[Anguirel]

On Tulkas's laughter -

I was reminded both of the Eomerish war ethic brought up by Macalaure, and, more incongruously, of the Druedain in the Unfinished Tales.

The Druedain are unlovely of countenance, but the Elves felt a keen affinity with them all the same. It is mentioned that Druedain and Orcs are most clearly shown as separate in their laughter; the beauty and joy of the Druedain's gurglings compared with the essentially mirthless cacklings of Orcs.

I say this because I differ ever so slightly from Aiwendil's analysis of Tulkas's laughter. It is taking pleasure in the killing of enemies and the spilling of blood, certainly, but I would not describe it as grim or indeed as fell, though Orcs and Morgoth flee before it.

Tolkien seems to describe it, to my mind, as a force terrible only to those who oppose it; like the roaring of Aslan, for instance. It makes Morgoth sick with fear because it shows him his inadequacies and weaknesses - he knows nothing of laughter, only twisted ridicule.

Tulkas doesn't take himself or anyone else seriously. If anyone here is a fan of Asterix, then you'll understand that I see him as a rather Obelixian figure, running around gleefully piling up Roman, or Orcish, helmets.

The Valar, as I think I said in the Valaquenta discussion, seem to singularly lack this anarchic, but benevolent spirit of Tulkas as the First Age grows grimmer. We don't hear of Tulkas at all after the Silmarillion's early stages are over and the Noldor strive in exile - unless Tulkas is to be seen in the Leap of Beren, the badinage of Legolas and Gimli, and similar acts of throwaway courage.