Middle-Earth Tours

The Prequels Tour

Eärendil the Mariner
The story of Eärendil is told briefly in The Silmarillion, but part 2 of The Book of Lost Tales offers some tantalizing fragments of a longer version (mostly in outline form) in which the mariner makes several aborted attempts to reach Valinor. Here are two brief selections from that outline:

How folk of the Lothlim dwelt at Sirion's Mouth. Eärendel grew fairest of all Men that were or are. How the mermaids (Oarni) loved him. How Elwing came to the Lothlim and of the love of Elwing and Eärendel. How Tuor fell into age, and how Ulmo beckoned to him at eve, and he set forth on the waters and was lost. How Idril swam after him.

Voronwë and Eärendel set sail in Wingilot. Driven south. Dark regions. Fire and mountains. Tree-men. Pygmies. Sarqindi or cannibal-ogres.
    Ungweliantë [Ungoliant!]. Magic Isles. Twilit Isle. Littleheart's gong awakens the Sleeper in the Tower of Pearl.


Eärendil the Mariner, by Ted Nasmith
At one point Tolkien intended the Sleeper in the Tower of Pearl to be Idril, but he changed his mind and crossed her name out of his notes.
For the sons of Fëanor that yet lived came down suddenly upon the exiles of Gondolin and the renmant of Doriath, and destroyed them....but Elwing with the Silmaril upon her breast cast herself into the sea. --The Silmarillion

The Shores of Valinor, by Ted Nasmith		 Ulmo bore up Elwing out of the waves, and he gave her the likeness of a great white bird, and upon her breast there shone as a star the Silmaril, as she flew over the water to seek Eärendil her beloved. On a time of night Eärendil at the helm of ship saw her come twards him, as a white cloud exceeding swift beneath the moon.... And it is sung that she fell from the air upon the timbers of Vingilot, in a swoon, nigh unto death for the urgency of her speed, and Eärendil took her to his bosom; but in the morning with marvelling eyes he beheld his wife in her own form beside him with her hair upon his face, and she slept. --The Silmarillion
And the wise have said that it was by reason of the power of that holy jewel that they came in time to waters that no vessels save those of the Teleri had known; and they came to the Enchanted Isles and escaped their enchantment; and they came into the Shadowy Seas and passed their shadows, and they looked upon Tol Eressëa the Lonely Isle, but tarried not; and at last they cast anchor in the Bay of Eldamar. --The Silmarillion
Taniequetil, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Eärendil Searches Tirion,
by Ted Nasmith		 But Eärendil climbed the green hill of Túna and found it bare; and he entered into the streets of Tirion, and they were empty; and his heart was heavy, for he feared that some evil had come even to the Blessed Realm. He walked in the deserted ways of Tirion, and the dust upon his raiment and his shoes was a dust of diamonds, and he shone and glistened as he climbed the long white stairs. --The Silmarillion
Then the Valar took counsel together, and they summoned Ulmo from the deeps of the sea, and Eärendil stood before their faces, and delivered the errand of the Two Kindreds. Pardon he asked for the Noldor and pity for their great sorrows, and mercy upon Men and Elves and succour in their need. And his prayer was granted. --The Silmarillion

Eärendil and Elwing, by Roger Garland		 But they took Vingilot, and hallowed it, and and bore it away through Valinor to the uttermost rim of the world; and there it passed through the Door of Night and was lifted up even into the oceans of heaven. --The Silmarillion

The Door of Night, by John Howe
The White Tower of Elwing,
by John Howe
And it is said that Elwing learned the tongues of birds, who herself had once worn their shape; and they taught her the craft of flight, and her wings were of white and silver-grey. And at times, when Eärendil returning drew near again to Arda, she would fly to meet him, even as she had flown long ago, when she was rescued from the sea. --The Silmarillion
Full-size versions of these pictures are on display at Rolozo Tolkien.