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nolondili2014-03-07 01:00 pm
arrowpoint) wrote in nolondili2014-03-07 01:00 pm
Entry tags:
Lembas
Found this passage concerning Lembas in "The History of Middle Earth."
Of Lembas:
'This food the Eldar alone knew how to make. It was made for the comfort of those who had need to go upon a long journey in the wild, or of the hurt whose life was in peril. Only these were permitted to use it. The Eldar did not give it to Men, save only to a few whom they loved, if they were in great need.* The Eldar say that they first received this food from the Valar in the beginning of their days in the Great Journey. For it was made of a kind of corn which Yavanna brought forth in the fields of Aman, and some she sent to them by the hand of Orome for their succour upon the long march.
(* This was not done out of greed or jealousy, although at no time in Middle-earth was there great store of this food; but because the Eldar had been commanded to keep this gift in their own power, and not to make it common to the dwellers in mortal lands. For it is said that, if mortals eat often of this bread, they become weary of their mortality, desiring to abide among the Elves, and longing for the fields of Aman, to which they cannot come.)
Since it came from Yavanna, the queen, or the highest among the elven-women of any people, great or small, had the keeping and gift of the lembas, for which reason she was called massanie or besain: the Lady, or breadgiver.
Now this corn had in it the strong life of Aman, which it could impart to those who had the need and right to use the bread. If it was sown at any season, save in frost, it soon sprouted and grew swiftly, though it did not thrive in the shadow of plants of Middle-earth and would not endure winds that came out of the North while Morgoth dwelt there. Else it needed only a little sunlight to ripen; for it took swiftly and
multiplied all the vigour of any light that fell on it. The Eldar grew it in guarded lands and sunlit glades; and they gathered its great golden ears, each one, by hand, and set no blade of metal to it. The white haulm was drawn from the earth in like manner, and woven into corn-leep (2) for the storing of the grain: no worm or gnawing beast would touch that gleaming straw, and rot and mould and other evils of Middle-earth did not assail it.
From the ear to the wafer none were permitted to handle this grain, save those elven-women who were called Yavannildi (or by the Sindar the Ivonwin), the maidens of Yavanna; and the art of the making of the lembas, which they learned of the Valar, was a secret among them, and so ever has remained.' Lembas is the Sindarin name, and comes from the older form lenn-mbass 'journey-bread'. In Quenya it was most often named coimas which is 'life-bread'.
So, I notice a few things to discuss:
1 - it sounds like Lembas has some healing properties?
2 - It's made of some kind of special corn from Aman.
3 - Only some women knew/know how to make it.
4 - It sounds like it can grow in middle earth, but it's difficult, and the Elves make special places for it to grow, and protect it.
Of Lembas:
'This food the Eldar alone knew how to make. It was made for the comfort of those who had need to go upon a long journey in the wild, or of the hurt whose life was in peril. Only these were permitted to use it. The Eldar did not give it to Men, save only to a few whom they loved, if they were in great need.* The Eldar say that they first received this food from the Valar in the beginning of their days in the Great Journey. For it was made of a kind of corn which Yavanna brought forth in the fields of Aman, and some she sent to them by the hand of Orome for their succour upon the long march.
(* This was not done out of greed or jealousy, although at no time in Middle-earth was there great store of this food; but because the Eldar had been commanded to keep this gift in their own power, and not to make it common to the dwellers in mortal lands. For it is said that, if mortals eat often of this bread, they become weary of their mortality, desiring to abide among the Elves, and longing for the fields of Aman, to which they cannot come.)
Since it came from Yavanna, the queen, or the highest among the elven-women of any people, great or small, had the keeping and gift of the lembas, for which reason she was called massanie or besain: the Lady, or breadgiver.
Now this corn had in it the strong life of Aman, which it could impart to those who had the need and right to use the bread. If it was sown at any season, save in frost, it soon sprouted and grew swiftly, though it did not thrive in the shadow of plants of Middle-earth and would not endure winds that came out of the North while Morgoth dwelt there. Else it needed only a little sunlight to ripen; for it took swiftly and
multiplied all the vigour of any light that fell on it. The Eldar grew it in guarded lands and sunlit glades; and they gathered its great golden ears, each one, by hand, and set no blade of metal to it. The white haulm was drawn from the earth in like manner, and woven into corn-leep (2) for the storing of the grain: no worm or gnawing beast would touch that gleaming straw, and rot and mould and other evils of Middle-earth did not assail it.
From the ear to the wafer none were permitted to handle this grain, save those elven-women who were called Yavannildi (or by the Sindar the Ivonwin), the maidens of Yavanna; and the art of the making of the lembas, which they learned of the Valar, was a secret among them, and so ever has remained.' Lembas is the Sindarin name, and comes from the older form lenn-mbass 'journey-bread'. In Quenya it was most often named coimas which is 'life-bread'.
So, I notice a few things to discuss:
1 - it sounds like Lembas has some healing properties?
2 - It's made of some kind of special corn from Aman.
3 - Only some women knew/know how to make it.
4 - It sounds like it can grow in middle earth, but it's difficult, and the Elves make special places for it to grow, and protect it.
no subject
I doubt it was something the Elves ate a LOT of, though. And my guess is that, following the First Age, it now only grows in Imladris and Lothlórien, since those are bright, sunny, protected areas. Which might be why (film!)Legolas gets all super excited when he realizes what they have. Chances are, he hasn't eaten much of it previously, having not ventured far, nor been badly injured, and I highly doubt it grows anywhere near Mirkwood.
Although it does apparently have ritual caregivers, I would be willing to hazard that Galadriel knows how to grow/harvest it, since she was educated directly by the Valar, and she was entrusted with the care and growing of the mallorn nuts. It would stand to reason that Celebrían may also possess this knowledge as taught by her mother.
no subject
Haha, Film!Legolas was so cute in that scene. I think you're right about that because he noms some right away - I doubt they were starving in Lothlórien and he needed it. I doubt that the special corn would grow in Mirkwood, since it's all... Mirkwood-y. So he's all... ERMEGERD LERMBERS. :D
I'm with you on the Galadriel thing. I was thinking since I said that Legolas brings some to Deme, it's likely that he got it from Galadriel, since they were riding together, and she probably knew he and Gimli were going to go on their long male bonding camping trip.
But I was also thinking that if Lembas has some healing properties, he might want to give his supply to Celebrían.
no subject
And actually, she has some! Pretty sure I mentioned it in her inventory. But, pretty sure she's been self-medicating with lembas and athelas, enough to keep things manageable. That, and she has a mallorn nut. They might have to team up with Edgar in expanding the garden he's gotten started back there. XD It sounds like the corn won't grow in the shade of a mallorn, though...
no subject
Idk where we'd get the "corn" seed though, regardless. If we can get a mallorn tree to grow you know a certain elf would be all up ons. Literally. How quickly do they grow?
no subject
I haven't found anything detailing mellyrn growth, so hard to say. I generally assume that Edgar uses some of his magic to aid in growing his roses. It could be used with a tree, too.
And now I'm wondering what all would go into making lembas besides the corn flour...
no subject
Well, I think I remember something about it being a bit sweet. It was supposed to be tasty in any case.
no subject
I know a very basic cake recipe is flour, sugar, eggs and butter. I'm less sure what would go into unleavened bread--I'd have to research that.
Actually, honey might be an ingredient. It's a natural antibiotic and never spoils, which in part might play into how long it keeps and its restorative powers...
no subject
It makes sense that it would have honey in it.
Very thin cake and crip make it sound like a swedish version of a waffle, actually. They're different here, very flat.
being very bad and hotlinking...