Snow angels

[Gothmog]

As Eomer said: elves have mass and weight just like men so it should be a "skill".

Regarding the oh so famous "custard theory", I don't think that's the case with snow. Look at a hare running on the snow. It doesn't sink if it sits still. Neither would Legolas. When walking in snow you either sink or you don't. Well, you might sink to different depths depending on your weight and for example the size of your feet, but it's not like quicksand (or custard I guess) where you sink slowly.

A thought came to me when I visualized the hare. Is it possible that elves have giant feet? No, maybe not...

But if we go back to the original question: snowangels. Even if it is a skill to walk on snow, it's not sure if it's a "passive" skill or something that can be turned on and off. But during the snow-walking Legolas do leave impressions, though they're faint. That would mean faint angels...

I'm from the north of Sweden so consider me a snow-expert

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Gothmog

Regarding the oh so famous "custard theory", I don't think that's the case with snow. Look at a hare running on the snow. It doesn't sink if it sits still.

Also consider the consistency of the snow (fluffy, frozen over) and the weight/area distribution of the hare (note that to stay atop of snow, one wears snowshoes to widen the area by which one's weight is displaced. Conversely, to stay atop of fashion, one wears stilletoes... ).

[Lalwendë]

Custard...drool...

I'm sure that if you walked across custard, your feet would leave some kind of temporal impression, just as they do if you walk across wet sand, the kind of indentation that would last a little while, but not for long. The weight of your body would temporarily 'press' the water on that patch of sand/custard away, and then it would gradually seep back into its original position.

Now I know that snow is slightly different, as it is not a solid mixed with a liquid, it is a liquid in a different state. But whether or not you would be able to walk on snow would also depend upon whether it is hard or soft snow. If it was hard snow (such as is, or was, found in the polar regions) then you would be able to walk on it and leave little impression - similar to hard compacted sand. Soft snow would possibly support the weight of a small animal, but not so a human. Unless Legolas had hollow bones it must have been something about the way he moved on the snow to stop him falling.

Perhaps his grace and poise enabled him to walk on it much as it would allow a ballet dancer to stand on her toes (whereas I would probably end up in casualty). So if he was lying down in the snow then yes, he would be able to make a snow angel much as anyone else could.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Perhaps his grace and poise enabled him to walk on it much as it would allow a ballet dancer to stand on her toes

Don't forget to include the phrase "high pain threshold" in that comparison. Dancing en pointe hurts.

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

I think a correlative question is 'would they want to?'

The play of elves seems very serious stuff, full of Art, Wonder, Beauty and High Moral Purpose, but making snow angels reflects the very heart of play, at least for children--creativity and curiosity about all elements of the world, play for no ulterior purpose other than sheer delight in doing something, the release of pent up energy, no concern for posterity or eternity but a complete abandon to this moment in time.

No, doesn't sound like elves to me.

Tra la la lally, I say to you.

Now the question... could Elves make snow angels. Wouldn't it be based entirely on how lightly they tread at all times? Perhaps the silence in which they pass through the woods is not because of exact and developed craft but because they barely touch the ground? Would the half-dwelling in the spiritual land experienced by the Eldar affect their physical bodies? It is not necessarily that they intentionally can caper about upon the snow as that they just sort of... do. But, as I have no quotes or anything to back me up, feel free to ignore me.

[alatar]

And to throw this in:

Humans in Tolkien's world, even the best of them (Beren, Aragorn) are still below their immortal cousins, the Firstborn.

• Humans make cram or waybread. Elves make lembas.

• Humans take pride in a ship named the "Wooden Whale." The Elves have the "Foam Flower."

• Humans make snow angels. Assuming that an Elf overcame whatever (lacking the density, gravity, mood, whimsy, etc) and actually made a snow angel, then surely this impression would have to be at least an archangel...

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Feanor of the Peredhil

Tra la la lally, I say to you.

Now, Fea, I beg you to consider the terms of reference with which Alatar began this thread.

Originally Posted by Alatar

Anyway, in FOTR we learn that when the Fellowship is attempting the Redhorn Pass that Legolas barely makes an impression in the snow with his slipper-covered feet. Is this something that he is actively doing, meaning that he could sink into the snow if he so chose, or is it something innate to elvish kind, where snow angels would exist only in their dreams?

Far be it from me to get into davemian Legendarium question about Elves and elves, but my comments pertained solely to the terms Alatar initially set up.
Although perhaps we could consider whether any of TH elves would produce an effect similar to that of Legolas, which is essentially no effect?

I can't recall any snow on the Misty Mountains. And although there were Light-elves and Deep-elves and Sea-elves in TH, I cannot recall any Snow-elves though. Is there any mention of snow at all in TH?

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Bethberry

I can't recall any snow on the Misty Mountains. And although there were Light-elves and Deep-elves and Sea-elves in TH, I cannot recall any Snow-elves though. Is there any mention of snow at all in TH?

The main action of The Hobbit takes place from Spring through the Summer, so there is no snow in terms of it posing a hazard; the party does not pass through any snow. The white stuff is mentioned, but only as 'scenery', on the peaks of the mountains. However, Bilbo's return to The Shire is delayed due to the risk of snow.

I'd suppose Snow-elves would only exist in a region which was permanently snowy, and we don't know of any that do. Though I do like the sound of Snow-elves.

Originally Posted by Bethberry

Far be it from me to get into davemian Legendarium question about Elves and elves

I like the sound of davemist better though.

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Though I do like the sound of Snow-elves.

Well, there were snow-men, so why not?

davemology? davemological?