Narn I Chîn Húrin 1: Túrins Fostering

[Aiwendil]

A few more comments, up to TI-07.5. Sorry I'm moving along with this so slowly.

NA-TI-05: I'm not certain about this. Here is a case where it would really be helpful to have the actual Narn texts instead of just CRT's version. It's possible, after all, that the reason the statement is not in the "final" text is that Tolkien decided against it. I am somewhat inclined to exclude the note to be safe.

NA-TI-06: I have less of a reservation about using this note; but I think the placement of it may be awkward.

NA-EX-27: I agree that this is not a perfect place for this material; but you are right that it must be included somewhere. This place seems as good as any to me.

NA-TI-07: I would rather not include this note. Again, I wish we knew more about this "variant text". But in this case it offers a distinctly different story from the given text. When and to whom Turin reveals his true identity is not a trivial point. I would take the safer course and follow the more authoritative "final text", in the absence of other evidence.

NA-TI-07.5: A similar problem. If we knew that the final text given by CRT was in fact Tolkien's final intention, then clearly we would omit the note, leaving the geography what it is in that text, whether it makes sense or not. But of course we don't know that. I suppose I can agree with adding the explication from the note. However, as the emendation stands it is ungrammatical and seems to alter the intended movements:

NA-TI-07.5 <NA; note 11 {they}Túrin and his band remained in the Vale of Sirion{, and indeed that they were not far from their previous haunts at the time of the Orc-raid on the homes of the Woodmen. In one tentative version} they went away southwards and came to the country {"}above the Aelin-uial and the Fens of Sirion{"; but}/. But/ the men {becoming}became discontented in that {"}harbourless land{",}/. Thus/ Túrin was persuaded to lead them back to the woodlands south of {Teiglin}[Taeglin] where he first encountered them.>

I suggest:

NA-TI-07.5 <NA; note 11 {they}Túrin and his band went away southwards and came to the country {"}above the Aelin-uial and the Fens of Sirion{"}; but the men becoming discontented in that {"}harbourless land{"}, Túrin was persuaded to lead them back to the woodlands south of {Teiglin}[Taeglin] where he first encountered them.>

We may also want an introductory "Now" or some such thing, for otherwise it's a sudden transition.