And on a time it chanced that Orom rode eastward in his hunting, and he turned no rth by the shores of Helcar

and passed under the shadows of the Orocarni, the Mountains of the East. Then on a sudden Nahar set up a great neighing, and stood still. And Orom wondered and sat silent, and it seemed to him that in the quiet of the land under the stars he heard afar off many voices singing. Thus it was that the Valar found at last, as it were by chance, those whom they had so long awaited. And Orom looking upon the Elves was filled with wonder, as though they were beings sudden and marvellous and unforeseen; for so it shall ever be with the Valar. From without the World, though all things ma y be forethought in music or foreshown in vision from afar, to those who enter verily into E each in its time shall be m et at unawares as something new and unforetold. In the beginning the Elder Children of Ilvatar were stronger and greater than the y have since become; but not more fair, for though the beauty of the Quendi in the days of their youth was be yond all other beauty that Ilvatar has caused to be, it has not perished, but lives in the West, and sorrow and wisdom have enriched it. And Orom loved the Quendi, and named them in their own tongue Eldar, the people of the stars; but t hat name was after borne only by those who followed him upon the westward road. Yet many of the Quendi were filled with dread at his coming; and this was the do ing of Melkor. For by afterknowledge the wise declare that Melkor, ever watchful, was first aware of the aw akening of the Quendi, and sent shadows and evil spirits to spy upon them and waylay them. So it came to pass, s ome years ere the coming of Orom, that if any of the Elves strayed far abroad, alone or few together, they would often vanish, and never return; and the Quendi said that the Hunter had caught them, and they were afraid. And indeed th e most ancient songs of the Elves, of which echoes are remembered still in the West, tell of the shadow-shapes that wa lked in the hills above Cuivinen, or would pass suddenly over the stars; and of the dark Rider upon his wild horse th at pursued those that wandered to take them and devour them. Now Melkor greatly hated and feared the riding of Orom, and either he sent indeed his dark servants as riders, or he set lying whispers abroad, for the purpose that the Q uendi should shun Orom, if ever they should meet. Thus it was that when Nahar neighed and Orom indeed came among them, some of the Quendi hid themselves, and some fled and were lost. But those that had courage, and stayed, perceived s wiftly that the Great Rider was no shape out of darkness; for the light of Aman was in his face, and all the nobles t of the Elves were drawn towards it. But of those unhappy ones who were ensnared by Melkor little is known of a certa inty. For who of the living has descended into the pits of Utumno, or has explored the darkness of the counsels of Melkor? Yet this is held true by the wise of Eressa, that all those of the Quendi who came into the hands of Melkor, ere Utumno was broken, were put there in prison, and by slow arts of cruelty were corrupted and enslaved; and th us did Melkor breed the hideous race of the Orcs in envy and mockery of the Elves, of whom they were afterwards the bitt erest foes. For the Orcs had life and

multiplied after the manner of the Children of Ilvatar; and naught that had life of its own, nor the semblance of life, could ever Melkor make since his rebellion in the Ainulindal before the Beginning : so say the wise. And deep in their dark hearts the Orcs loathed the Master whom they served in fear, the maker only of their misery. This it may be was the vilest deed of Melkor, and the most hateful to Ilvatar. Orom tarried a while among the Quendi, and then swiftly he rode back over land an d sea to Valinor and brought the tidings to Valmar; and he spoke of the shadows that troubled Cuivinen . Then the Valar rejoiced, and yet they were in doubt amid their joy; and they debated long what counsel it were be st to take for the guarding of the Quendi from the shadow of Melkor. But Orom returned at once to Middle-earth and a bode with the Elves. Manw sat long in thought upon Taniquetil, and he sought the counsel of Ilvatar. An d coming then down to Valmar he summoned the Valar to the Ring of Doom, and thither came even Ulmo fro m the Outer Sea. Then Manw said to the Valar: 'This is the counsel of Ilvatar in my heart: that we should take up again the mastery of Arda, at whatsoever cost, and deliver the Quendi from the shadow of M elkor.' Then Tulkas was glad; but Aul was grieved, foreboding the hurts of the world that must come of that strife. But the Valar made ready and came forth from Aman in strength of war, resolving to assault the fortresses of Melko r and make an end. Never did Melkor forget that this war was made for the sake of the Elves, and that they were the cause of his downfall. Yet they had no part in those deeds, and they know little of the riding of the might of the West against the North in the beginning of their days. Melkor met the onset of the Valar in the North-west of Middle-earth, and all tha t region was much broken. But the first victory of the hosts of the West was swift, and the servants of Melkor fled before them to Utumno. Then the Valar passed over Middle-earth, and they set a guard over Cuivinen; and thereafte r the Quendi knew nothing of the great Battle of the Powers, save that the Earth shook and groaned beneath them, and the waters were moved, and in the north there were lights as of mighty fires. Long and grievous was the siege of U tumno, and many battles were fought before its gates of which naught but the rumour is known to the Elves. In that t ime the shape of Middle-earth was changed, and the Great Sea that sundered it from Aman grew wide and deep; and it broke in upon the coasts and made a deep gulf to the southward. Many lesser bays were made between the Great Gulf an d Helcarax far in the north, where Middle-earth and Aman came nigh together. Of these the Bay of Balar was the chie f; and into it the mighty river Sirion