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**lindil** · 02-14-2001, 12:46 AM

<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Seeker of the Straight Path
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vegetarianism and the elves

Greetings to the Dagda, and Draggonklaw.
As a vegetarian myself, I would be happy if the Elves were. However there was as has been mentioned meat being hunted in Mirkwood. As to rivendell this is somewhat less conclusive as there were a variety of guests from all Eriador,Rhovanion,Lindon and Gondor, so what was served could reflect hospitality more than local custom.

My guess however is that the High -Elves ate meat somewhat rarely [and some prob. were vegetarians.] mostly on feasts and celebrations.I would easilty see the Nandor/Avari hunting and gathering more. I do not recall Gildor's band serving any meat though I could be wrong and this could reflect the preferences of Wandering Companies while wandering. Meat is a status thing in many places and perhaps Gildor's reference to treating the 3 hobbits better if they are ever guests in his halls was such an allusion.

As virtually all ascetic texts of many religions testify to [including Christian writings of the Saints and fathers] every kind of food has a specific energy and reaction in the body [which however can vary somewhat from person to person] and this is decidely coarser with meat than grains or beans which in turn is coarser than vegetables which in turn is carser than fruit , etc. all the way up to air and the energies therein.I do not see {other than wartime} much activity of the elves that would be improved by a steady meat diet.

In Morgoth's Ring [Annals of Aman] the Valar are said to eat only at the Festival of First fruits held once a [valarin?] year [?],
though Gandalf in the Hobbit more or less seems to chow down at bag-end and is recorded as eating most before disappearing in Rhudaur. HTis is prob. an accomodation to his incarnation as an 'old man' in Middle-earth more than a reflection of maian dietary habits in Valinor.

note also that the waybread of the elves, their ultimate food as it were was not the overly lauded meat or jerky which also keeps indefinately but a valarin 'corn' and other mystery ingredients.

Lindil is often found on posting on the Silmarillion Project at the Barrowowns<u> Silmarillion canon , theories and discussion Forum </u> 'The dwindling Men of the West would often sit up late into the night, and awaken early before dawn- exchanging lore and wisdom such as they possessed , so that they should not fall back into the mean and low estate of those , who never knew or more sadly still, had indeed rebelled against the Light.' </p>

02-14-2001, 12:46 AM	#9
lindil Seeker of the Straight Path Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: a hidden fastness in Big Valley nor cal Posts: 1,681	<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Seeker of the Straight Path Posts: 398</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE> vegetarianism and the elves Greetings to the Dagda, and Draggonklaw. As a vegetarian myself, I would be happy if the Elves were. However there was as has been mentioned meat being hunted in Mirkwood. As to rivendell this is somewhat less conclusive as there were a variety of guests from all Eriador,Rhovanion,Lindon and Gondor, so what was served could reflect hospitality more than local custom. My guess however is that the High -Elves ate meat somewhat rarely [and some prob. were vegetarians.] mostly on feasts and celebrations.I would easilty see the Nandor/Avari hunting and gathering more. I do not recall Gildor's band serving any meat though I could be wrong and this could reflect the preferences of Wandering Companies while wandering. Meat is a status thing in many places and perhaps Gildor's reference to treating the 3 hobbits better if they are ever guests in his halls was such an allusion. As virtually all ascetic texts of many religions testify to [including Christian writings of the Saints and fathers] every kind of food has a specific energy and reaction in the body [which however can vary somewhat from person to person] and this is decidely coarser with meat than grains or beans which in turn is coarser than vegetables which in turn is carser than fruit , etc. all the way up to air and the energies therein.I do not see {other than wartime} much activity of the elves that would be improved by a steady meat diet. In Morgoth's Ring [Annals of Aman] the Valar are said to eat only at the Festival of First fruits held once a [valarin?] year [?], though Gandalf in the Hobbit more or less seems to chow down at bag-end and is recorded as eating most before disappearing in Rhudaur. HTis is prob. an accomodation to his incarnation as an 'old man' in Middle-earth more than a reflection of maian dietary habits in Valinor. note also that the waybread of the elves, their ultimate food as it were was not the overly lauded meat or jerky which also keeps indefinately but a valarin 'corn' and other mystery ingredients. Lindil is often found on posting on the Silmarillion Project at the Barrowowns<u> Silmarillion canon , theories and discussion Forum </u> 'The dwindling Men of the West would often sit up late into the night, and awaken early before dawn- exchanging lore and wisdom such as they possessed , so that they should not fall back into the mean and low estate of those , who never knew or more sadly still, had indeed rebelled against the Light.' </p> __________________ The dwindling Men of the West would often sit up late into the night exchanging lore & wisdom such as they still possessed that they should not fall back into the mean estate of those who never knew or indeed rebelled against the Light.