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| I wonder if we'll ever be put into songs or tales... |
| ...I wonder if people will ever say, 'let's hear about Frodo and the Ring'. |
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| Being a scholar of Anglo-Saxon literature, Tolkien was well versed in the lore of tales and songs of the ancient peoples of Britain and Northern Europe. Theirs was an oral culture, in which tales and news were passed on by word of mouth from father to son. Rhyme, verse and musical melody were means to remember the litteral words of the often very old tales and to pass them on without fault. Therefore most stories from the Anglo-Saxon world were kept in the form of songs and it is this form of storytelling that Tolkien has revived in his own epic tale. Though they have developped a very sofisticated means of writing, the Elven culture keeps its lore of tales and histories nonetheless in the same way the ancient Britons did. Though written down, the Elves know the many ancient tales of their people by heart and they still sing them with grace and beautiful skill wherever they dwell. Going beyond the limits of Anglo-Saxon means, however, the Elves also hold the tradition of carving and ingraving lines from their great stories on their artful weapons, homes and structures. Therefore, at this page, you will find not only transscripts and translations of Elven songs, but also pictures and explanation of Elven inscriptions as they were seen and heard in Peter Jacksons films. |
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| The Fellowship of the Ring |
| The Prophecy Lyrics by Philippa Boyens, music by Howard Shore, translated into Quenya by David Salo. This choral song is heard during the prologue sequence of the film, when the armies of Elendil and Gil-galad face the Orcs of Sauron on the Gladden Fields, leading to the first downfall of the Lord of Mordor. The song is written in Quenya. |
| First Chorus: Y�nillor morne tulinte i quettar Terc�no Nuruva. Hlasta! Quetis Ilfirimain |
| Translation: Out of the Black Years come the words Herald of Death. Listen! It speaks to those who were not born to die... |
| Second chorus: Hlasta! Quetis Ilfirimain: Corma turien te Corma tuvien Corma tultien te Huines se nutien. Terc�no Nuruva. Tuvien Corma tultien te Huinesse nutien Corma turien te Corma. |
| Translation: Listen! It speaks to those who were not born to die: One Ring to rule them all One Ring to find them One Ring to bring them all And in the Darkness bind them. Herald of Death to find Ring, to bring them, in the Darkness bind it One Ring to rule them all, One Ring. |
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| An�ron Lyrics by Roma Ryan, music by Enya. This gentle, atmospheric love ballad is sung by a single vocal, capturing the magic and peace of Rivendell as Arwen and Aragorn share a tender moment of their love together before the Ranger has to set off on his perilous quest. It is written in Sindarin. |
| O m�r henion i dh�: Ely siriar, �l s�la. Ai! An�ron Und�miel. Tiro! �l eria e m�r. I 'l�r en �l luitha '�ren. Ai! An�ron... |
| 'From darkness I understand the night: dreams flow, a star shines. Ah! I desire Evenstar. Look! A star rises out of the darkness. The song of the star enchants my heart. Ah! I desire...' |
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| Click here for the Tengwar transscript. |
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| Elberth Gilthoniel Wood Elves' song Lyrics by J.R.R. Tolkien, music by Howard Shore, translated into Quenya by David Salo. It is this famous High Elven song of Elbereth Gilthoniel that Frodo and Sam hear the Wood Elves sing as they are on their way to the Grey Havens, singing words to the Lady of Hope for comfort in this hour of their leaving Middle-Earth forever. |
| A Bereth thar Ennui Aeair! A Galad ven i reniar h� 'aladhremmin ennorath. A Elbereth Gilthoniel i chin a th�l l�n i gelair... |
| 'O Queen beyond the Western Seas! O light to us that wander here amid the world of woven-trees. O Gilthoniel! O Elbereth! the eyes and breath your which are brilliant...' |
| listen to the audio clip. |
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| The Lay of L�thien Lyrics by J.R.R. Tolkien, music by Viggo Mortensen. As Aragorn sits by the fire, guarding the sleeping Hobbits on their way to Rivendell, his thoughts wander to the Elf-woman he loves and to the fate he fears is in store for her because of that love. By softly singing the ancient lay of L�thien, the Ranger expresses both his love and anxiety for the fate of his beloved Arwen. |
| Tin�viel elvanui Elleth alfirin edhelhael O hon ring finnil fuinui A renc gelebrin thiliol... |
| 'Tin�viel the elven-fair, Immortal maiden elven-wise, About him cast her night-dark hair, And arms like silver glimmering...' |
| listen to the audio clip. |
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| Lament for Gandalf Lyrics by Philippa Boyens, music by Howard Shore, translated into Sindarin and Quenya by David Salo. After hearing about Gandalfs fate in Moria, the Galadhrim Elves express their grief of his loss by singing an ethereal, gentle lament, echoing through the woods of L�rien, that gives voice to the depth of their emotions and words to the pain in their hearts. |
| Solo in Sindarin: In gwidh ristennin, i fae narchannen I Lach Anor ed ardhon gwannen Mithrandir, Mithrandir! A Randir Vithren! �-reniathach i amar galen I reniad l�n ne m�r, nuithannen. |
| Sindarin text: The bonds cut, the spirit broken The Flame of Anor has left this World Mithrandir, Mithrandir, O Pilgrim Grey! No more you will wander the world green. Your journey in darkness stopped. |
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| Chorus in Quenya: Ilfirin nairelma nauva i nauva Ilfirin nairelma ar ullume nucuvalme Nauva i nauva melme n�ren sina nairelma. |
| Quenya text: 'Undying is our regret, it will be what will be or 'What should be shall be'. Undying is our regret and yet we will cast all away, It will be what will be, love for this land is our regret.' |
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| Namari� (in The Great River score track) Verse 1 is a fragment of the Galadriel's Lament (The Fellowship of the Ring book), while verse 2 are Elendil's words when he came to Middle-earth after the Downfall of N�menor, repeated by Aragorn at his coronation (The Return of the King book). These Quenya lyrics are by J.R.R. Tolkien. Verse 1 is sung during the Fellowship's departure from L�rien, verse 2 during the passing of Argonath. |
| Verse 1 Chorus in Quenya Ai! laurie lantar lassi s�rinen, y�ni �notime ve ramar aldaron! y�ni ve linte... |
| Verse 1 Chorus in Quenya 'Alas! golden leaves fall in the wind, long years numberless as [the] wings of trees! Long years like swift...' |
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| Verse 2 Chorus in Quenya Et E�rello Endorenna ut�lien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta! |
| Verse 2 Chorus in Quenya 'Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place I will abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world' |
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| Click here to go to the page with songs from The Two Towers. |
| Click here to go to back to Written Speech main page. |