle/later 1930s
- Quenta Silmarillion
- Ends with Turin's outlawry, but does include the end from Eärendels
arrival in Valinor to the Great Battle. After this was written the "History
of the Elder Days" was laid aside for many years.
Written: The later 1930s, last revisions Dec 1937 - Jan 1938
- The Etymologies
- An etymological dictionary of Elvish word-relationships with primary "stems"
arranged alphabetically. Reflects the linguistic situation in Beleriand envisaged
by 'The Lhammas'.
Written: The later 1930s, last larger revisions c. 1938
- The Genealogies
- Belongs essentially with the earliest 'Annals of Beleriand' but was presumed
lost. In origin "genealogical tables of the Elvish princes, of the three houses
of the Fathers of Men, and of the houses of the Eastern men" and "a table
of the divisions of the Qendi", but this short text only mentions details
not found elsewhere.
Written: The early 1930s
- The List of Names
- Started out as "an alphabetic list, with definitions, of all the names...concerned
with the legends of the Elder Days", but in fact contains mostly names from
the 'Annals of Beleriand' and the 'Genealogies'. This text is only a small
selection of particularly interesting entries or part of entries.
Written: The 1930s
- The Second 'Silmarillion' Map
- The last map made of the lands west of the Blue Mountains, it became covered
with alterations during many years and was the basis of the map in the published
'Silmarillion'. Reproduced here is the map "as it was originally drawn and
lettered".
Written: The early 1930s, much altered later
- The First Phase
- The beginning of 'The Lord of the Rings'. Starts with 'A Long-expected Party'
and ends 'At Rivendell'.
Poems included are 'The Road goes ever on', 'Upon the hearth', 'Snow-white',
'Ho! Ho! Ho!', 'O Water warm', 'The Root of the Boot', 'The Cat and the Fiddle'
and 'The leaves were long'.
Some sketch-maps of the Road between Weathertop and Rivendell are also included.
Written: Dec 1937 - early autumn 1938
- The Second Phase
- Rewriting from 'A Long-expected Party' to 'Tom Bombadil'.
Poems included are ' The Road goes ever on', 'The Ring Verses' and 'Farewell!
farewell'.
Written: Autumn 1938
- The Third Phase
- First appearance of 'Concering Hobbits', then goes on from 'A Long-expected
Party' to the feast in Rivendell. Bingo has finally become Frodo.
'New Uncertainties and New Projections' cointains proposed plot-outlines,
questions and diverse text-fragments.
A plan of Bree is also included.
Written: Winter 1938/39 and autumn 1939
- The Story Continued
- Starts 'In the House of Elrond' and goes on to 'The Mines of Moria'.
Poem included is 'Elbereth Gilthoniel' in Elvish.
The earliest map of the lands to the south is also included.
Written: Late 1939
- The Treason of Isengard
- Starts with the extensive rewriting of Book I, then goes on with Book II
and III as far as ' The King of the Golden Hall'.
Poems included are 'All that is gold', 'A troll sat alone', 'Errantry' and
'Eärendillinwë' (in different versions), 'The world was young',
'Nimlothel', 'Namarië' in Elvish, 'The Song of the Ent and the Entwife'
and 'Elfstone, Elfstone'.
Also includes 'The first map' in different versions, a sketch of the Gate
of Minas Morgul, the earliest drawing of the inscription and signs on the
West Gate of Moria and a sketch-plan of the camping-place beneath Amon Hen.
Written: Late 1939 - 1942
- Appendix on Runes
- Includes 'The Elvish Alphabets', 'The Alphabet of Dairon' and five plates
with 'Runes of Beleriand', 'Dwarf-runes for writing English' and the earliest
inscriptions on Balin's tomb and 'The Book of Moria'.
Written: The later 1930s
- The Fall of Saruman
- Includes the last chapters of Book III from 'Helm's Deep' to 'The Palantír'.
