Yavannildi
Challenge Details
Whilst breezing through "The Peoples of Middle Earth" about a week ago, I came across the little nugget of Chapter 14 entitled, "Of Lembas". This is just a two page essay (beginning on page 403 of the American Hardcover edition), but it is rich with information. It tells how the famous waybred was a gift from the Valar to feed them on the Great Journey. and how it was made/the corn was grown throughout the ages.
Of particular interest to me was this paragraph: "From the ear to the wafer, none were permitted to handle this grain, save those elven-women who were called Yavannildi (or by the Sindar, the Ivonwin), the maidens of Yavanna; and the art of the making of the lembas, which they learned of the Valar, was a secret among them, and so ever has remained.
There are a lot of complaints that Tolkien didn't give us enough canon females to work with. This seems like a golden opportunity to show women who are in canon, yet still playing a vital role. Just a few of the possibilities of this nazgul are:
Who made the lembas for the Fellowship?
Did anyone ever consider telling the secret/was almost tricked into revealing the recipie for lembas?
What was the "Sisterhood" like? Were they allowed to leave? What happened if they did/tried?
A poem about planting/gathering lembas.
A fable/legend about the Valar originally granting the lembas and WHY only the Yavannildi may handle it.
Entries with Stories
The following authors have entered a story in the Challenge.
- Aramel - Ivonwin
- General Audience
- Last Updated: 08 Apr 05
- Ficlet exploring the sisterhood of the lembas-makers, based on what Tolkien wrote in The Peoples of Middle-Earth, written for the Yavannildi nuzgul. A maiden of Galadriel is initiated into the Yavannildi, or Ivonwin.
- Rainbow Gem - Osellë
- General Audience
- Last Updated: 26 Feb 04
- A tale of one of the Yavannildi, makers of lembas. Written to defang the nuzgul of Kirixchi.
Placeholders
The following authors have entered a placeholder in the Challenge.
- Jen Littlebottom
- Adoption Date: 01 May 03
- Makamu
- Adoption Date: 13 Oct 03
