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Tales from Vairë's Loom by Fiondil	11 Review(s)
Kaylee Arafinwiel	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 8/16/2017
Dearest Atya, Two and a half years. It's been two and a half years since Lord Námo took you from us, and almost eight years since you posted this tale. I've reread it often. There's a solar eclipse coming up that will travel across the United States. I wonder if you knew it was coming. I wonder if you knew that when you wrote this story. It's been in the news a lot lately, as I'm sure you could imagine. I suppose you've got the best seat in the house to watch, and you haven't got to worry about eye protection, either. tearful smile I miss and love you every day, to the end of Arda and beyond, Atto. I'll use this tale to remind me that Darkness will never wholly overpower the Light, even if my heart feels darkened with grief. Tye-melin, Your yelde indonyo Kaylee Arafinwiel

Eärillë	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 6/11/2010
Hahaha! Oh! What a tickling story! grin And it is what I have been waiting for so long... Thank you for writing it! But perhaps you should have warned readers against eating or drinking... grumble I nearly choked out the spoonful of rice I was swallowing. It would not be a pretty sight, for sure. I enjoyed following the predicament of the Valar - and later, the Elven-kings - very much. You made the sequence and the method very real, as usual. :) But what was truly plastered in my mind was the last part, Melian's. It was absolutely hilarious! grin Would you please write about it someday? The exchange of 'knowledge' between the Elves of Aman and Middle-earth? It would be fun! One got the truth and another got the fairy tale... Hee hee. I wonder, though, why then the account stayed with the fairy-tale version... I would have thought something must have been said during the War of Wrath... Hmm. The reference to Wars of the Valar was fun, too. And as always, I enjoyed the interaction between the Valar very much; especially with this amount of humor sprinkled liberally there... It was quite refreshing. :) I would love to nominate this story to the MEFA's. May I? Well, regardless, I love it very much. - Rey Author Reply: That would be an interesting plot bunny with the elves from Beleriand comparing their understanding of the universe with those of Aman. I'll have to keep it in mind. Thanks for suggesting it, Rey. As for why the account remained a fairy tale, you have to always keep in mind when reading the Silmarillion that it is a compilation of tales written by Númenóreans who got them from the elves of Beleriand and not from the elves of Aman. So we are getting the stories twice removed from their original sources.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 4/7/2010
Why do I get the feeling the Valar are having way too much fun with that whole issue? ;) It is really advisable to warn the Elves beforehand, after all - when such a phenomen happens for the first time and no one knows why and what it means, there has to be some panic. Well, the Valar found an easy and practical way to explain the phenomen by just showing how the distance is changing things. Though I have to admit, Melian's version was much more fun :D Author Reply: I'm sure the Valar were having a lot of fun with this. And I just had to include Melian's version of the events since that is what is said in the Silmarillion, and so this is my take as to why they thought this. Not having the Valar around to explain things and Melian not wanting to bother with teaching them celestial mechanics makes her version reasonable as typical of mythological explanations of natural events. And it certainly is more fun than Manwë's explanation. grin

njomo	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/18/2009
Hi Fiondil, I enjoyed the interplay between Námo and Manwë..Sunspots? Solar flares? That had me laughing. And Manwë's reply later on regarding Melian, “I doubt she will begin teaching them celestial mechanics.” Finrod shows his wisdom and his ability to lead when he replies as he does to Melian even though he new what she was trying to do. Most enjoyable, as it always is when you write about the Valar. Thanks Fiondil. Joanne Author Reply: Hi Joanne. I´m so glad you enjoyed this, especially the interplay between Namo and Manwe. That part was a lot of fun to write as was Melian´s explanation of what was happening, which I lifted directly from the Silmarillion. Finrod, of course, knew that her explanation wasn´t the real one but went along with her anyway. He´s one smart ellon! grin

Sitara	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/17/2009
Although these days I'd rather eat a whole lemon without sugar than to say something even remotely nice about the Valar, I've to admit I liked this one. "scowling fiercely" I also remember a conversation between Finrod and Námo, place in EI: Book One, if I'm not mistaken, the subject being ultimately the Vala's gift of foresight and its...uh, volatility. “When we first created our thrones that are the Máhanaxar, something compelled me to carve on the back of my throne this image. It was something I had seen before in another part of Eä long before Arda was ever brought into existence.” What would be the meaning of this, I wonder? Is he trying to say that the same events had occurred somewhere else? In my opinion, in the end Melian proved herself to be only a disappointment. She had the chance to do so much and ended up doing so little...More fuel for my anti-Valarin attitude, I suppose. Author Reply: NAmo only means that he had witnessed eclipses on other worlds where there were moons crossing before the path of the star. I mention one such time in my Wars of the Valar. His decision to use that as his personal symbol apparently was Eru-inspired. Actually, you have to feel sorry for Melian, trying to gauge just how much information the elves around her can handle. I think she just didn´t want to make it too complicated for herself and opted out with a more mythological explanation rather than a scientific one. And as I mentioned in responding to other reviews, her explanaton is lifted straight from the Silmarillion and this was the best way I could think of to include it into the story.

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/15/2009
A fascinating look at how the legends of Tilion and Arien grew! Heh! And we know how even in historical times such events have been taken as signs and omens. Author Reply: I just had to put that into the story somehow as it was too good not to. grin And it stands to reason that the Valar would explain things differently to the elves in Aman. I think it is the contrast between the two explanations that makes the story humorous.

Tari	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/14/2009
What a neat way to explain a solar eclipse. The Elves don't realize how lucky they are to be able to observe it without damaging their eyes. I'd be willing to bet there will some some who still panic. Author Reply: No doubt, especially those living outside Doriath. One wonders, for instance, how the elves in Gondolin felt about it.

6336	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/14/2009
Ah yes, how do you explain celestiel mecahnics to somebody who thinks the sun and moon are Mair guided lamps? As Finrod said 'Works for me!' Liked Manwe's explanation. Lynda Author Reply: The juxaposition of the two explanations makes for a nice contrast between the two elven cultures. I suspect Melian was wishing she could write a letter to Manwe saying, "At least you could have warned me!" lol

Sunny	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/14/2009
Nice story. But what I really _loved_ about it, was Finrod's comment!!! Author Reply: That´s the clincher, isn´t it? grin Now we know why Melian´s explanation for the eclipse ends up in the Silmarillion.

Thalanee	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/14/2009
Sorry that I didn´t review for so long, but the dig I´m on is claiming more of my time than I anticipated. I really enjoyed this story, especially Namo´s quip about what he would have answered had one of the Elves asked him about the meaning of his emblem. But what made me nearly fall of my chair laughing was Melian´s explanation of what was happening sniggers I nearly tied my tongue trying to pronounce the Valarin word for eclipse (though I did manage... after half a dozen tries... and speaking slowly) this is one hell of a difficult language Already looking forward to more :) Greetings, Thalanee Author Reply: Hi Thalanee. Glad you enjoyed this and hope the dig is going well. Melan´s explanation, of course, is straight from the Silmarillion. I didn´t change a word of it. It was not easy coming up with a suitable Valarin word for eclipse given the paucity of vocabulary but I think I did okay with this one. The Quenya word is definitely a lot easier to pronounce.

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