[Ithaeliel]

I didn't think the elves used the yén to compare their years to human years either. It seems they invented it to use as a unit like a year. As Burrahobbit said, it was a way of making it easier to keep track of their years. Really, how would it be to have to remember that you were 3876 years old? I would have lost myself on about 112, knowing me [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]. Plus, it makes one feel younger to have longer units of time, because there are fewer. Legolas is 20 yéni old; that's going to make him feel a lot younger than saying he's 2,993 years old.