A golden-haired woman refusing a man a strand of her hair is an ancient theme.
In Njalssaga, the greatest of the Icelandic sagas and one that Tolkien knew and admired, a warrior named Gunnar is defending himself from attackers at his homestead and one of his enemies cuts the string of his bow. He asks his wife Hallgerdr for a lock of her long, beautiful golden hair to make a new bowstring, but she refuses (as he had previously slighted her at a party!)
Gunnar is killed as a result...
Of course, Galadriel's motives were far more noble than those of Hallgerdr.
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Out went the candle, and we were left darkling
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