Editing Two Trees of Valinor (section)

== Narrative ==

=== Prelude ===

The first sources of light for all of Tolkien's imaginary world, [[Arda (Middle-earth)|Arda]], are [[Years of the lamps|two enormous Lamps]] on the central continent, [[Middle-earth]]: Illuin, the silver one to the north, and Ormal, the golden one to the south. They are created by the [[Valar]], powerful spirit beings, but are cast down and destroyed by the Dark Lord [[Morgoth|Melkor]].<ref name="Of the Beginning of Days" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, ch. 1 "Of the Beginning of Days"</ref>

=== Creation ===

The Valar retreat to [[Valinor]] to make their home on the western continent, and there one of them, [[Yavanna]] the Vala of living things, sings into existence the Two Trees to provide a new pair of light-sources. Of the two, Telperion is male and silver, while the other, Laurelin, is female and golden. The Trees stand on the hill Ezellohar, outside Valimar, the city of the Valar. They grow in the presence of all the Valar, watered by the tears of the Vala of pity and mourning, [[Nienna]].<ref name="Of the Beginning of Days" group=T/> Telperion's leaves are dark green above and silver below.<ref name="Of the Beginning of Days" group=T/> His flowers are white like cherry blossom,<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1987}}, p. 209</ref> and his silvery dew is collected as a source of water and of light. Varda used the dew to form stars in the sky, in preparation for the arrival of the Elves. Laurelin has leaves of a young green, like newly opened beech leaves trimmed with gold, and her dew is collected by the Vala of light [[Varda (Middle-earth)|Varda]].<ref name="Of the Beginning of Days" group=T/>

Each Tree, in turn, gives off light for seven hours (waxing to full brightness and then slowly waning again), with the ends of their cycles overlapping, so that at one hour each of "dawn" and "dusk" soft gold and silver light are given off together. Each "day" of first silver then gold light lasts twelve hours.<ref name="Of the Beginning of Days" group=T/>

<gallery class=center mode=nolines heights=175px widths=330px>
File:Arda in the Years of the Trees.svg|Arda in the Years of the Trees
File:Jornada arboles de Valinor.png|Tolkien stated that the light from the Two Trees of Valinor alternately waxed and waned, overlapping by an hour.<ref name="Of the Beginning of Days" group=T/>
</gallery>

=== Destruction ===

Countless "days" pass, until Melkor reappears. He enlists the help of the giant spider [[Ungoliant]] to destroy the Two Trees. Concealed in a cloud of darkness, Melkor strikes each Tree and the insatiable Ungoliant devours whatever life and light remains in it.<ref name="Of the Darkening of Valinor" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, ch. 8 "Of the Darkening of Valinor"</ref>

=== Aftermath ===

Yavanna and Nienna attempt a healing, but they succeed only in reviving Telperion's last flower (to become the [[Moon]]) and Laurelin's last fruit (to become the [[Sun]]). These are turned into flying ships crossing the sky, and each is steered by spirits of the same 'genders' as the Trees themselves: male Tilion and female Arien. This is why, in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', the Sun is called "she" and the Moon "he".<ref name="Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, ch. 11 "Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor"</ref> The true light of the Trees now resides only in the three [[Silmaril]]s, jewels created with the light of the Two Trees before their destruction, by the Elf [[Fëanor]].<ref name="Of the Flight of the Noldor" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, ch. 9 "Of the Flight of the Noldor"</ref>

[[File:Escudo Real de Gondor.svg|thumb|upright=0.6|[[Coat of arms]] of [[Gondor]] bearing the white tree, Nimloth the fair]]

Because the Elves that first come to [[Valinor]] especially love Telperion, [[Yavanna]] takes a [[Cutting (plant)|cutting]]<!--Curry p. 682--> from the tree and makes a second tree like it to stand in their city of Tirion. This tree, named '''Galathilion''', is identical to Telperion except that it does not emit light. It has many seedlings, one of which is named '''Celeborn''', and grows on the isle of [[Tol Eressëa]].<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, ch. 5 "Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië"</ref> In the [[Second Age]], a seedling of Celeborn is brought as a gift to the Men who live on the island of [[Númenor]]. It is Nimloth, the White Tree of Númenor. When the dark lord [[Sauron]] takes control of the island, he makes king [[Ar-Pharazôn]] cut it down.<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, "Akallabêth: The Downfall of Númenor"</ref> The hero [[Isildur]] saves a single fruit of Nimloth, and plants seedlings in Middle-earth. During the rule of the Stewards of Gondor, the [[White Tree of Gondor]], a descendant of Nimloth, stands dead in the citadel of Minas Tirith. On Aragorn's return as King at the end of the [[Third Age]], he finds a seedling in the snow on the mountain behind the city, and brings it back to the citadel, where it flourishes.<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"</ref>

Tolkien never mentioned any tree made in the likeness of Laurelin, writing that "of Laurelin the Golden no likeness is left in Middle-Earth".<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1955}}, Appendix A, I (i) Númenor</ref> In the First Age, however, the Elvish King Turgon of the city of [[Gondolin]] creates a non-living image of Laurelin, named ''Glingal'', 'Hanging Flame', which stands in his court.<ref name="Of the Noldor in Beleriand" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, ch. 15"Of the Noldor in Beleriand"</ref>