Contradictions between the hobbit and LOTR?

[Mithalwen]

Yes exactly. There were folk in Rivendell who knew stuff as fact or would at least have had contemporary reports of but as with real life even they can be contradictory or given a spin. Also they would have known things that even Tolkien didn’t. It is inconceivable that Elrond didn’t know who Gil-galad’s father was.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Also they would have known things that even Tolkien didn’t. It is inconceivable that Elrond didn’t know who Gil-galad’s father was.

Well, it's a wise child who knows his own father, let alone Gil-galad's father.

(Sorry, couldn't resist )

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

It is inconceivable that Elrond didn’t know who Gil-galad’s father was.

But would he have told Bilbo?

Yes, yes, 'as kind as summer', but when a short, faintly-Sauron-possessed person shows up uninvited in your house, announces he lives there now, and promptly starts stinking the place up by smoking indoors, eating enough for half a dozen elves, and singing comic songs about your dad at the drop of a hat, would you be inclined to cooperate when he says he's 'going to write a history of the world next'? Nah - you'd just make sure the valuable stuff was on the top shelves and give him the key to the library.

And if he shows up asking questions about some of the wacky fairy tales Celebrian's mum used to read to her, just fob him off with the old 'they will say both no and yes' excuse. It works wonders.

What... you don't think?

hS, not being particularly serious

[Mithalwen]

Well quite, there is usually somebody in the family no one wants to talk about coughUncleCharliecough. And I know from investigation into my own family history that the truth can get distorted for many reasons.

I often wonder if Gil-galad’s name Ereinion was a private joke at his inability to settle on his lineage scion of kings - several simultaneously rather than sequentially father to son..