On elf children

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

LACE also states that elves put more of their own strength into their children which is a reason for their having few children. Also that the elvish body was subject to the will which implies that elves could contol their fertility by mind over matter - lucky things!

Well, this is a bit of a conundrum, isn't it? If elves can subject their body to their own will and therebye control their fertility, doesn't that mean they don't collaborate with Eru in the transmitting of life? So that Eru is not the supreme source of little elven people? (Does that mean that every little elven person is not sacred?) Not of course that Middle-earth has to follow Catholic doctrine, but it is an interesting difference from the doctrine of Tolkien's faith.

Which also raises another interesting point, although this possibly gets us beyond the specific topic of this thread. It appears that Tolkien created each race on Middle-earth with its own particular pattern of transmitting life. Hobbits apparently are (very) fecund, except of course those who don't marry. Dwarves are dwindling possibly because they lack an adequate number of dwarven uterii (uteruses?). We know what the problem is with ents. What is the birth rate of the race of men?

The Flame Imperishable seems to be dispersed unevenly amongst the various races of Middle-earth. Is this significant or is it just a random bit of musical variety? Why does the rhapsody of reproduction in Middle-earth differ among the races?