Mirror, Mirror - Telling the Future in LotR

[Estelyn Telcontar]

We do find a reference to someone who is as close to a prophet as Tolkien writes about – Malbeth the Seer! (Well-known to all of us on the Barrow-Downs through his always clear, concise and practical sayings! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Additionally, he appears to be the patron saint of the site’s chatroom! [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] ) He is first mentioned by Aragorn who quotes his words about the Paths of the Dead, reminded of them by Elrond:

Over the land there lies a long shadow,
Westward reaching wings of darkness.
The Tower trembles; to the tombs of kings
doom approaches. The Dead awaken;
for the hour is come for the oathbreakers:
at the Stone of Erech they shall stand again
and hear there a horn in the hills ringing.
Whose shall the horn be? Who shall call them
from the grey twilight, the forgotten people?
The heir of him to whom the oath they swore.
From the North shall he come, need shall drive him:
he shall pass the Door to the Paths of the Dead.

There is another reference to him in Appendix A: He foretold that Arvedui would be the last king of the northern kingdom. This prophecy is interesting:

Arvedui you shall call him, for he will be the last in Arthedain. Though a choice will come to the Dúnedain, and if they take the one that seems less hopeful, then your son will change his name and become king of a great realm. If not, then much sorrow and many lives of men shall pass, until the Dúnedain arise and are united again.

I looked to see if I could find out which choice is meant there, but didn’t see it. Can anyone tell more about a possible choice for the good that would have changed the course of Middle-earth’s history? Neither the Silmarillion nor Unfinished Tales have any reference to Malbeth; perhaps someone who has HoME or Tolkien’s letters can contribute additional information.