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**lindil** · 10-01-2002, 03:39 PM

Bombadil is a wild card, according to JRRT he fits in no category. So of all the known Children of Iluvatar [and aule] Elves are the oldest race. Ents [interms of JRRT's writings] came on the scene after everyone else, but out of all the living members of the races still alive in M-E at the close of the 3rd age, treebeard is the last 'original waker', in the sense that Durin the 1st is long gone, Galadriel is at least a 3rd if not 4th generation elf, Cirdan could possibly be a first generation elf, we do not know, but I assume [ in terms of 'elders'] that Galadriel and Gandalf knew what they were talking about.

So that makes Bombadil oldest but not oldest member of any race. treebeard gets the oldest 'creature' prize.

Unless Gandalf was wrong about Cirdan....

10-01-2002, 03:39 PM	#15
lindil Seeker of the Straight Path Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: a hidden fastness in Big Valley nor cal Posts: 1,680	Bombadil is a wild card, according to JRRT he fits in no category. So of all the known Children of Iluvatar [and aule] Elves are the oldest race. Ents [interms of JRRT's writings] came on the scene after everyone else, but out of all the living members of the races still alive in M-E at the close of the 3rd age, treebeard is the last 'original waker', in the sense that Durin the 1st is long gone, Galadriel is at least a 3rd if not 4th generation elf, Cirdan could possibly be a first generation elf, we do not know, but I assume [ in terms of 'elders'] that Galadriel and Gandalf knew what they were talking about. So that makes Bombadil oldest but not oldest member of any race. treebeard gets the oldest 'creature' prize. Unless Gandalf was wrong about Cirdan.... __________________ The dwindling Men of the West would often sit up late into the night exchanging lore & wisdom such as they still possessed that they should not fall back into the mean estate of those who never knew or indeed rebelled against the Light.