Who knows their trolls? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

***Mithadan*** · 10-16-2000, 02:02 PM

<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Wight
Posts: 221</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE>
<img src="http://www.barrowdowns.com/images/posticons/redeye.jpg" align=absmiddle> Re: Who knows their trolls?

Weighing in late on this one, long after the waters have already been muddied, but I found something on point (I think, this thread has been as pointy as a pincushion).

JRRT, discussing the issue of "evil cannot create" said this:

<blockquote>Quote:<hr> "I am not sure about Trolls. I think they are mere 'counterfeits', and hence (though here I am of course only using elements of old barbarous mythmaking that had no 'aware' metaphysic) they return to mere stone images when not in the dark. But there are other sorts of Trolls besides these rather ridiculous, if brutal, Stone-Trolls, for which other origins are suggested. Of course (since inevitably my world is highly imperfect even on its own plane nor made wholly coherent - our Real World does not appear to be wholly coherent either; and I am actually not myself convinced that, though in every world on every plane all must ultimately be under the Will of God, even in ours there are not some 'tolerated' sub-creational counterfeits!) when you make Trolls speak you are giving them a power, which in our world (probably) connotes the possession of a 'soul'" <hr></blockquote>

Letters of J.R.R.Tolkien, No. 153.

Whew! Having disturbed this thread from a well-deserved rest, I shall don a mail coat and hide. Fire away!

--Mithadan--
"The Silmarils with living light
were kindled clear, and waxing bright
shone like stars that in the North
above the reek of earth leap forth." </p>Edited by: <A HREF=http://www.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_profile&u=00000004>Mithadan </A> at: 10/16/00 4:05:54 pm

10-16-2000, 02:02 PM	#21
*Mithadan* Spirit of Mist Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Tol Eressea Posts: 3,397	<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Wight Posts: 221</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE> <img src="http://www.barrowdowns.com/images/posticons/redeye.jpg" align=absmiddle> Re: Who knows their trolls? Weighing in late on this one, long after the waters have already been muddied, but I found something on point (I think, this thread has been as pointy as a pincushion). JRRT, discussing the issue of "evil cannot create" said this: <blockquote>*Quote:<hr> "I am not sure about Trolls. I think they are mere 'counterfeits', and hence (though here I am of course only using elements of old barbarous mythmaking that had no 'aware' metaphysic) they return to mere stone images when not in the dark. But there are other sorts of Trolls besides these rather ridiculous, if brutal, Stone-Trolls, for which other origins are suggested. Of course (since inevitably my world is highly imperfect even on its own plane nor made wholly coherent - our Real World does not appear to be wholly coherent either; and I am actually not myself convinced that, though in every world on every plane all must ultimately be under the Will of God, even in ours there are not some 'tolerated' sub-creational counterfeits!) when you make Trolls speak you are giving them a power, which in our world (probably) connotes the possession of a 'soul'" <hr></blockquote> Letters of J.R.R.Tolkien, No. 153. Whew! Having disturbed this thread from a well-deserved rest, I shall don a mail coat and hide. Fire away! --Mithadan-- "The Silmarils with living light were kindled clear, and waxing bright shone like stars that in the North above the reek of earth leap forth." </p>Edited by: <A HREF=http://www.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_profile&u=00000004>Mithadan </A> at: 10/16/00 4:05:54 pm* __________________ Beleriand, Beleriand, the borders of the Elven-land.