[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Mithadan

There are a number of "inconsistencies" between Concerning... The Hoard and The Silmarillion.

It's definitely worth doing a full comparison of "Concerning" with the other texts, but I will point out that:

Originally Posted by Mithadan

In The Silmarillion, Hurin does not laugh in contempt at Thingol and leave Doriath, but rather Melian speaks to him, breaking the spell of deceit put upon him by Morgoth, and Hurin apologizes.

Is attested nowhere except the published Silmarillion, and is not mentioned in CT's note on "Text X". Given that literally every other character in the Turin tale ends badly, the fact that Hurin gets a redemption moment feels like exactly the sort of "overstepping the bounds of the editorial function" that CT regretted in his commentary in HoME XI.

Similarly,

Originally Posted by Mithadan

The cause of the failure of the Girdle of Melian seems glib and conclusory or confused. Her power failed due to the evil "within" Doriath (which evil, the treatment of the Dwarves or the presence of the treasure?) or Melian lifted it, dismayed at the deed that had been "done" (which deed?). If the latter, I wonder if this is a timing issue. If Thingol had been slain (per The Silmarillion), I can see Melian departing into the West leaving Doriath unprotected. If Thingol was still alive, I doubt that she would simply let the Girdle fail.

There is no narrative by Tolkien which puts Thingol outside the Girdle at his death. This idea was suggested by Tolkien in a single note on the "Turins Saga" sheet, which seems to date from the early 1950s (ie, before the Narn synopsis in my timeline earlier). "Concerning" is ten years later, and should at least be considered as an alternate solution to the question.

Okay: working from memory, here are the differences between "Concerning" and the other latest texts.

The story concerns the great hoard of Nargothrond, which contained much of the treasure and works of Elvish art that has been preserved from the wreckage of the Elven-Kingdoms under the assault of the Dark Lord

I don't remember any statements that Nargothrond took refugees and treasures from the other kingdoms; that must mean Mithrim, right?

Húrin’s Kingdom was destroyed

Implies Hurin was a king; but could mean "the elvish kingdom Hurin was a lord in".

[Turin] fled from Doriath after a deed of violence in the King’s hall, and became a wandering warrior (or knight-errant).

Turin's key act of violence was normally outside Menegroth. The knight-errant phrasing is an interesting one, and puts a different conception on Turin, at least for me.

All the Hurin/Thingol differences previously noted: the outlaws reach Doriath and are slain there, the Nauglamir is silver, Thingol wants silver thrones, no first battle with the dwarves, the Girdle falls due to the evil done inside (which must be Thingol's breach of his oath, contrasted with the "dwarven honesty"), and Thingol seemingly dies in Menegroth.

Fugitives from Doriath brought news to Beren in Ossiriand, especially of the rape of the Silmaril. He gathered a force and waylaid the Dwarves on their return march, at a ford across one of “Seven Rivers of Ossir”.

In the Tale of Years, this battle is by the sons of Feanor, with Melian taking the Nauglamir to B&L. Similarly, no two versions agree on who told Beren about the attack.

the ship-havens at the mouths of the great River Sirion, where was the last refuge of the remnants of the Kingdoms of Elves and Men

Balar appears to be ignored here, though this looks like just brevity.

the Sons of the Valar aided by the remnants of the Elves and the Dúnedain (or Men of Elf-alliance) overcame the Dark Lord

I don't believe the elves are usually said to have joined the Last Battle. "Sons of the Valar" is a phrase which doesn't occur much in later texts, but could easily be metaphorical.

the Elf Kingdoms were at an end

Seems to ignore the existence of Lindon.

Some passed over the Mountains (e.g. in particular Galadriel) into the lands which are the scene of the Lord of the Rings.

As Mithadan says, Tolkien was very undecided on Galadriel's timeline. This aligns with the text called "Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn" in UT; it doesn't match the "very late and partly illegible note... set down in the last month of his life" given just above it.

Eärendil, who had first set foot upon the “immortal” land of the Valar, was not permitted to return to mortal lands, but his ship was set to sail in the heavens as a star, lit by the brilliance of the Silmaril.

Again per Mithadan, this kind of implies the Star only rose after the Battle. Given that Earendil was out there shooting down dragons, it's fair to say that this was when he was finally sent upstairs, and it's not a clear enough statement to be a revision.

But the last surviving sons of Feänor (Maedros and Maglor), in a despairing attempt to carry out the Oath, stole [the Silmarils] again. But they were tormented by them, and at last they perished each with a jewel: one in a fiery cleft in the earth, and one in the sea.

Per gondowe, this seems to be the only source for the death of Maglor. It also uses the name "Maglor", at a time when Tolkien seems to have switched over to "Maelor"; I'm not sure what the situation is with "Maedros".

The “War of the Rings” is, as it were, a breaking out again of the “Wars of the Jewels”, though in a different mode.

This is an interesting concept! I don't remember him saying it elsewhere, and it certainly puts a different spin on the Third Age: not a great conflict in its own right, but the last ragtag end of the battles of the First Age.

The Silmarils were made by Feänor, greatest of the Elves, and chief of all craftsmen, originally with no motive but the making of beauty.

HA! Does anyone believe that?

when the Valar commanded him to relinquish them (since the light which gave them their beauty and sanctity was theirs, and had only been lent to him) he became obdurate, and rebelled

This is certainly based on Tulkas' words, and Feanor's, but the explicit command isn't one I remember being in other sources. Tolkien was drifting towards a less pro-Manwe view, so it's possible this was an actual shift; but I think this story was told again after "Concerning", so probably just a compression. (What they actually did was imply they would command him, which led to his rant comparing them to Melkor.)

Feanor then with his Seven Sons, swore the abominable Oath, to hold anyone Elf or Vala, even the One, his enemy if they held or retained a Silmaril and did not surrender it.

I don't think there's another version of the Oath which holds Iluvatar as an enemy if he takes a Silmaril; most of them just call him as witness. And, y-i-i-i-kes.

Morgoth’s triumph became almost complete. All the Kingdoms of Elves and their allies were destroyed. Beleriand was ruined and ravaged. Only the capture of one Silmaril by Beren and Luthien marred his success. It came at last to the remnant of the Elves of the “Mouths of Sirion”, and so to Eärendil — and so brought the vengeance of the Valar upon him at last — when it was surrendered to the Valar, and set out of reach of Elves and Men.

A really interesting footnote; because of the Silm's focus on the refugees, I don't usually register the completeness of Morgoth's victory. I also note that the Silmaril was "surrendered to the Valar"; I don't recall that phrasing before, usually Earendil just sort of uses it to get to them and then keeps it.

The Silmarils had become to Feanor symbols and instruments of power: he called himself “the lord of the lights”.

Feanor getting in on the too-many-names game. This is presented totally out of order (unless Feanor lived to the end of the First Age! There's no mention of his death in LotR, you know. ), and I can only imagine he used it in Formenos. Probably wrote it above the door: "Welcome to Formenos, House of the Lord of the Lights; abandon humility, all ye who enter here".

Hmm... apart from the death of Maglor, and the whole Nauglamir section, all of these strike me as reasonable compression of the "text" at the time. They're not always the latest comments Tolkien had - see Galadriel - but they don't seem wildly at odds with 1964 Tolkien. Though like I said, I'm working from memory, so I wouldn't be surprised if I'd got an error or two in there.

hS