The Cottage of Lost Play

Maedhros · 11-13-2002, 06:04 PM

Sometimes I wonder what happened to the Cottage of Lost Play!
From The Book of Lost Tales 1: The Cottage of Lost Play

Quote:

Now was he at the summit of the hill amidst its houses, and stepping as if by chance he turned aside down a winding lane, till, a little down the western slope of the hill, his eye was arrested by a tiny dwelling whose many small windows were curtained snugly, yet only so that a most warm and delicious light, as of hearts content within, looked forth. Then his heart yearned for kind company, and the desire for wayfaring died in him - and impelled by a great longing he turned aside at this cottage door, and knocking asked one who came and opened what might be the name of this house and who dwelt therein. And it was said to him that this was Mar Vanwa Tyaliéva, or the Cottage of Lost Play, and at that name he wondered greatly. There dwelt within, 'twas said, Lindo and Vairë who had built it many years ago, and with them were no few of their folk and friends and children. And at this he wondered more than before, seeing the size of the cottage; but he that opened to him, perceiving his mind, said: 'Small is the dwelling, but smaller still are they that dwell here - for all who enter must be very small indeed, or of their own good wish become as very little folk even as they stand upon the threshold.'

To me at least, the concept of the Cottage of Lost Play is very beautiful. I know that the concept was modified later, and so was the entire legendarium, but I'm still amazed at the concept of such a place and the beauty that it gives. Even early Tolkien's ideas are great.
The poems at the end are very interesting themselves:

Quote:

Alalminórë! Green heart of this Isle;
Where linger yet the Faithful Companies!
Still undespairing here they slowly file;
Down lonely paths with solemn harmonies:
The Fair, the first-born in an elder day,
Immortal Elves, who singing on their way;
Of bliss of old and grief, though men forget,
Pass like a wind among the rustling trees,;
A wave of bowing grass, and men forget
Their voices calling from a time we do not know,
Their gleaming hair like sunlight long ago.

**crickhollow** · 11-13-2002, 07:10 PM

Oh, what a beautiful beginning! And that could turn so many ways, too. Thanks for that little bit, Maedhros. You made my day.

Maedhros · 11-14-2002, 12:05 AM

In the beginning, when I was first beginning to read The Book of Lost Tales I, I was curious about the title of the Cottage of Lost Play. When I read it, I was taken by the sheer beauty of it. I read it very carfully and it was great. The concept that men could go to Valinor was very interesting. And the poems in the end are very beautiful.

BeardofPants · 11-14-2002, 02:18 AM

I love the poetry at the end!

O ancient city on a leaguered hill!
Old Shadows linger in your broken gate,
Your stones are grey, your halls now are still,
Your towers silent in the mists await
Their crumbling end, while through the storeyed elms
The River Gliding leaves these inland realms
And slips between long meadows to the Sea,
Still bearing down by weir and murmuring fall
One day and then another to the Sea;
And slowly thither many days have gone
Since first the Edain built Kortirion.

Truly beautiful pieces of work. I'm also very much smitten with 'Why the Man in the Moon Came Down too Soon', which is a little bit further on from Cottage:

The Man in the Moon had silver shoon
And his beard was of silver thread;
He was girt with pale gold and inaureoled
With gold about his head.
Clad in silken robe in his great white globe
He opened an ivory door
And with a crystal key, and in secrecy
He stole o'er a shadowy floor.

**crickhollow** · 11-18-2002, 08:39 PM

mmmmm that is beautiful. We have the BoLT in our library (one hundred thousand thanks to Dr. K. who teaches Fantasy Literature, and insisted that the library buy two copies of everything Tolkien). Next week when my paper crunch is over, i think I'll treat myself to The Cottage of Lost Play.

Maedhros · 11-19-2002, 10:52 PM

The funny thing that the Man on the Moon is in fact and Elf on the Moon. The poetry in Bolt 1 is very pretty.

Maedhros · 02-11-2003, 01:09 AM

And who can forget Tinfang Warble:

Quote:

It was Tinfang Warble that was dancing there,
Fluting and tossing his old white hair,
Till it sparkled like frost in a winter moon;
And the stars were about him, and blinked to his tune
Shimmering blue like sparks in a haze,
As always they shimmer and shake when he plays.

***Earniel*** · 02-13-2003, 06:16 AM

The Cottage of Lost Play was indeed a marvellous idea. I was a little disapointed that he never pursued the idea further. It was the stuff of fairy tales and yet not. It definately touched a memory of the excitement that fairy tales gave me when I was a child.

I really wouldn't mind visiting that place. Tolkien described it so pretty and lifelike. I could almost feel the heat from the fireplace as I read. Just picture yourself sitting there amongst the children listening to tales of long ago. Sigh....

*dreams away*

Maedhros · 02-13-2003, 09:47 AM

and who can forget the lady of Tol Eressëa?

Inderjit Sanghera · 02-16-2003, 01:26 PM

It's brilliant! It gives me that 'cosy' feel that I feel when I read the early parts of LoTR (The Shire, in the main). Plus I live half an hour away from Stafforshire and and hour form Warrickshire, the settings of the book.

