Mechanical Monsters at the Fall of Gondolin?

[Aiwendil]

I agree with Findegil in principle that there should be a distinction between the 3 different kinds of monsters.

Why?

Consider: in the old tale we have mechanical dragons which upon close inspection, we find can be divided roughly into three classes.

Based on the fact that there is no later reference to mechanical dragons, we decided that the old story should be changed so that the dragons were not mechanical. In order to aid with the adaptation of the tale to accommodate this change, we decided to rely on the three-fold distinction we had discovered.

Now we have decided (probably) that we were mistaken in thinking that the mechanical dragons had to be eliminated. Why then insist not only on retaining the three-fold distinction, but in fact on making it as explicit as possible? It was, after all, made in the first place in order to assist with the change from mechanical to flesh and blood.

Looking at the old Tale again, disregarding all the discussion that went into how to change it to accommodate the real dragons, I can see no reason to change the tale. It is not as though the three classes of dragon are established in some later text or note. If the Tale is ambiguous, let it be so.