‘Bellandor, meanwhile, had a brother (pay close attention, now! Their relationship is central to the “meaning” of the tale) who had accompanied him on their people’s journey. Although the brother had little or no interest in Bellandor’s doings at first, he had grown jealous of Bellandor’s fame and became covetous of his power, and his influence with we Elves. He decided to become greater in Lore than his brother, and so began to study the Lore with manic diligence.

‘The brother soon realised that mastering the Elves’ Lore was not enough. He would only be equal to his brother once this was accomplished. He began searching out other Lore in secret. His search took him at last to the Elid-hranin, a tribe of Elves in the mountains of the far North who had become estranged from us, due to unhappy chance. Where they lived, even the Dwarves feared to go, though they could not put a name to what it was they feared.

‘The Elid-hranin were loathe to share their knowledge, so he made with them a pact. They would share their knowledge only if he did the same.

‘His study of their Lore proved a bitter disappointment at first; though subtly different, its efficacy was no greater than our own; that which was present in their Lore when theirs and ours were well nigh one and the same had remained extant in almost every way.




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