Of the books, or written form, his principal source was some fragments of the songs of King Thingol's minstrel Dairon. From this fact is derived the [struck out: erroneous] name: Alphabet of Dairon.
The origin of the script is probably to be placed in Ossiriand among the Danian elves, many of whom were incorporated in Doriath after the coming of Morgoth and the fall of their king, Denethor.4 The Danian elves were ultimately of Noldorin race, and inventions of this sort were a special aptitude of the Noldor.5 Moreover a related alphabet was early in use among the eastern branch of the Danians, beyond the Blue Mountains, whence it also spread to Men in those regions, becoming the foundation of the Taliskan skirditaila or 'runic series'. [Added in pencil: Related alphabets were (> A related alphabet was) also borrowed (from both Men and Elves) by the Dwarves; the western Dwarves early borrowed and adapted the full inscrip- tional 'Alphabet of Dairon', and most of the inscriptions in this form that survived the Great War in Eriador and elsewhere are of Dwarvish origin, though their language is seldom the secret tongue of the Dwarves.]
This alphabet was not much used by the exiled Noldor, but in certain cases, in the absence of parchment or for carving on wood, or where as at Sirion's mouth they were mingled with Ilkorins, they employed these letters during their exile, and modified their forms or applications to fit their own language. Pengolod gives some examples of this Noldorin usage. [Added in pencil: The greatest elaboration was reached in Eregion and Moria, where during the Second Age Elves and Dwarves lived in harmony. This later form was called the 'Runes of Moria', because it remained long in use among the Dwarves, and most of the inscriptions employing it survived in the halls and chambers of Moria.]
With this view of the origin of the name Alphabet of Dairon cf. The Lord of the Rings Appendix E (II): 'Their richest and most ordered form was known as the Alphabet of Daeron, since in Elvish tradition it was said to have been devised by Daeron, the minstrel and loremaster of King Thingol of Doriath.'
The reference to Taliska (for which see V.179, 191, 196: 'the language of the three houses of Beor, of Haleth, and of Hador') is very interesting as adumbrating a relationship between the runes of Beleriand and the ancient Germanic runes; cf. V.279 on the 'Indo- European' word widris 'wisdom' in the ancient tongue of the people of Beor. It seems clear that the second element of Taliskan skirditaila 'runic series' is to be understood as an ancestral cognate of the word seen in Old English teal (with a sense 'number, reckoning, series'; Old Norse tal, etc., and cf. Modern English tale, tell); the first element may perhaps be connected with the Germanic stem sker-, seen in Old Norse skera 'cut, carve', Old English sceran (Modern English shear, cf. ultimately related shard, potsherd).
Detailed exposition from this time of the ancient Elvish runes seems to be restricted to a series of five manuscript pages - which are indeed extremely informative. In style and bearing they seem to me to belong with substantial work on Noldorin phonology that certainly comes from the time not long preceding the start of The Lord of the Rings. Since it would be extremely difficult to print these pages as part of the text, and since they would be unclear in facsimile reproduction (and require a lot of unnecessary explanation and annotation), I have rewritten and redrawn them as a series of plates, numbered I to IV, at the end of this Appendix. I have attempted to remain very faithful to the originals, and have only edited them in a few minor points that in no way alter their purport; I have not attempted to smooth away the various inconsistencies of presentation. There are a very few pencilled changes that are ignored. At the head of the first sheet my father wrote: 'All this has been revised and rewritten. See Appendices to Lord of the Rings.'
On plate V I reproduce a separate manuscript leaf entitled 'Dwarf- runes for writing English (phonetic)', which I shall refer to in this Appendix as 'E'. This is obviously quite distinct from the other pages, but it will be found that it agrees well on the whole with 'the later Noldorin use' on plate II (referred to subsequently as 'N'), though there is some difference in the application of signs, notably in the nasals and in those representing English (sh), (as in vision), (ch), and (j as twice in judge), which are either used for different sounds in N or not found there. As will be seen shortly, this page evidently dates from the time of my father's return to the Moria story, as described in this book. Curiously, kw (qu) is absent from E, and the rune for kw in the Doriath and Noldorin usage is there given to ts (ch). In E, also, h is represented by , but by in the others.
At the bottom of plate V I have transcribed the runic inscription on Balin's tomb from the end of the original first 'Moria' chapter in Vol. VI (see p. 460 and note 40). As noted there, it was at that point that my father decided to use the Runes of Beleriand in preference to Old English runes, for he first wrote the inscription in the latter but at once wrote it in the former as well - in two forms, which I have marked (i) and (ii). The words Runes of Dwarves on the same page (VI.460) no doubt have some significance in this connection; cf. also Gandalf's words in the second version of the chapter ('The Lord of Moria', p. 186): 'These are dwarf-runes, such as they use in the North.' - On the name Burin of Balin's father see VI.444.
