Fall of Gondolin

[Sagan369]

In the original story Tuor made his way through the Golden Cleft to the sea. He then grew weary of the sea and guided by the Noldoli's blue lanterns he found a way beside the river border until the voice of the sea was far behind him. Thus he came soon to that region that has been called Arlisgion "the place of reeds" above the mouths of Sirion.

I'm a little confused about that river, was it Sirion or Narog? If it was Sirion, did he pass over the Falls of Sirion to get to Nan Tathren?

[Turgon]

When you say 'the original story' are you refering to the Lost Tales version? I presume so with the mention of the Noldoli?

Well I just had a quick read though the passages, and I am not sure how much the geography of Beleriand changed between the BoLT and the later Silmarillion, but it does sound like Tolkien is describing the mouths of the Sirion. It seems like Tuor follows the coast, to where the sea lies to the south of him and not the west. He also mentions 'long tongues of land' that lay 'islanded in its course' which again sounds like the Mouths of the Sirion. Given that the Narog flows into the Sirion I would say it was the Mouths of the Sirion he came to.

So if we take this river as being the Sirion, and the idea that Tuor followed the coast to get to it. Then he would not have passed the Falls of Sirion, as they lie to the north of Nan Tathren.

[Sagan369]

Yes, maybe the map in the Silmarillion doesn't apply to the BOLT.

[Turgon]

The passages make sense though even with the maps of Beleriand we have. Tuor follows the swans from the Golden Cleft, down the coast of Beleriand, to the Mouths of the Sirion, and then heads up river to Nan Tathren. Quite amazing really that in such an early stage in his writings Tolkien seemed to have a clear idea of Beleriand's geography. In fact I have just been looking at an early map of Beleriand which is published in the Shaping of Middle-earth and its very close to the map that came with the Silmarillion. Not quite sure on the date of this map, but it's worth a look, being in Tolkien's own hand.

[Sagan369]

Didn't it say that he left the coast up north though, some where in Nevrast until he couldn't hear the sound of the sea, or smell it in the air?