Of the Beginning of Days

           ItistoldamongthewisethattheFirstWarbeganbeforeArdawasfull-shaped,andereyettherewasanythingthatgreworwalkeduponearth;andforlongMelkorhadtheupperhand.ButinthemidstofthewaraspiritofgreatstrengthandhardihoodcametotheaidoftheValar,hearinginthefarheaventhattherewasbattleintheLittleKingdom;andArdawasfilledwiththesoundofhislaughter.SocameTulkastheStrong,whoseangerpasseslikeamightywind,scatteringcloudanddarknessbeforeit;andMelkorfledbeforehiswrathandhislaughter,andforsookArda,andtherewaspeaceforalongage.AndTulkasremainedandbecameoneoftheValaroftheKingdomofArda;butMelkorbroodedintheouterdarkness,andhishatewasgiventoTulkasforeverafter.

           InthattimetheValarbroughtordertotheseasandthelandsandthemountains,andYavannaplantedatlasttheseedsthatshehadlongdevised.Andsince,whenthefiresweresubduedorburiedbeneaththeprimevalhills,therewasneedoflight,AuleattheprayerofYavannawroughttwomightylampsforthelightingoftheMiddle-earthwhichhehadbuiltamidtheencirclingseas.ThenVardafilledthelampsandManwehallowedthem,andtheValarsetthemuponhighpillars,moreloftyfarthanareanymountainsofthelaterdays.OnelamptheyraisedneartothenorthofMiddleearth,anditwasnamedIlluin;andtheotherwasraisedinthesouth,anditwasnamedOrmal;andthelightoftheLampsoftheValarflowedoutovertheEarth,sothatallwaslitasitwereinachangelessday.

           ThentheseedsthatYavannahadsownbeganswiftlytosproutandtoburgeon,andtherearoseamultitudeofgrowingthingsgreatandsmall,mossesandgrassesandgreatferns,andtreeswhosetopswerecrownedwithcloudastheywerelivingmountains,butwhosefeetwerewrappedinagreentwilight.