"J.R.R. Tolkien - The History of Middle-Earth - 00" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tolkien J.R.R)

In the midst of the land they made a great lake, and in the lake they set an isle, Almaren, where
they could enjoy the mingling of the light of the Two Lamps.

But while the Valar rested from their labor Melkor returned to Arda, calling into Ea many of the
Ainur who had sung with him in the Music, and these he led to the northernmost regions of Arda
where they constructed the mighty fortress Utumno.

When Melkor felt he was ready he struck down the Two Lamps and destroyed much that the
Valar had built through the ages. The Valar were dismayed but they could not overtake Melkor
before he returned to Utumno. There he settled with many corrupted Ainur, of whom the greatest
were Sauron, Gothmog Lord of Balrogs, Draugluin father of Were-wolves, Thuringwethil, and
other beings of power. But not all whom he had corrupted followed Melkor faithfully. Of these,
Ungoliant fled to the western regions of Arda.

There the Valar settled in a land they named Aman (Blessed), which they hallowed. They raised
up a new chain of mountains, the Pelori, and fortified their land (Valinor) against Melkor. They
were reluctant to engage in another war with him because they feared they might do harm to
whatever place Iluvatar had chosen for the Children.

In Valinor the Valar created two new lights, Telperion the Silver and Laurelin the Golden, the
Two Trees which gave light to much of Aman. But outside Valinor, in the shadows beneath the
southern Pelori, Ungoliant spun her webs, creating a region within Avathar where no one dared
venture.

In time the patience of the Valar was rewarded and they discovered the Quendi singing under the
stars in the land of Cuivi├лnen, which lay far to the east in Endor amid the foothills of the
Orocarni, the mountains of the eastern lands. But to their dismay the Valar learned that the
Quendi had already been discovered by Melkor, and they resolved to put an end to his great
realm in Middle-earth. So began the War of the Powers, and the world was changed in the
mighty tumults which resulted. But Melkor was defeated and Utumno was destroyed, except for
a small outpost in the west, Angband, and perhaps one or two other enclaves. Melkor was taken
to Valinor where he was judged and placed in confinement in Mandos, from which halls even
Melkor could not escape. There for long ages Melkor languished in prison until he was released
on parole, and he discovered that the Quendi had been brought to Valinor where they flourished
and created a civilization which astounded him.

So Melkor decided to seek revenge upon the Quendi for the humiliation of his imprisonment. To
that end he strove to win their confidences, but the Vanyar and Teleri would not listen to him.
Only the Noldor succumbed to Melkor's deceits, and in time their greatest princes, F├лanor and
Fingolfin, were drawn into strife which when investigated by the Valar led to the discovery of
Melkor's designs.

But he fled from Valinor and eluded pursuit. And in time he visited Avathar where he recruited
Ungoliant to his service, and led her back to Valinor. There they slew the Two Trees and Finw├л,
King of the Noldor, stealing many treasures of Finw├л's house and the Three Silmarils, in which
alone the Light of the Two Trees still burned.