Version (i) of the tomb-inscription agrees with E (and with N) in every point save one: the use of the rune for s in son instead of In E is used for the vowel (as in English cup); while in N it is used for h.
Version (ii) agrees with (i) in the s-rune, but reverses and in lord and Moria, and for l in lord substitutes for : the former is found in the Doriath and Noldorin use. Here the rune is used for the vowel in son, where (i) has the unphonetic (o). In E this rune has the value ai, in N the value ae (later changed in pencil to ai in a reversal of the values ai and ae).
The next (third) version of the tomb-inscription, at the end of the second version ('The Lord of Moria') of the chapter, is hidden by a fourth version pasted over it; but Taum Santoski has been able to read the underlying inscription by lighting the page from the back. With Fundin for Burin (see VI.444) the runic writing thus recovered is almost as in version (i), with the same use of for s; but very curiously this same rune is used for o in both occurrences of the word of, although for o appears in son, lord, and Moria. In addition, the Dwarvish words Balin Fundinul Uzbad Khazaddumu are added beneath, the rune for z being apparently , which is s in all the alphabets given here.
The fourth version of the inscription, that pasted over the third, and the fifth, at the end of the typescript text that followed, are identical in all forms; the latter is reproduced on p. 186. So far as the brief text goes, agreement with E is here complete, with s represented by , z represented by , and used for the vowel [ .. ], which here appears in the word son, treated phonetically.
On plate VI I have redrawn the runic writing from the two earliest illustrations of a burnt and blackened page from the Book of Mazarbul. These redrawings are intended to show the runes and their relative placing and nothing more. The earliest form (i) is found on the back of the last page of the original 'Moria' chapter (see VI.460, 467). This is the merest sketch, an indication of what might be done in this direction: it was made very hastily, scribbled down, with little attempt at verisimilitude, the illegible parts of the page being represented by rough scribbled strokes (and the number of missing lines in my redrawing is approximate and impressionistic). The right-hand bot- tom corner is shown as a triangular detached piece, on which only the word Kazaddum is written. The second form (ii) is a much more developed representation of the slashed and discoloured leaf, done in pencil and coloured chalks; here again the bottom corner is shown as torn right off. (The evolution of this page is emblematic in miniature of my father's mode of work: the evolution of the details of shape is progressive and continuous. In this second version there are two holes on the right hand side of the page and a bite out of the top; in the third and fourth versions these remain, but the bottom corner is added back, with a triangular indentation above, continuing into the page as a black line. In the final form, reproduced in Pictures by J. R. R. Tolkien no. 23, the
central hole is enlarged and moved to the left, but the black line remains where the bottom corner was originally shown as torn off and separate.)
The words of the original sketch have been given in VI.467, but I
repeat them here in phonetic form:
Here there is close but not complete agreement with E. The s-rune is not , the latter being used for , as in E; but there is divergence in the w-rune, which is here , to which E gives the value (j) and N the value gw. The short single vertical used in E as abbreviation for the when in the upper position and as a sign for the vowel when in the lower position is here used for the in the lower position, but in the upper position for h (in have, has, his): in both occurrences of the word hall the stroke stands in the lower position, but this may have been no more than an inadvertence, for the runes in this sketch were pencilled very rapidly and several were written erroneously and then corrected. The rune for the initial consonants [] in shaft and [] in chair, chamber also differ in their values from those ascribed to them in E. The use of the m-rune for v in we have occupied (line 9) can only be a slip. Lastly, the vowel is employed not only in under, sun, up but also in an (arrow) and in first (at the second occurrence).
Comparison with E will show that the second version of the page from the Book of Mazarbul agrees with it in every point and detail. The different form of the I-rune in Floi (line 4), with the crossing stroke falling, not rising, to the right, is probably merely accidental (in the third version the shape is normal at this point).
To this version my father appended a phonetic transcription. In this he interpreted oukn in line 6 as ?broken, it at the end of line 10 as?its, and the word before helm in line 17 as (?sil)vr, though the last rune is very clearly n, not r (in the third version an r-rune is written here).
The sequence of development in this much-considered passage was very probably as follows. The original form of the text that Gandalf first read out from the Book of Mazarbul seems to have been that of the earliest drawing of the page itself (plate VI, i). Closely related to it is the form in the original pencilled narrative of the scene, which can be largely made out beneath the text written over it in ink (see pp. 191 and 205 note 4). Both forms had the Orcs for Orcs and Balin's chair for Balin's seat; but the original narrative text had we have found truesilver, well-forged, and (To)morrow Oin is... lead... seek for the upp(er) armoury of the Third Deep, all of which is absent from the first drawing of the page.
