Mellyrn don't sing, do they?

[the guy who be short]

Laurelindorenan, the old name for Lothlorien. It breaks down into Quenya components Laure/lin/dor/enan, which correspond to Gold (colour)/Sing/Land/Valley.

And that's how we get Land of the Valley of Singing Gold. Which is all fine and good until you get to the question... what's the singing gold? Mellyrn don't sing. Galadriel's hair doesn't sing. Where is this mysterious, singing, gold... thing?

Perhaps the translation "Land of the Valley of Singing Gold" was only literal, with the direct translations of each component. But here's something interesting; there's a different way to break the name up.

Laurelin/dor/enan = Laurelin/land/valley. Which leaves us with the Land of the Valley of Laurelin, the younger Tree of Valinor. So why would Lothlorien merit such a name?

Could it be that, as the White Tree of Gondor is directly descended from Telperion, the Mellyrn could be directly descended from Laurelin?

It seems unlikely, if not for the evidence.

The other bore leaves of a young green like the new opened beech; their edges were of glittering gold. Flowers swung upon her branches in clusters of yellow flame, formed each to a glowing horn that spilled a golden rain upon the ground...

Above is a description of Laurelin from The Silmarillion, Of the Beginning Days. Below follows a description of the Mallorn from LotR, the Grey Havens:

It had silver bark and long leaves and burst into golden flowers in April...

Note the recurrence of golden flowers. But is that enough to go on? I would say "almost;" the emphasis on the golden flowers is clear; in both cases, this is what makes the tree special. It is the reason Lothlorien is famous; it is often called the Golden Wood. Why would it be famous for anything less than semi-divine trees?

LotR, The Grey Havens:

It was known far and wide and people would make long journeys to see it: the only Mallorn west of the Mountains and east of the Sea.

There are two points to be made here. The first is the description of the Mallorn as the only one west of the Mountains. Along with Lothloriel's fame for the Trees, it can be implied that the only place to find Mellyrn in Middle-Earth is in Lothlorien.

The second is the point that Mellyrn exist in Valinor. Which is important, because it makes sense to compare the descendants of Laurelin with the descendants of Telperion.

The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power:

Many treasures and great heirlooms of virtue and wonder the exiles had brought from Numenor; and of these the most renowned wre the Seven Stones and the White Tree. The White Tree was grown from the fruit of Nimloth the Fair that stood in the courts of the King at Armenelos in Numenor, ere Sauron burned it; and Nimloth was in turn descended from the tree of Tirion, that was an image of the Eldest of Trees, White Telperion which Yavanna caused to grow in the land of the Valar.

So the White Tree was descended directly from Telperion. And the descendants of Telperion, such as the tree of Tirion, lived in Numenor.

It is therefore safe to assume that a descendant of Laurelin was also planted in Valinor. The quote from LotR, The Grey Havens, claims that Mellyrn exist in Valinor. So, we can make a link: The Mellyrn were the descendants of Laurelin.

How came they then to Endor? Why not in the same manner as Elendil brought the White Tree to Middle-Earth; by the taking of a fruit. Galadriel could have taken one, loving the trees, and taken it to plant it in Middle-Earth. When she moved to Lorien, it is fair to assume she took it there too.

In Lorien, the tree flourished and spread. Simple.


Well, there's the theory. I now fully expect LMP to come along with a quote from The Letters to prove how wrong I truly am.