Grey-elves, Elves of the Twilight | |
Attributes | |
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Home world | Middle-earth |
Base of operations | Doriath |
Language | Sindarin |
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the fictional Sindar (meaning Grey People, singular Sinda, although the latter term was not generally used by Tolkien) are Elves of Telerin descent. They are also known as the Grey Elves. Their language is Sindarin. The King of Doriath, Elu Thingol (Elwë) was the King of the Sindar.
The Sindar were happy in Middle-earth, but once the desire for the Sea was aroused in them, they could not be content until they sailed to Eldamar. Although less learned and powerful than the Calaquendi and less interested in crafts than the Noldor, they were extremely gifted in music, and their voices were very fair.
The Sindar are "grey" perhaps because they were not Elves of the Light, never having actually set foot in Valinor, but neither were they Avari, since they did accept the invitation and set out on the journey (and were counted among the Eldar upon Thingol's return from the undying lands where he had beheld the light of the two trees). They are sometimes referred to as Elves of the Twilight. The term grey may also refer to Elu Thingol's grey cloak. The term Sindar is actually not Sindarin in origin: it is the Quenya name devised by the Noldorin exiles. The Telerin name for themselves was Lindar "the singers" (the Laiquendi "Green Elves", also being Telerin, called themselves the Lindi which had the same meaning). The name that the Sindar often used amongst themselves was simply Edhil ("Elves", singular Edhel). When the Teleri left for Aman, they called themselves the Eglath, the Forsaken Ones.
The Teleri were the greatest host of the Eldar. They had two kings, the brothers Elwë Singollo (or Elu Thingol as he was later known in the Sindarin tongue) and Olwë. When the Teleri reached Beleriand during the Great Journey from Cuiviénen, Thingol went wandering in the forests as was his wont. In the forest of Nan Elmoth he met Melian, one of the Maiar. They fell in love, and with Melian, Thingol stood spellbound in Nan Elmoth for several years.