The Few, the Proud, the Elf-Friends!

[Inziladun]

Throughout the books we have references to so-and-so being an 'Elf-friend'. These appear to be those of alien race (to Elves) that, for some reason, an Elf takes a fancy to and bestows some sort of honour.

Gildor does it to Frodo:

'I name you Elf-friend; and may the stars shine upon the end of your road!'.

FOTR Three Is Company

And later, Goldberry is apparently able to divine that Frodo has that status:

'But I see you are an elf-friend; the light in your eyes and the ring in your voice tells it.'

In the House of Tom Bombadil

So being designated an elf-friend leaves physical and auditory traits? Does an elf 'bless' someone and change them spiritually? I say 'bless', but being an elf-friend is obviously different from the 'blessing' Elrond gives to Frodo in Rivendell after the Ring is destroyed.

Elrond named Húrin, Túrin, Hador, and Beren as elf-friends. The tendancy would be to think of it as just an honourary title, but Frodo exibited perceptible evidence of his status. And if it didn't cause any actual change in the person being 'named', how were the other elves to know it had been done?

So the questions are, what was the real purpose of saying someone was an elf-friend, and did it have any real effect on the person's physical or spiritual makeup?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Interesting question at least!

I think I have had, always, a sort of unconscious answer to that - like, I was never trying to form any definition consciously, but now that I think of it it makes sense - that simply it is a certain quality, a "metaphysical" one if you wish, a sort of invisible stamp which then the others can perceive, if they are a) truly perceptive, b) an Elf (or a Maia, or something like that - something which is "metaphysically perceptive" in this sense). I think many people would actually at least at some points be able to distinguish that "there is something strange about this person" if they met an Elf-friend, only they wouldn't be able to understand what exactly it is. The status of the Elf-friend in general would mean that the good powers (whatever exactly that is) will watch over the person a bit more as well. Perhaps we are talking some Elven "guardian angels" who don't usually meddle with mortals, but if such a "guardian angel" happened to be around when an Elf-friend gets into trouble, it could intervene. That's rather roughly said, but I hope you understand what I mean: things in Middle-Earth don't happen "by chance", and for an Elf-friend, there could be somewhat bigger chance for having "good luck" in troublesome situations (in the sense of meeting a friendly Elf-patrol when lost in the woods, when pursued by a bunch of Orcs, or stuff like that).

However, one thing I would like to clarify - I don't think this "perceptiveness" would be a matter of some "spiritual power", i.e. not that every Maia, for example, would be able to immediately recognise that you are an Elf-friend. I don't think, for example, that a Balrog would, or that Sauron would, or that the Nazgul would. At most, they could be afraid of some air of power around you, if they threatened you, but they would not be able to say its source, whether it is that you are an Elf-friend or that you happen to own one of the Three Rings. But I think actually, you would be able to perceive an Elf-friend the better the more, if I say it in a very crude way, "good" or the more "pure in heart" you were. (Except the Elves would, likely, be able to perceive it regardless of their personality. Dúnedain would be able to perceive it only a little bit better than normal people, still not always.) So basically, yes, almost all Maiar would be able to perceive this "stamp", as they are both powerful and "good", but then Sauron and co. would not, and Saruman would perhaps have realised at some point between 2000-3000 TA that he cannot see that so well anymore, or even a) he would not care that much anymore, b) he would start to think (if he ever concerned himself with such a matter) that Elf-friends are simply "dying out" because he hasn't seen one for a rather long time (not realising that he can't). It could even lead him to a false impression that Elf-friends don't exist anymore - therefore supporting his theory that also the time of Elves is over, as they have nothing to do with humans anymore, the two races are estranged (no Elf-friends). I think that would be a prime example of this blindness drawn from the belief in one's own omniscience - and very fitting for people like Saruman.

Last remark. Note the interesting cry of the Orcs in the Hobbit, "Murderers and elf-friends!" I think the knowledge of that something like "Elf Friend" exists got outside among other races as well, but they still were not able to perceive it. I think among the Orcs, this honorable title eventually became a swear word. So that's just to say that I don't think the Orcs were "perceptive" (they had to see the swords of Gondolin, after all, to realise that. Apart from it, Thorin and co. really weren't Elf-friends - only Gandalf likely was, and Bilbo got that title much later - and not sure if they would even like to accept such a title, at least most of them. Did Gimli do so, by the way?).

All of what I have said is my personal theory: sort of formulating in words what I have been more or less thinking all the time. But I think it fits (at least for me) and is in tune with how I perceive Middle-Earth and its mechanisms, so to say. Of course now people can see if they have different perception of M-E, if this does not fit their image.

[Findegil]

I am not sure if some one becomes only an Elffriend when his named so by an elf.

Porbably the spezial quality that someone has to have to be an Elf-friend (what soever that maybe) is a gift born into a person or not. If the person has it and comes in contact with elves they only make known to him (and the world) that he has that special qulity by naming him an Elf-friend.

