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Old 01-02-2009, 01:41 PM   #1
Groin Redbeard
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
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Groin Redbeard is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.Groin Redbeard is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
Tuvo the wizard king

I was recently reading through the History of Middle-earth books and I came across a interesting text that mentions the greatest wizard that dwelt in Arda:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilfanon’s Tale: The Travail of the Noldoli
Now the tale tells o a certain fay and names him Tu the wizard, for he was more skilled in magics than any that have ever yet dwelt beyond the land of Valinor; and wondering about the world he found the elves and he drew them to him and taught them many deep things, and he became as a mighty king among, and their tales name him the Lord of Gloaming and all the fairies of his land Hisildi or twilight people.
The text goes on to explain that Tu is also known as Tuvo, and explains his part in the awakening of men. After this Tuvo (as I shall refer to him) is never mentioned anywhere else in all of Tolkien’s writing (at least not under the name of Tu or Tuvo). How is it that we never hear of this important figure? Is it because he wis known by a different name in later years?

Chirstopher Tolkien explains that one concept for the story was for Tuvo to be evil. On a scrap piece of paper JRR Tolkien wrote: “Melko meets with Tuvo in the hall so Mandos during his enchainment. He teaches Tuvo much black magic.” This, however, was struck out and nothing more was said on the matter. This raises another question: what is Tuvo? This wizard is likely enough to be elf, seeing that Chistoper Tolkien explains that “after the escape of Melko and the ruin of the Tees that Tuvo entered the world and “‘set up a wizard kingship in the middle lands.’” However, Tuvo has knowledge that no Elf, that I kno of , had. When the Elf, Nuin, tells Tuvo of his finding of the resting place of men:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilfanon’s Tale: The Travail of the Noldoli
Then did Tu fall into fear of Manwe, nay even Iluvaar the Lord of All. The Wizard Tuvo told Nuin that the sleepers he had found were the new children of Iluvatar, and that they were waiting for light. He forbade any of the Elves to wake them or to visit those places, being frightened of the wrath of Iluvatar...”
How did he know this? The possibility of him being a Maiar arises, but didn’t the Valar restrict any one of their kind from ruling over the Elves once they left Valinor?

What do you think happened to the wizard king? Is he an Elf, Maiar, or possinly something else (can I hear some one say Tom Bombadil)?
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