The reason for this situation is clear. The first consecutive text of the chapter, a well-written 'fair copy' manuscript, stands in very close relation to the draft materials. By this time it had become my father's method to begin making a fair copy before a new stretch of the narrative had proceeded very far: it has been seen in 'The Bridge of Khazad-dum' (p. 202) and in 'Lothlorien' (pp. 221 - 2 and note 14) that drafting and fair copy to some extent overlapped. This was the case here also (thus the extracts from Keleborn's description of the Great River given on pp. 282 - 3 were drafts for the text found in the fair copy, and they immediately preceded that point in the writing of that text), but to a much more marked degree: for in this case, as I think, the fair copy was built up in stages, as the different sections of draft were completed.
Before turning to the original text, or texts, of this chapter, however, I give first some very difficult pencilled outlines, which I will call (a), (b) and (c). I take (a) to be the first since in it the name Tofl-ondren, which occurs also in the others, is seen at the point of emergence. The pencil is now faint to the point of vanishing, and the first lines (as far as 'the Bridges of Osgiliath'), which were written before and apparently disconnectedly from the following portion, are partly illegible.
(a)
The travellers must choose which side of Anduin [?to be on] at [?Naith] Lorien. River is narrow but... at Stone Hills.(1) Not possible to cross without a boat until the Bridges of Osgiliath.
Keleborn says they must [?journey] in the morning. Though his people do not often go outside borders he will send them by boat as far as [struck out: Toll-ondu Toll-onnui] Toll-ondren the Great Carrock.(2) The east bank is perilous to elves. River winds among the Border Hills [struck out: Duil] Emyn Rain.(3) There they must decide because the Wetwang Palath Nenui (4) lies before them and to reach Minas Tirith they must go west round and across [added: along hills and then across] Entwash. But to go the other way they must cross Dead Marshes.
(b)
This outline is also extremely faint. It takes up towards the end of the narrative in this chapter and extends beyond it, but was written at an early stage in the development of the story, since the presence of Elves accompanying the travellers is mentioned, and this element was soon abandoned.
This is the Naith or Angle.(5) Calendil or the Green Spit.
[Struck out: Nelen] Calennel. (6)
We are come before you to make all ready, said the Lady
Galadriel, and now at last we must bid you farewell. Here you are come at last to the end of our realm, to Calendil, the green-spit tongue. Green-tine.(7) Three boats await you with rowers.
They get into the boats. Elv[en] archers in one behind and before. Company 2 in first, Ingold, Boromir. Hobbits in middle. Legolas, Gimli behind.
Parting gifts.
Warning against Entwash (Ogodruth) and Fangorn (8) - not neces- sary to Boromir and Ingold, but probably Gandalf did not tell them all.
Blessing of Galadriel on Frodo.
Song of Farewell of Elves.
Swift passing down the River.
Description of the [? Green Ravines].
Tollondren.
Scene with Boromir and loss of Frodo.
End of Chapter.
In this outline the names Galadriel and Ingold were written ab initio.
(c)
This third outline, again in very faint pencil, belongs with the others; a further section was added to it, but not I think after any significant interval.
Argument in pavilion at night.
They postpone decision until they reach Tolondren the Great
Carrock.
They sail in [number changed between 2, 3, 4, final figure probably 3] boats. 1 filled with bowmen before and after.
Farewell of Galadriel.
They pass into the Rhain hills (9) where river winds in deep ravines. A few arrows from East.
Elves give travellers special food and grey cloaks and hoods.
They say farewell at Tol Ondren and leave travellers [struck out: a boat > 2 small boats].
The Company lands and goes up into Rhain Hills for a safe place. The debate. Then comes Boromir's attempt at seizing Ring and Frodo's flight.
Arrows from East shore as they pass down river?
The Company lands on Tollondren. Then debate. Frodo (and Sam) want to go on with the Quest and get it over. Boromir against it (vehemently?). They beg Elves to wait while they decide. They cross to East bank and go up into Green Hills (or Emyn Rhain?) to look around.
