Answer Me This
 

I am far from finishing LotR, but curiosity is killing me and I don't know whether this is in any of the books, so bear with me.
It is said that Legolas builds a ship in Ithilien, and sails over the Sea with Gimli.
My question is, what is there across the sea-where the elves went? And what did Legolas and Gimli do there?...Or is it just the end of the story, and anything beyond that is free to fanciful speculation?

Lush, your assigment -- Read the Silmarillion as soon as you finish LotR. Your questions will be answered to your delight and astonishment (and a few tears, I must warn,) much more elaborately than I can answer here, but I will give it a go.

When the Elves sail West, they sail to Valinor, the Undying Lands, the home of the Valar and of the Elves that never left Valinor to come to Middle-earth. The Valar remind me of angels, though that resemblance was not intended by Tolkien. Mortals cannot reach the shores of Valinor. Elves sail there when the weary of Middle-earth and desire to return to their Ancient Home (though it was not their original home. For more info, I refer again to the Silmarillion). [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

What did they do there? Well, Gimli eventually died since he is mortal. Legolas? Who knows! Perhaps he was reunited with long lost pals. Perhaps he lived happily ever after. Tolkien does not say. However!! Our esteemed Mithadan has graced our website with a series of short stores that take place in the West after the last Elf has left the shores of Middle-earth. The series is called Tales from Tol Eressea. Check them out when you finish the Silmarillion!!

-réd

[ December 29, 2001: Message edited by: red ]

Thank you for a good explanation! I'll make sure to follow your instructions! The reason why I was asking is because there is a short story forming in my head even now, and while I won't sit down to write it for a while, I thought I'd get an early start on research.

Where is this story?

Here:


Tales From Tol Eressea

Tee hee.

And what, may I ask, is so funny about this old chestnut?

Lots.

Oh this one reminds me of the days of my lost innocence...The days which ended when I read the Silm, and promply discovered that Legolas ended his days working in a convenience shop and nursing a beer-gut...The tears did flow indeed.

That was a WONDERFUL story, true to the spirit tof Tolkien :D

Though the name of the main character seems vaguely familiar, though I do not know where I've seen it. I'd have made Tolkien the main character - it would have made sense since Tolkien it was who actually wrote LOTR.

Many thanks to Mithadan for such a wonderful story.

If Aelfwine (in some places a.k.a. Alboin) is meant as the familiar name bearer, you must have met him in HoME (History of Middle Earth) series :), in different parts of it,