Written: 1942
- The Ring Goes East
- Frodo's and Sam's journey (Book IV) from 'The Taming of Smeagol' to 'Kirith
Ungol'.
Includes a map of Frodo's journey to the Morannon, a map of Minas Morghul
and the Cross-roads, several sketches of Kirith Ungol and a plan of Shelob's
Lair.
Written: 1944
- Minas Tirith
- The whole of Book V from 'Minas Tirith' to 'The Black Gate Opens'.
Poems included are 'The days are numbered', 'When the land is dark' and 'We
heard in the hills' Sketches of Dunharrow, Minas Tirith, Starkhorn, Dwimorberg
and Irensaga and maps of Harrowdale, the White Mountains and South Gondor,
Minas Tirith and Mindolluin and 'The Second Map' are also included.
Written: Late 1944 - 1946
- The End of the Third Age
- From 'The Tower of Kirith Ungol' to 'The Grey Havens'.
Included are the non-published Epilogue in different versions together with
'The King's Letter' in Elvish and written in Tengwar.
Poem included is 'I sit upon the stones'.
Sketches of the Tower of Kirith Ungol, Mt Doom, Orthanc and Dunharrow are
included.
Written: Late 1946 - 1948
- The Notion Club Papers
- The beginning of another "time-travel story" that was never finished.
Poems included are some "Ælfwine-poems" (some in Old English) and 'The
Death of St Brendan' and 'Imram'.
Includes a discussion of "Avallonian" and "Adunaic", together with text-fragments
in these languages and also some texts in Old English.
'Lowdham's manuscript' in Tengwar (with notes) is also included.
Written: Late 1945 - 1946
- The Drowning of Anadûnê
- Includes the third version of 'The Fall of Númenor', 'The Drowning
of Anadûnê' in different versions and several early texts concerning
Men and the fate of Númenor.
'Lowdham's Report on the Adunaic Language' is also included.
Written: c. 1945 - 1946
- Ainulindalë II
- Extensive rewritings of the cosmogonical myth with both "Flat Earth" and
"Round Earth" versions.
Written: Round Earth version c. 1946, the rest after 1948
- The Annals of Aman
- Annals of events from the beginning of the World to the hiding of Valinor.
Often more a narrative than annalistic. A divergent text that ends before
the coming of the Elves is also included.
Also includes 'The Oath of Feanor' as an alliterative poem.
Written: c. 1950 - 1951 with some later emendations
- The Later Quenta Silmarillion
- The "Valinorian" part of the Quenta (until the hiding of Valinor) in two
different "phases". In the 'Second Phase' the 'Valaquenta' emerges and Finwë's
second marriage becomes important.
Includes 'Laws and Customs among the Eldar' and 'The Statute of Finwë
and Míriel and the debate of the Valar' in different versions.
Written: The First Phase c. 1951, the Second c. 1958
- Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth
- A dialog between the mortal woman Andreth and Findrod Felagund concerning
death and the different fates of the Children of Eru and the marring of Men.
The Commentary to the work includes many interesting comments on the natures
of Elves and Men and also a short narrative that tells of the Fall of Men.
In an appendix is included 'The Converse of Manwe and Eru' together with a
recount of later conceptions of Elvish reincarnation.
Written: c. 1959
- Myths Transformed
- Late writings broadly concerned with the reinterpretation of central elements
in the "legendarium". Discusses such things as the shape of the World and
the creation of the Sun and Moon, the natures of Melkor and Sauron, the motives
of the Valar, the nature and origin of Orcs and the real nature of Aman.
Written: The late 1950s
- The Grey Annals
- Annals of the events in Beleriand from the awakening of the Elves to the
deaths of Túrin and Nienor. Becomes progressively more of a narrative
than strictly annalistic.
Written: c. 1950 - 1951
- The Later Quenta Silmarillion II
- The "Beleriandic" part of the Quenta from the awakening of Men. Introduces
very few changes and is thus not presented as a full text but only recounts
the changes made at this time.