The journey by boat down Anduin enters in outline (a) (see p. 213); in (b) the 'scene with Boromir and loss of Frodo' is removed from 'Angle' (see pp. 207 - 8, 213) and takes place after the journey down the river, while in (c) it occurs in the 'Rhain Hills'.
The geography of these regions was coming into being. My father knew at this stage that the Great River wound in ravines (the 'Green Ravines' doubtfully read in outline (b)?) through a range of hills (Stone Hills; Emyn Rhain, Rhain Hills, Border Hills; Green Hills - which were not merely alternative names, as will be seen in the next chapter); and that there was a great rock or tall island (the Great Carrock; Tolondren, variously spelt) in the midst of Anduin. This was associated with the hills, since the Company lands on the island and goes up into Emyn Rhain or into the Green Hills. In the added section of (c) they cross the river to do so. The Wetwang now appears, obviously if not explicitly associated with the confluence of Anduin and Entwash (or Ogodruth), flowing out of Fangorn (p. 210).
I turn now to the earliest narrative texts of 'Farewell to Lorien', in which indications are found that the fair copy manuscript of 'Galadriel' was already in existence (notes 10 and 21). The opening portion of the chapter, in which the Company came before Keleborn and Galadriel on the eve of departure and then returned to their pavilion to debate their course, is extant in several different versions. The earliest of them begins clearly but soon descends to my father's roughest script; it was written in ink over a faint pencilled text some of which can be read (see note 12).
(i)
That night (10) the Company was summoned again to the chamber of Keleborn, and the Lord and Lady of the Galadrim looked upon their faces. After a silence Keleborn spoke to them. 'Now is the time,' he said, 'when those who wish to continue the Quest must harden themselves to depart. And now is the time for those to say farewell to the Company who feel that they have gone as far as they have the strength to go. All that do not wish to go forward may remain here until there is a chance for them to return to their own homes.(11) For we stand now on the edge of doom; and ere long things will grow better, or will grow so evil that all must fight and fall where they stand. There will be no homes to seek, save the long home of those that go down in battle. Here you may abide the oncoming of the hour till the ways of the world lie open again, or we summon you to help us in the last stand of Lorien.'(12)
'They are all resolved to go forward,' said Galadriel.
'As for me,' said Boromir, 'my way home lies onward.'
'That is true,' said Keleborn. 'But are all the Company going with you to Minas Tirith?'
'We have not decided that yet,' said Ingold.
'But you must do so soon,' said Keleborn. 'For after you leave Lothlorien the River cannot easily be crossed again until you come to Ondor,(13) if indeed the passage of the river in the South is not held by the Enemy. Now the way to Minas Tirith lies on this side of the River, on the West bank, but the straight way of the Quest lies upon the other, upon the East bank. You should choose before you go.'
'If they take my advice it will be the west side,' said Boromir, 'but I am not the leader.'
'It shall be as you choose. But as you seem still in doubt, and do not maybe wish to hasten your choice, this is what I will do. It will speed your journey somewhat, and show you my good will - for I do not send my people often and only at [?great] need beyond my borders. I will furnish you with boats which we use upon the rivers. Some of my folk shall go with you as far as the Green Hills,
where the river winds deep among [?wooded] slopes. But beyond the Toll-ondren, the isle that is there amid the river flood, they shall not go. Even so far there are perils for Elves upon the East bank; beyond that it is not safe for any to go by water.'
The words of Keleborn lightened their hearts a little that were heavy with the thought of departure. They took leave of the Lord and Lady and went back to their pavilion. Legolas was with them. They debated long but they came to no decision. Ingold was evidently torn between two things. His own plan and desire was to have gone to Minas Tirith; but now that Gandalf was lost he felt that he could not abandon Frodo if he could not be persuaded to come. To the others there was little choice, for they knew nothing of the... of the land in the South. Boromir said little but kept his eyes ever fixed on Frodo as if he waited for his decision. At length he spoke. 'If you are to destroy the Ring,' he said, 'then there is little use in arms, and Minas Tirith cannot help you greatly. But if you wish to destroy the Lord, then there is little use in going without force into his domain. That is how it seems to me.'