Lalaith · 02-17-2003, 09:42 AM

I really like the Cottage of Lost Play and it's really a pitty that Tolkien dropped the idea of letting some elves telling the tales of middle-earth. That had its own magic.

Inderjit Sanghera · 02-17-2003, 10:11 AM

And I'm sure that Daeron may be Tinfang. J.R.R states at one point, that the Erresian Elves believe that he is the son of Linwe (Early Elwe) and in the BoLT Daeron is only the son of Elwe, so, maybe he did go somewhere after wondering around Palisor, though that should only be taken for the early mythology.

Artanis · 05-11-2003, 02:19 PM

Read Cottage of Lost Play last night. I liked the idea about the Cottage of Children, and the Path of Dreams, through which the children could come. Of the poems I was most taken by "You and me". Leaves me with a feeling of loss though. Wasn't there a sorrowful strain, or is it just me? There once was beauty and bliss - but now it's gone.

Anglorfin · 05-11-2003, 07:13 PM

It's too bad he abandoned it. I really liked the whole concept of having the Elves tell Eriol stories seen in The Silmarillion. But it sorta makes sense that he did away with it. It was a little too fairy tale-ish. I don't know if he could have taken his idea for the Cottage and made it more practical for his final draft of Middle Earth.

11-13-2002, 07:10 PM	#2
crickhollow The Buckleberry Fairy/Captain Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Washington State again (I miss Texas). Posts: 1,345	Oh, what a beautiful beginning! And that could turn so many ways, too. Thanks for that little bit, Maedhros. You made my day. __________________ A day will come at last when I Shall take the hidden paths that run West of the Moon, East of the Sun.

11-14-2002, 12:05 AM	#3
Maedhros The Tall Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Formenos Posts: 578	In the beginning, when I was first beginning to read The Book of Lost Tales I, I was curious about the title of the Cottage of Lost Play. When I read it, I was taken by the sheer beauty of it. I read it very carfully and it was great. The concept that men could go to Valinor was very interesting. And the poems in the end are very beautiful. __________________ “What does the term american refers to” asked the boy, and the wise man answered: “Lets look at the dictionary then.” As an adjective American is: 1. Of or relating to the United States of America or its people, language, or culture. 2. Of or relating to North or South America, the West Indies, or the Western Hemisphere. As a noun American is: A native or inhabitant of America. A citizen of the United States. Then the boy asked, “What is America then?”, and the wise man looked at the dictionary again: 1. The United States. 2. also the A·mer·i·cas. The landmasses and islands of North America, Central America, and South America. Confused, the boy asked, “Does the term american refers solely to a us citizen or to any person in North, Central or South America?” The wise man replied: “What do you think?”, and the boy answered: “It is clear to me that while the term american is used to refers to us citizens, one can also use it to refer to any person who is from that continent too,” the boy thought for a while and asked the wise man, “Am I right?”, and he replied: “But of course.” The boy wondered, why is it that some people refuse to acknowledge the fact that the term american refers not only to US citizens but to anyone of the American continent?, but then sadly, the boy understood, that it is the calamity of ignorance.

11-14-2002, 02:18 AM	#4
BeardofPants the Shrike Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA <3 Posts: 10,647	I love the poetry at the end! O ancient city on a leaguered hill! Old Shadows linger in your broken gate, Your stones are grey, your halls now are still, Your towers silent in the mists await Their crumbling end, while through the storeyed elms The River Gliding leaves these inland realms And slips between long meadows to the Sea, Still bearing down by weir and murmuring fall One day and then another to the Sea; And slowly thither many days have gone Since first the Edain built Kortirion. Truly beautiful pieces of work. I'm also very much smitten with 'Why the Man in the Moon Came Down too Soon', which is a little bit further on from Cottage: The Man in the Moon had silver shoon And his beard was of silver thread; He was girt with pale gold and inaureoled With gold about his head. Clad in silken robe in his great white globe He opened an ivory door And with a crystal key, and in secrecy He stole o'er a shadowy floor. __________________ "Binary solo! 0000001! 00000011! 0000001! 00000011!" ~ The Humans are Dead, Flight of the Conchords Last edited by BeardofPants : 11-14-2002 at 02:22 AM.

11-18-2002, 08:39 PM	#5
crickhollow The Buckleberry Fairy/Captain Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Washington State again (I miss Texas). Posts: 1,345	mmmmm that is beautiful. We have the BoLT in our library (one hundred thousand thanks to Dr. K. who teaches Fantasy Literature, and insisted that the library buy two copies of everything Tolkien). Next week when my paper crunch is over, i think I'll treat myself to The Cottage of Lost Play. __________________ A day will come at last when I Shall take the hidden paths that run West of the Moon, East of the Sun.