The overwritten text in the first narrative, which is given on p. 191, is effectively the same as the text in the second drawing of the page (plate VI, ii).
The third drawing of the page (which is otherwise very similar to the second, and employs exactly the same runic system) corresponds to the text of the fair copy manuscript of 'The Mines of Moria (ii)' given on pp. 200 - 1.
It is plain therefore that the first three drawings of this page from the Book of Mazarbul all belong to the same time, and relate step by step to the rewriting of this passage through the original draft and first fair copy of the narrative chapter; and that the runic alphabet set out in E, 'Dwarfrunes for writing English' (plate V), belongs to this time also. But when the fourth version of this page was done the runic values had changed.
The first drawings of the other two pages from the Book of Mazarbul (that written by Ori in Elvish script and the last page of the book, in runes) belong with and were done at the same time as the third drawing of the first page; for the texts see pp. 200 - 1.
1 The earliest runic document relating to Middle-earth that I know of is a little slip of paper in my father's early handwriting, headed Gondolinic Runes. This gives an alphabet in which the values of the runes are almost totally different from the Angerthas, but in which the principles of phonetic organisation in relation to letter-shape are strongly evident.
2 With this passage cf. the Lhammas in Vol. V, pp. 173-4.
3 On the Danian elves or Danas see especially V.176, 188 - 9.
4 See the Quenta Silmarillion in Vol. V, p. 263.
5 Cf. the Ainulindalë in Vol. V, p. 162.
Table of Contents
FOREWORD.
I. GANDALF'S DELAY.
II. THE FOURTH PHASE (1): FROM HOBBITON TO BREE.
III. THE FOURTH PHASE (2): FROM BREE TO THE FORD OF RIVENDELL.
IV. OF HAMILCAR, GANDALF, AND SARUMAN.
V. BILBO'S SONG AT RIVENDELL: ERRANTRY AND EARENDILLINWE.
VI. THE COUNCIL OF ELROND (1).
VII. THE COUNCIL OF ELROND (2).
VIII. THE RING GOES SOUTH.
IX. THE MINES OF MORIA (1): THE LORD OF MORIA.
X. THE MINES OF MORIA (2): THE BRIDGE.
XI. THE STORY FORESEEN FROM MORIA.
XII. LOTHLORIEN.
XIII. GALADRIEL.
XIV. FAREWELL TO LORIEN.
XV. THE FIRST MAP OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
XVI. THE STORY FORESEEN FROM LORIEN.
XVII. THE GREAT RIVER.
XVIII. THE BREAKING OF THE FELLOWSHIP.
XIX. THE DEPARTURE OF BOROMIR.
XX. THE RIDERS OF ROHAN.
XXI THE URUK-HAI.
XXII. TREEBEARD.
XXIII. NOTES ON VARIOUS TOPICS.
XXIV. THE WHITE RIDER.
XXV. THE STORY FORESEEN FROM FANGORN.
XXVI. THE KING OF THE GOLDEN HALL.
APPENDIX ON RUNES.
Footnotes
Alternate covers
Table of Contents
FOREWORD.
I. GANDALF'S DELAY.
II. THE FOURTH PHASE (1): FROM HOBBITON TO BREE.
III. THE FOURTH PHASE (2): FROM BREE TO THE FORD OF RIVENDELL.
IV. OF HAMILCAR, GANDALF, AND SARUMAN.
V. BILBO'S SONG AT RIVENDELL: ERRANTRY AND EARENDILLINWE.
VI. THE COUNCIL OF ELROND (1).
VII. THE COUNCIL OF ELROND (2).
VIII. THE RING GOES SOUTH.
IX. THE MINES OF MORIA (1): THE LORD OF MORIA.
X. THE MINES OF MORIA (2): THE BRIDGE.
XI. THE STORY FORESEEN FROM MORIA.
XII. LOTHLORIEN.
XIII. GALADRIEL.
XIV. FAREWELL TO LORIEN.
XV. THE FIRST MAP OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
XVI. THE STORY FORESEEN FROM LORIEN.
XVII. THE GREAT RIVER.
XVIII. THE BREAKING OF THE FELLOWSHIP.
XIX. THE DEPARTURE OF BOROMIR.
XX. THE RIDERS OF ROHAN.
XXI THE URUK-HAI.
XXII. TREEBEARD.
XXIII. NOTES ON VARIOUS TOPICS.
XXIV. THE WHITE RIDER.
XXV. THE STORY FORESEEN FROM FANGORN.
XXVI. THE KING OF THE GOLDEN HALL.
APPENDIX ON RUNES.
Footnotes
The History of Middle Earth: Volume 7 - The Treason of Isengard Page 59
