Creature lifespans

[lindil]

Last of all Húrin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed; and it is sung that the axe smoked that the axe smoked in the black blood of the troll-guard of Gothmog....

well I suggest all whom are interested read the 2 articles [ by the Barrow Wight and Mr. Underhill] in the Articles section that debates the entire Olog-hai Troll question.
It seems CRT actually is responsible for the Troll reference in The Silmarillion, as it does not appear in the same passages he repoduces from his father in HoME and UT.

As for the ents saying trolls were mockery of Ents this is the Ents POV [ as is everything Treebeard says, and JRRT in HoME X explains that Treebeards lore ancient though it is is not necesarrily that of the Wise].

As for the origin of Orcs and Dragons and other baddies there is an exhaustive thread in the Silm Forum here http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin...c&f=8&t=000025

note: the word fear is pl. for fea=spirit

enjoy!

[ December 27, 2002: Message edited by: lindil ]