Description:
Nimrodel
Lost Elf-maiden of Lothlorien. Nimrodel was graceful and beautiful, with long, flowing red hair that shone like mallorn leaves in autumn. She was a Silvan Elf, or Wood-elf. Nimrodel spoke only the language of the Wood-elves even after Sindarin became the common tongue of Lothlorien.
She preferred to live apart from them and maintain the ways of the Wood-elves.
Nimrodel lived alone near the river that later bore her name. Her home was near the northwestern border of Lothlorien. She may have dwelled in a grotto - or small cave - by a waterfall, but when Orcs from the nearby Misty Mountains began encroaching on the forest she may have started living high in the branches of a tree. This may have inspired the creation of flets - platforms used as dwelling places in the trees by the Elves of Lothlorien.
Amroth, King of Lothlorien, followed Nimrodel and found her near Fangorn. She promised to marry him if he could bring her to a land of peace. Amroth agreed to leave Lothlorien and go with Nimrodel to the Undying Lands. They set out for the Elf-haven of Edhellond on the Bay of Belfalas in the south. They were accompanied by other Silvan Elves from Lothlorien. One of Nimrodel's companions was an Elf-maiden named Mithrellas, who later wed the forefather of the Princes of Dol Amroth.
When they reached the White Mountains, Nimrodel and Amroth became separated. Amroth reached Edhellond and waited for Nimrodel aboard their ship, but a storm swept the ship out into the bay. Amroth leaped overboard trying to return to land to find Nimrodel, but he drowned in the rough waters.
Nimrodel wandered for a while in the mountains until she came to the River Gilrain, which reminded her of the stream she had lived near in Lothlorien. She sat by a pool, listening to the water and looking at the stars reflected in it, and her heart was lightened. Nimrodel fell into a long, deep sleep. When she awoke, she came down from the mountains into Belfalas, but the ship was long gone and Amroth was lost. What became of Nimrodel afterwards is not known.
It was said that in springtime her voice could be heard singing in the falls of the River Nimrodel in Lothlorien, while the voice of Amroth came up the Anduin on the south wind.
?
SONG OF NIMRODEL:??An Elven-maid there was of old,?A shining star by day:?Her mantle white was hemmed with gold,?Her shoes of silver-grey.??A star was bound upon her brows,?A loght was on her hair?As sun upon the golden boughs?In Lórien the fair.??Her hair was long, her limbs were white,?And fair she was and free;?And in the wind she went as light?As leaf of linden-tree.??Beside the falls of Nimrodel,?By water clear and cool,?Her voice as falling silver fell?Into the shining pool.??Where now she wanders none can tell,?In sunlight or in shade;?For lost of yore was Nimrodel?And in the mountains strayed.??The elven-ship in haven grey?Beneath the mountain-lee?Awaited her for many a day?Beside the roaring sea.??A wind by night in Northern lands?Arose, and loud it cried,?And drove the ship from elven-strands?Across the streaming tide.??When dawn came dim the land was lost,?The mountains sinking grey?Beyond the heaving waves that tossed?Their plumes of blinding spray.??Amroth beheld the fading shore?Now low beyond the swell,?And cursed the faithless ship that bore?Him far from Nimrodel.??Of old he was an Elven-king,?A lord of tree and glen,?When golden were the boughs in spring?In fair Lothlórien.??From helm to sea they saw him leap,?As arrow from the string,?And dive into water deep,?As mew upon the wing.??The wind was in his flowing hair,?The foam about him shone;?Afar they saw him strong and fair?Go riding like a swan.??But from the West has come no word,?And on the Hither Shore?No tidings Elven-folk have heard?Of Amroth evermore.
File size of the original picture:
229,65 KB
(913 x 766 px)
Comments for this picture
There are not any comments for this picture yet.