Here this text ends.
(ii)
The next version is a fair copy of (i) so far as it went, and follows it closely, improving the wording but introducing few significant changes; but it extends further into the chapter.
Keleborn now speaks with greater certainty of the crossings of Osgiliath: 'it is said that the Enemy holds the passages [> bridges].' Elves of Lorien shall go with the Company 'as far as the Green Hills where the river winds among deep ravines'; here Rhain is written in pencil over Green. 'There is a wooded island there, Toll-ondren, amid the branching waters. There at last in the midst of the stream you must decide your courses, left or right.' Above (Toll-)ondren is written in pencil Galen?, i.e. Tol Galen: another use of a name from the legends of the Elder Days (the Green Isle in the river Adurant in Ossiriand, home of Beren and Luthien after their return, and a further instance of an island amid a river's 'branching waters' - from which indeed the Adurant took its name, V.268).
In the part of this version that extends beyond the point reached in (i) the text of FR (pp. 385 - 6) is closely approached. Boromir now breaks off at the words 'and no sense in throwing away...', finishing his sentence lamely after a pause with 'no sense in throwing lives away, I mean.' And as in FR Ingold was deep in his thoughts and made no sign at this, while Merry and Pippin were already asleep.
The passage describing the bringing of the Elvish cakes and Gimli's delight at discovering that they were not cram is at once almost exactly as in FR, the only difference being that the words 'But we call it lembas or waybread' do not appear. The description of the cloaks is however much briefer than in FR - and there is no mention of the leaf-shaped brooches that fastened them.
For each member of the Company they had provided a grey hood and cloak made according to his size of the light but warm silken stuff that the Galadrim used.
'There is no magic woven in these cloaks,' they said, 'but they should serve you well. They are light to wear, and at need warm enough and cool enough in turn...'
Later, my father would not have the Elves introduce the idea of 'magic' cloaks, and it is Pippin who uses the word, which the leader of the Elves finds hard to interpret. The remainder of the passage is as in FR, except just at the end: 'We have never before clad strangers in the garb of our own people, certainly never a dwarf.' With these words the second text stops abruptly.
(iii)
The next text, going back once more to the beginning of the chapter, carries the number XX, showing that the story of Galadriel's Mirror had been separated off, as XIX 'Galadriel', from XVIII 'Lothlorien' (see p. 256). This manuscript rapidly becomes very complex through a process of what might be called 'overlapping false starts'. The form in FR is now very closely approached as far as the point where Keleborn says 'I see that you have not decided this matter' (cf. FR p. 383). It is to be noted that Ingold was changed subsequently, at both occurrences in the opening dialogue, first to Elfstone and then to Trotter (see pp. 277 - 8). Keleborn now says: 'And are not the bridges of Osgiliath broken down, and the passages of the river held now by the Enemy since his late assault?'(14) But from the point mentioned the story is developed thus:
'I see that you have not decided this matter, nor yet made any plan,' said Keleborn. 'It is not my part to choose for you, but I will do what I can to help you. Are there any among you that can manage boats upon a strong river?'
Boromir laughed. 'I was born between the mountains and the sea, on the borders of the Land of Seven Streams,'(15) he said, 'and the Great River flows through Ondor.'
'I have journeyed by boat on many rivers,' said Ingold;(16) 'and Legolas here is from the elf-folk of Mirkwood who use both rafts and boats on the Forest River. One at least of the hobbits is of the riverside folk that live on the banks of Baranduin. The rest can at least sit still. They have all now passed through such
perils that I do not think a journey by boat would seem so terrible as once it might.'
'That is well,' said Keleborn. 'Then I will furnish you with two small boats. They must be small and light, for if you go far by river there are places where you will have to carry your craft: there are the falls of Rhain where the River runs out of the ravines in the Green Hills,(17) and other places where no boat can pass. [The following struck out as soon as written: This I will do to show you my good will. Two Elves shall guide you for a short way, but far abroad I cannot permit my folk to stray in these evil days. But when you leave the River, as you must whichever way you go at the last, I ask only that you should not destroy my boats save only to keep them from the orcs, and that you should draw them ashore and] In this way your journey will be made less toilsome for a while, though perhaps not less perilous. How far you can go by water who now can tell? And the gift of boats will not decide your purpose: it may postpone your choice, yet at the last you must leave the River and go either east or west.'