Written: c. 1951
- The Wanderings of Húrin and other writings
- 'The Wanderings of Húrin' includes various text-fragments and a longer
narrative about Húrin's arrival in Brethil.
'Æfwine and Dírhaval' is the "introductory note" to the 'Narn
i Chin Húrin' (refered to in 'Unfinished Tales').
'Maeglin' recounts the changes made to the story of Maeglin and his coming
to Gondolin, some as late as c. 1970.
In 'Of the Ents and the Eagles' the later additions to the chapter of Aulë
and Yavanna are discussed.
'The Tale of Years' recounts the history of this text and its later developement.
A note on the chapter 'Of the Ruin of Doriath' in the published Silmarillion
is also included.
Written: During the 1950s with later emendations
- Quendi and Eldar
- A linguistical essay on the "Origin and Meanings of the Elvish words referring
to Elves and their varieties. With Appendices on their names for other Incarnates."
Includes a 'Note on the 'Language of the Valar'' but excludes a long account
of the phonological theories of earlier Loremasters.
The account of the phonological theories and another accompanying text, 'Ósanwe-kenta',
has been published in no. 39 of the journal Vinyar
Tengwar.
In an appendix one legend of the Awakening of the Quendi is retold.
Written: 1959 - 1960
- The Prologue
- The evolution of the prologue to "The Lord of the Rings". Only parts of
the variant texts are given.
Written: 1948 - before July 1950
- The Appendix on Language
- Included are a text containing much information on languages which was originally
intended as a kind of preface to "The Lord of the Rings", the essay 'Languages
at the end of the Third Age' which includes a great deal of Westron material
later excluded and finaly several extracts from later versions of what would
ultimately became the much reduced text of Appendix F.
Written: Probably 1948 and 1950 - 1955
- The Family Trees
- An account of the evolution of the genealogical tables in Appendix C, with
the addition of the family trees of the Bolgers and the Boffins which were
rejected from the final version.
Written: Late 1939 - 1955
- The Calendars
- Contains the earliest versions of Appendix D.
Also includes earlier versions of the Quenya and Sindarin names for seasons
and months.
Written: c. 1949 - 1950
- The History of the Akallabêth
- Details the differences in the first version of the text compared to the
one published in "The Silmarillion". Gives no complete text, only extracts.
Written: c. 1949 - 1950, published version probably 1958
- The Tale of Years of the Second Age
- Details the development of the history of the Second Age.
Also included is the original text of the story of Númenor given in
Appendix A.
Written: During the early 1950s
- The Heirs of Elendil
- The primary document of the history and chronology of the Realms in Exile.
Primarily a dynastic record with short histories of the different kings and
stewards.
Also included is a genealogy of the House of Dol Amroth with notes on its
origin.
Written: c. 1949 - 1950
- The Tale of Years of the Third Age
- The original annals of the Third Age, at times more a narrative than strictly
annalistic.
Written: c. 1949 - 1950
- The Making of Appendix A
- Details the writing history of the different texts included in Appendix
A.
Also discusses the revisions made in the 1966 edition.
Written: During the early 1950s, some revisions in 1965
- Of Dwarves and Men
- A long essay concerning the history and interrelationship of Dwarves and
Men and their languages. Gives much new information about the different kindreds
of the Dwarves and of the migrations and settlements of Men.
Written: Probably c. 1969
- The Shibboleth of Fëanor
- An essay concerning the change in pronounciation in Quenya and its political
ramifications, together with a lengthy excursus on the names of Finwë's
descendants. The latter contains much new information about the Noldorin nobles
and their interrelationships.
Written: Probably c. 1968
- The Problem of Ros
- A short text discussing the problematical element -ros. Goes into
the complex relations between the various languages in Beleriand at the end
of the First Age.