Respectfuly
Findegil

[Pitchwife]

Interesting question indeed! I guess my take on the matter would be that there are elf-friends and elf-friends, so to speak.

The heroes of the First Age Elrond named at the Council were elf-friends in the sense that they were allied with the Eldar and fought side by side with them in the war against Morgoth (if with somewhat unhappy results in Túrin's case), so I think the title was honorary in their case, recognizing their valour and their service to the Elven kings who were their liege-lords. The Orcs in The Hobbit apparently used the word in the same sense (just from an inverted perspective): people who are in league with the Elves (as evidenced by their use of Elvish weapons).

The special quality Goldberry perceived in Frodo seems to be a different matter. I don't see it so much as being caused by the naming and blessing, or something born into a person like Findegil suggested. Rather I imagine that when somebody is in frequent contact with Elves (and we know that Bilbo and Frodo would try to meet some whenever they had a chance), something of the Elvishness, the spiritual quality of the Elves themselves, would sort of rub off onto them; and when Gildor named Frodo elf-friend, it was more a recognition and quasi 'official' confirmation of a quality Frodo had already aquired by his previous contact with Elves (and presumably his love for Elven lore and matters).

As far as elf-friends of this second sort are concerned, I whole-heartedly agree with what Legate said about 'good luck' and the ability of others to percieve them; and great thoughts about Saruman in this respect!

Mixed cases are possible, of course, in the sense that elf-friends in the first sense could (and would be likely to) also become elf-friends in the second; among the examples Elrond quoted, this would certainly be true for Beren, probably Hador and Húrin as well, maybe even Túrin.

Bilbo is another mixed case, I think. When Thranduil first bestowed the title on him in The Hobbit, it was probably just honorary, given in thanks for his efforts to make piece between Thorin and the Elves; but by the time Bilbo went to live in Rivendell, he had also become an elf-friend in the second sense.

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

This is going to sound absolutely ridiculous, but something that happened this morning made me think of it. There are creatures that have good perception of emotions and intents of other creatures -- like dogs that are able to tell a friendly person from an unfriendly person, and who cannot be fooled by feigned pleasant behavior. One can only presume that they are able to discern cues from the person approaching them -- body language, tone of voice (quite possibly including tones and pitches we cannot hear in our own voices), even scent. There's nothing metaphysical about it; it's merely within the capacity of their natural senses to perceive this. Not all dogs are good at this -- some never were taught or needed to hone the ability -- but some are uncannily perceptive in telling for from friend.

Not to dismiss Legate's intriguing take on things, but perhaps this ability to discern an Elf-friend from... er... Elf acquaintances comes from their naturally keener senses and other mind-related abilities. As with humans, some have better perceptional skills than others. The naming of Elf-friend could be simply an honorific (though not lightly bestowed), but it could also be something able to be "seen" by Elves whose perceptivity is exceptionally strong. If all Elves could see and sense the things they do, all Elves would know on sight that these people are friendly to Elves to a more than casual degree, but since they can't, the bestowal of the "title" (and its subsequent announcement to other Elves) allows those Elves who do not have these particular skills know that these non-Elves are their allies.

I'm not sure that the conferral of the title makes it instantly perceptible to all Elves. I have to wonder if Haldir and his brothers would have known that Frodo was an Elf-friend if they hadn't been told by Galadriel.

Just my two cents, once again. Blame the neighbor's dog.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Ibrîniðilpathânezel

This is going to sound absolutely ridiculous, but something that happened this morning made me think of it. There are creatures that have good perception of emotions and intents of other creatures -- like dogs that are able to tell a friendly person from an unfriendly person, and who cannot be fooled by feigned pleasant behavior. One can only presume that they are able to discern cues from the person approaching them -- body language, tone of voice (quite possibly including tones and pitches we cannot hear in our own voices), even scent. There's nothing metaphysical about it; it's merely within the capacity of their natural senses to perceive this. Not all dogs are good at this -- some never were taught or needed to hone the ability -- but some are uncannily perceptive in telling for from friend.

Not to dismiss Legate's intriguing take on things, but perhaps this ability to discern an Elf-friend from... er... Elf acquaintances comes from their naturally keener senses and other mind-related abilities. As with humans, some have better perceptional skills than others.

Well, but this is in no way contradicting what I said. That's actually what I meant. Only, I don't think that the "Elfsight" (as in: the sense which allows the Elves, and perhaps some others, to spot Elf-friends) can be compared to, for instance, a sense of smell on the physical level - only on analogical one. The reason why I call it "metaphysical" is that I definitely cannot imagine it working in any crude material way, now wouldn't that be completely un-Elvish? Like "smelling pheromones of Elvishness", perhaps somebody could phrase it that way and effectively it would be okay in the outcome, but I just cannot associate something so crude and material with the Elves. But let's not start about that, please.