Ingold thanked Keleborn many times in the name of all the Company. The offer of the boats comforted him much, and indeed it cheered most of the travellers. Their hearts were heavy with the thought of leaving Lothlorien, but now for a while the toils of the road at least would be lessened, though the dangers doubtless would remain. Sam only felt a little alarm. In spite of all the perils he had now passed through
(iv)
Here the third text breaks off, and all from 'Are there any among you that can manage boats upon a strong river?' was rejected, and begun again; the narrative now becoming close to the form in FR: 'There are some at least among you that can handle boats: Legolas, whose folk go on rafts and boats on the Forest River; and Boromir of Ondor, and Ingold [> Elfstone] the traveller.' The Elves to accompany them down the River have now gone; and the falls of Rhain 'where the River runs out of the ravines in the Green Hills' become the Falls of Rosfein (with the same comment).
After Ingold (> Elfstone > Trotter) had thanked Keleborn, and after the account of the lightened hearts of all the travellers,(18) the new text continues with Keleborn's words 'All shall be prepared for you and await you before noon tomorrow at the haven' (FR p. 384); but whereas in texts (i) and (ii) - as in FR - Keleborn's offer of boats is followed by the withdrawal of the Company to their pavilion, and there is no mention of gifts, this new version has Galadriel say: 'Good night, fair guests! But before you go I have here parting gifts which I beg you to take, and remember the Galadrim and their Lord and Lady.' The outline (b) on p. 268, obviously earlier than the stage now reached since there is mention in it of Elves going with the Company in boats, placed the Parting Gifts at the time of the final departure down the River, and this must have been my father's original intention, which he now temporarily changed. In this version (iv) there now follows the recital of the gifts to each member of the Company.
Galadriel's gift to Ingold (the name not here changed) is the sheath that had been made to fit his sword, which is called Branding:(19) overlaid with silver and with runes of gold declaring the name of the sword an
d its owner. Nothing more is said, and there is no mention of the great green stone (FR p. 391). Boromir's belt of gold, the silver belts for Merry and Pippin, and the bow of the Galadrim given to Legolas, appear and are described in the same words as in FR. Galadriel's gift to Sam and her words to him are almost exactly as in FR. The box containing earth from her garden was 'unadorned save for a single flowering rune upon the lid' ('a single silver rune,' FR). On the manuscript page my father drew an Old English G-rune ('X') in the form of two flowering branches crossed one upon the other:(20)
The word 'flowering' was later crossed out, and another, purely formal elaboration of the rune was drawn at the head of the next page:
The gift to Gimli differs, however, from his gift in FR, and differ's in the most remarkable way.
'And what gift would a dwarf ask of Elves?' said the Lady to Gimli.
None, Lady, answered Gimli. It is enough for me to have seen the Lady of the Galadrim and known her graciousness. I will treasure the memory of her words at our first meeting.'(21) [Rejected, but not struck out, as soon as written: Hear, all you Elves!' said the Lady, turning to those about her. 'And say not that dwarves are all rough and ungracious, grasping at gifts and / I have heard it said that dwarves are openhanded - to receive, and count their words - when they give thanks'] 'It is well that those about me should hear your fair words,' said Galadriel, 'and may they never again say that dwarves are grasping and ungracious. Let this small token be given as a sign that goodwill may be remade between dwarves and elves, if better days should come.' She put her hand to her throat and unclasped a brooch, and gave it to Gimli. On it was an emerald of deep green set in gold. 'I will set it near my heart,' he said, bowing to the floor, 'and Elfstone shall be a name of honour in my [?kin] for ever, and like a leaf [?amid]... gold.'
The History of Middle Earth: Volume 7 - The Treason of Isengard Page 36