Written: Probably c. 1968
- Last Writings
- 'Glorfindel' includes two texts and some brief fragments that discusses
Glorfindel's death, re-imbodiment and return to Middle-earth and also gives
some thoughts on the fate of the Dwarves.
'The Five Wizards' consists of two very brief notes that give further and
in some ways conflicting information, about the Istari.
'Círdan' is a brief story of his early life, introducing much new information.
Written: c. 1972 - 73
- Dangweth Pengoloþ
- An essay concerning the why and wherefore of the changing and sundering
of the Elvish tongues.
Written: Probably in the early half of the 1950s
- Of Lembas
- A short essay concerning the making of lembas.
Written: Probably in the early half of the 1950s
- The New Shadow
- The first chapter of a tale set in the Fourth Age.
Written: During the 1950s and around 1968
- Tal-Elmar
- The first chapter of a tale that sees the Númenóreans from
the point of view of the Wild Men.
Written: c. 1955
- Of Tuor and his coming to Gondolin
- A very detailed version of the story of Tuor that ends with his first
sight of Gondolin from the Last Gate.
Written: c. 1951
- Narn i Hîn Húrin
- 'The Tale of the Children of Húrin' is in places very detailed
and in others only outlines and fragments.
A small sketch map of the Crossings of Teiglin and Nen Girith is included.
Written: During the 1950s
- A Description of the Island of Númenor
- A short treatise on the geography and flora of Númenor and of the
lives of its people.
Contains several tree-names in Elvish.
A map of the island is also included.
Written: Probably c. 1960
- Aldarion and Erendis
- 'The Tale of the Mariner's Wife', the only story from Númenor.
Mostly only different plot-outlines and fragments and is therefore in parts
rewritten by the editor.
Written: Probably c. 1960
- The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor
- A dynastic record, with short outlines of the history of the different
kings. Introduces some chronological puzzles, but also clarifies apparent
errors in "The Lord of the Rings".
Written: No date given, perhaps during the 1960s?
- The History of Galadriel and Celeborn
- Contains different writings concerning the Second Age in Middle-earth.
Some of the writings are taken from late philological essays, others from
longer narratives.
Also includes serveral interesting appendices, mainly of a philological
nature.
Written: Mostly late writings from the late 1960s and early 1970s
- The Disaster of the Gladden Fields
- A version of the tale of the death of Isildur, together with 'The sources
of the legend of Isildur's death' and some information about Númenórean
linear measures.
Written: Probably c. 1969
- Cirion and Eorl
- Fragments probably intended to form parts of a more substantial history
of Gondor and Rohan. Very disordered and full of variants.
Includes Cirion's Oath in Elvish.
Written: Probably c. 1969
- The Quest of Erebor
- Gandalf's account of the quest of Erebor. Originally intended to be a
part of Appendix A in "The Lord of the Rings". Extracts from earlier versions
are included.
Written: During the early 1950s
- The Hunt for the Ring
- Various text concering events during the year 3018 and related matters.
Written: c. 1954 - 1955
- The Battles of the Fords of Isen
- A narrative concering the battle, together with an account of the military
organisation of Rohan and a short history of Isengard.
Written: Probably c. 1969
- The Drúedain
- An account of the Drúedain in Beleriand in the First Age together
with the narrative 'The Faithful Stone' drawn from a late essay concering
the interrelationships of the languages of Middle-earth.
Also included is a short text about the Púkel-men from a late essay
concerning river-names.
Written: The late 1960s and early 1970s
- The Istari
- Contains an essay on the Istari that were to have been included in the
index to "The Lord of the Rings", together with various late texts concerning
the Istari in general and Gandalf in particular.
An alliterative poem about the Istari is included as is a short etymological
note on olo-s.
Written: Essay c 1954, the rest during the late 1960s and early 1970s
- The Palantíri
- Contains some writings on the Palantíri associated with the emendations
to the second edition of "The Lord of the Rings".
Written: c. 1965