In any case, the point was that if it was just a physical quality, it would be rather difficult to come up with how it's determined. You can explain that all the Elves have some extra sense, but how do you explain that some random Goldberries have that or not? Likewise, I really think there is the connection of the "purity of heart" and the ability to discern the Elf-friends (whatever the definition for it would be from e.g. Pitchwife or Findegil's point of view) - like I said already, I just cannot imagine a bunch of Saurons having the ability to discern Elf-friends. And again, how do you make the "goodness" (of the observer!) "physical"?

So, basically, I don't have anything against Ibrin's interpretation, if it is basically the same thing that I meant - or if meant literally (that there is really a purely mechanical thing like smelling "Elvishness-pheromones"), it is not, in which case I disagree with it

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

So, basically, I don't have anything against Ibrin's interpretation, if it is basically the same thing that I meant - or if meant literally (that there is really a purely mechanical thing like smelling "Elvishness-pheromones"), it is not, in which case I disagree with it

It's close to the same, but not quite. By 'natural senses,' I mean those abilities, both physical and non-physical that Elves possess, to varying degrees. We know that some Elves, like Galadriel, can look from mind to mind (and not just because she has Nenya), just as these days, some humans have, reportedly, telepathic or empathic abilities. Elves with this skill would be able to sense more about a Mortal than their mere appearance, scent, etc. If they are able discern certain positive qualities about a person, they might be able to know that they are what they call an Elf-friend. It is more than physical (although I believe certain physical cues might be a tip-off); it's at least partially psychic.

For orcs and such, though, it might be purely physical, even a smell. Gollum can't bear the touch of hithlain or the taste of lembas. Orcs might smell things like Elven cloth, or the scent of a person who has been eating a lot of Elven food. One never knows about such critters.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Okay, in that case, that's metaphysical for me, so I am fine with it in my book.

As for Gollum touching Elven ropes etc., that's a bit different thing for me than Elf-Friendishness (if you read my definition of it, you'll probably understand why), that's "elven magic" present in these objects, or a "trace" of it - trace of the fact that it's been made or shaped or influenced by the Elves.

I am still and all the time bearing in my mind somewhere in the back Tolkien's definition of Elves as the inhabitants of Faërie. The Smith of Wotton Major is, for me, an example of something like Elf-Friend (and all those Star-bearers are, consequently) explained in a bit different, un-Middle-Earthish cathegory: in the sense that he is able to access and accept things which exist in the Secondary reality and which the other, "common" people don't. The difference is that Middle-Earth itself IS a Secondary reality, therefore the Elves there are real, and the Elf-friends can also have far closer relationship to them, provided that they meet them. The Smith, although in many aspects ordinary, is treated differently by the Elves (if only in the sense that he is allowed the access to where the others are not allowed), and there is a reason to this which all the Elves acknowledge - it is plain obvious to them. The ordinary villagers (sic ), however, do not seem to perceive anything specific about him. This is, I think, a really good example of an Elf-Friend in a similar sense as we see it e.g. in Frodo's case.

(I acknowledge that what I just said probably requires people to have read more things from Tolkien, namely the abovementioned story and On Fairy-Stories, to be understandable (or at least I hope it will be understandable after reading that ). But I assume that many members are familiar with it and to those who are not, I can only suggest that becoming able to understand my post is a good excuse to read those, because they are just brilliant.)

[Lalaith]

I must say that this always slightly rankled with me.

In the First Age, it was really, really difficult to qualify as an Elf-Friend. You had to fight against Morgoth shoulder-to-shoulder with the Firstborn, most of your family probably died, you might get given a bit of land by the Eldar but by Iluvatar you had to defend it until its soil was sodden with your life's blood...
....in the third age, all it took was a camping trip.

[Lastande Took]

I'm in with those who have two types of Elf-friends. There's probably something especially 'good' or 'Elvish' about a person that Elves (and a few others, I won't speculate who) can identify, even though we can only tell that person (hereafter called 'A') is 'different' or not notice anything at all. The title Elf-friend is given to A when/if an Elf recognizes it. I don't think A is necessarily born an Elf-friend; the trait can develop.

That brings me to the second class. The term Elf-friend could be given to someone ('B') who doesn't have Elf-friendishness (?) but does something to deserve the title. True Elf-friendishness, or something very like it, might grow through extended contact with Elves or developing Elvish behavior traits. (I'm thinking of Frodo's order to show mercy to Saruman after the Battle of Bywater as an example of Elvish traits, even though Frodo already was an Elf-friend.)

[Rumil]

On a frankly silly note-

'Hmmm! it smells like elves!' thought Bilbo

[morwen edhelwen]

I agree. I think myself that an Elf-friend is someone recognised by Elves as having a special "status" that other mortals do not- for example, a long-time ally ( Hùrin, Tùrin, Tuor etc) someone who is literally a 'friend to Elves" like Bilbo or Frodo.