Wings & Ears: Why Bother?

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

With all due respect, Formendacil (and by the way, welcome to the Downs from a fellow-Canuck) you've not really answered the question -- or at least, not fully.

The scenarios you imagine are intriguing and would seem to indicate that you believe that the only "right" way to imagine a balrog, etc, is Tolkien's way. (Which is an interesting assertion to make even as you acknowlege that he was always changing his mind on things like this!)

But why should this be? Why would his imagination be the only valid one (assuming he could ever provide such an "answer") when Middle-earth is in at least some respect the product of his imagination and yours? His imagination because he says "a balrog" and your imagination because you either put wings on that balrog or not depending on what you want/believe.