Silmarillion - Chapter 15 - Of the Noldor in Beleriand

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

These remarks are typical of Tolkien’s ‘historical’ style and, I have always thought, whet the appetite of the reader for those later tales (just who are Hurin and Huor, and how do they end up in Gondolin?). On the other hand, such hints could be viewed as ‘spoilers’ within the story itself; and it does seem that Tolkien walks a dangerous line between arousing the reader’s interest and giving away his own plot.

One wonders if these were set down as markers, so Tolkien could late go back later and tie it all together thoroughly. For instance, the brief speech by Ulmo seems like it might have been placed there when Tolkien tried to figure out were and why the mail in Vinyamar to begin with.