The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Created in I 466; destroyed at the end of the First Age
Location
On the plain of Tumladen, beneath Gondolin within the Encircling Mountains
Origins
Said to have been created by the tears of Lúthien
Race
Pronunciation
ay'thel nee'nui (ui as in English 'ruin')
Meaning
'Fountain of tears'
Other names

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 22 February 2012
  • This entry is complete

Eithel Nínui

The Fountain of Tinúviel

After their escape from Angband with the Silmaril, Beren and Lúthien found themselves trapped before the gates of Morgoth's stronghold. Beren had lost his hand to Carcharoth the Wolf and was close to death, but he and Lúthien were rescued by Thorondor and his Eagles, who swooped down from the south and lifted them out of danger. As they flew from Angband, they were carried over the hidden valley of Tumladen where Gondolin stood, and legend said that Lúthien's tears for the wounded Beren fell on the green plain. There a fountain sprang from the ground, Eithel Nínui, the Fountain of Tinúviel, which gave out healing waters until the time of Gondolin's fall.

Eithel Nínui is not mentioned in the published Silmarillion, but it is found in the source texts of the story of the escape from Angband and the flight over Gondolin. The original text is reproduced in volume V of The History of Middle-earth (Part 2 VI, Quenta Silmarillion).


See also...

Fountain of Tinúviel

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 22 February 2012
  • This entry is complete

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2010, 2012. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

Website services kindly sponsored by Discus from Axiom Software Ltd.
Discus' free Job Profiler module defines ideal DISC profiles for any role.
The Encyclopedia of Arda
The Encyclopedia of Arda
Menu
Homepage Search Latest Entries and Updates Random Entry