I have found the following quote in the Book of Lost Tales 1:
Quote:
About them fared a great host who are the sprites of the trees and woods, of dale and forest and mountain-side, or those that sing amid the grass at morning and chant among the standing corn at eve. These are the Nernir and the Tavari, Nandini and Orossi, brownies, fays, pixies, leprawns, and what else are they not called, for their number is very great: yet they must not be confused with the Eldar, for they were born before the world and are older than its oldest, and are not of it, but laugh at it much, for had they not somewhat to do with its making
The Coming of the Valar, HoME 1
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Then, at least in the early mithology, there was room for other spirits different than the Ainur, because they didn't participate in the Music. I am not really sure that Tolkien had ever abandoned the idea of this spirits coming to Arda and not being Ainur. In my opinion, this could be the explanation of the origin of Tom, the River-woman, Ungoliant, and all of this strange creatures that cannot be classified as Maiar. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]