Elves and death

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Alfirin

That brings up a question that's alaways bugged me (am please forgive me if this has already been asked or was covered somehwhere else). When Beren got his second life (after Luthien sang Mandos into granting it) did he return as he was, or did he also get his hand back?

Well, you see the Valar have always been a bit sloppy -- one could say downright lazy -- in their handling of Middle-earth and its Elves and Men. When they ressurected Beren, they indeed realized he was missing an appendage; however, when they reconstituted him they put on the wrong limb.

In fact, a famous saying arose from the Valar's botch job of Beren's body part. When one is awkward, it is said they walk with two left feet.

And that is the rest of the story.