11-19-2002, 10:52 PM	#6
Maedhros The Tall Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Formenos Posts: 578	The funny thing that the Man on the Moon is in fact and Elf on the Moon. The poetry in Bolt 1 is very pretty. __________________ “What does the term american refers to” asked the boy, and the wise man answered: “Lets look at the dictionary then.” As an adjective American is: 1. Of or relating to the United States of America or its people, language, or culture. 2. Of or relating to North or South America, the West Indies, or the Western Hemisphere. As a noun American is: A native or inhabitant of America. A citizen of the United States. Then the boy asked, “What is America then?”, and the wise man looked at the dictionary again: 1. The United States. 2. also the A·mer·i·cas. The landmasses and islands of North America, Central America, and South America. Confused, the boy asked, “Does the term american refers solely to a us citizen or to any person in North, Central or South America?” The wise man replied: “What do you think?”, and the boy answered: “It is clear to me that while the term american is used to refers to us citizens, one can also use it to refer to any person who is from that continent too,” the boy thought for a while and asked the wise man, “Am I right?”, and he replied: “But of course.” The boy wondered, why is it that some people refuse to acknowledge the fact that the term american refers not only to US citizens but to anyone of the American continent?, but then sadly, the boy understood, that it is the calamity of ignorance.

02-13-2003, 06:16 AM	#8
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	The Cottage of Lost Play was indeed a marvellous idea. I was a little disapointed that he never pursued the idea further. It was the stuff of fairy tales and yet not. It definately touched a memory of the excitement that fairy tales gave me when I was a child. I really wouldn't mind visiting that place. Tolkien described it so pretty and lifelike. I could almost feel the heat from the fireplace as I read. Just picture yourself sitting there amongst the children listening to tales of long ago. Sigh.... dreams away __________________ We are not things.

02-13-2003, 09:47 AM	#9
Maedhros The Tall Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Formenos Posts: 578	and who can forget the lady of Tol Eressëa? __________________ “What does the term american refers to” asked the boy, and the wise man answered: “Lets look at the dictionary then.” As an adjective American is: 1. Of or relating to the United States of America or its people, language, or culture. 2. Of or relating to North or South America, the West Indies, or the Western Hemisphere. As a noun American is: A native or inhabitant of America. A citizen of the United States. Then the boy asked, “What is America then?”, and the wise man looked at the dictionary again: 1. The United States. 2. also the A·mer·i·cas. The landmasses and islands of North America, Central America, and South America. Confused, the boy asked, “Does the term american refers solely to a us citizen or to any person in North, Central or South America?” The wise man replied: “What do you think?”, and the boy answered: “It is clear to me that while the term american is used to refers to us citizens, one can also use it to refer to any person who is from that continent too,” the boy thought for a while and asked the wise man, “Am I right?”, and he replied: “But of course.” The boy wondered, why is it that some people refuse to acknowledge the fact that the term american refers not only to US citizens but to anyone of the American continent?, but then sadly, the boy understood, that it is the calamity of ignorance.

02-16-2003, 01:26 PM	#10
Inderjit Sanghera Elven Warrior Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Wolverhampton, England. Posts: 260	It's brilliant! It gives me that 'cosy' feel that I feel when I read the early parts of LoTR (The Shire, in the main). Plus I live half an hour away from Stafforshire and and hour form Warrickshire, the settings of the book.

02-17-2003, 09:42 AM	#11
Lalaith The Elvish Temptress Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Vienna, Austria Posts: 3,055	I really like the Cottage of Lost Play and it's really a pitty that Tolkien dropped the idea of letting some elves telling the tales of middle-earth. That had its own magic. __________________ What I am and what I would are as secret as maidenhead.

02-17-2003, 10:11 AM	#12
Inderjit Sanghera Elven Warrior Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Wolverhampton, England. Posts: 260	And I'm sure that Daeron may be Tinfang. J.R.R states at one point, that the Erresian Elves believe that he is the son of Linwe (Early Elwe) and in the BoLT Daeron is only the son of Elwe, so, maybe he did go somewhere after wondering around Palisor, though that should only be taken for the early mythology.

05-11-2003, 02:19 PM	#13
Artanis Greatest Elven woman of Aman Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Having way too much fun with Fëanor's 7 Posts: 4,285	"Think on Kortirion and be sad -- yet is there not hope?" Read Cottage of Lost Play last night. I liked the idea about the Cottage of Children, and the Path of Dreams, through which the children could come. Of the poems I was most taken by "You and me". Leaves me with a feeling of loss though. Wasn't there a sorrowful strain, or is it just me? There once was beauty and bliss - but now it's gone. __________________ --Life is hard, and then we die.

05-11-2003, 07:13 PM	#14
Anglorfin Alasailon Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: college Posts: 861	It's too bad he abandoned it. I really liked the whole concept of having the Elves tell Eriol stories seen in The Silmarillion. But it sorta makes sense that he did away with it. It was a little too fairy tale-ish. I don't know if he could have taken his idea for the Cottage and made it more practical for his final draft of Middle Earth. __________________ "and then this hobbit was walking, and then this elf jumped out of a bush and totally flipped out on him while wailing on his guitar." "Anglorfin was tall and straight; his hair was of shining gold, his face fair and young and fearless and full of anger; his eyes were bright and keen, and his voice like music; on his brow sat wisdom, and in his hand was great skill."

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