[The Saucepan Man]

I must say that I have always liked the idea (or should I say fiction) of Middle Earth and the deeds that occurred there being part our own world's history. It sets the stories in a context for the reader. Yet again, I find myself in total agreement with Lush:

It was Tolkien's aim to present his work as a sort of "found" ancient text. He succeeded, and that's what makes up a whole lot of the books' charm.

That it was JRRT's intention to present his works in this way is, as others have said, apparent from his own writings. It is consistent with his intention to create a mythology for England.

And the idea is established in the reader's mind from the outset. Most readers first introduction to Tolkien is, I should imagine, by way of The Hobbit. And the story proper commences, on the third page of the first chapter, with:

By some curious chance one morning long ago in the quiet of the world, when there was less noise and more green, and the hobbits were still numerous and prosperous ...

And the prologue to LotR continues this idea:

Hobbits are an unobtrusive but very ancient people, more numerous formerly than they are today ... Even in ancient days they were, as a rule, shy of 'the Big Folk' as they call us, and now they avoid us with dismay and are becoming hard to find ...

Those days, the Third Age of Middle-Earth, are now long past, and the shape of all lands has been changed ...

So, right at the outset, JRRT establishes in the reader's mind that these are tales from our past. And it is probably for this reason that I accept it as "part of the story". I feel drawn into the story because it is presented as part of my "history".

As to why the races are no longer around today, I think that this has just about been covered above. The Elves all either went West to the Undying Lands (which are no longer accessible), or they simply "faded away". The quotes above make it clear that Hobbits are still with us, although less numerous and difficult to see. To carry on the fiction, they would account for tales of "little people", Leprechauns and the like.

As for Dwarves, perhaps they did all die out, as has been suggested. Or perhaps they too are still with us, but hidden away. Perhaps, deep in the Alps or the Himalayas, there is a fortress of the magnificence of Khaza-Dum ... [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]