Of the Beginning of Days, Of Aulë and Yavanna, Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor

Today we continued reading in the Silmarillion and read three chapters: Of the Beginning of Days, Of Aulë and Yavanna, Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor.

Early on we came to the first lights of the Valar and the six year old made a good (but premature) connection.”

6YO: “I think they’re the sun and the moon.”

Me: “No, but very like them.”

When I read about Melkor’s fortress of Utumno the six year old thought it was another name for Mordor.

6YO: “Mooordooor.”

Me: “No, this is Melkor’s fortress. Sauron made Mordor later.”

6YO: “Ohhhh. Mordor, where the shadows lie.”

Then when I read about Sauron’s fortress of Angband the six year old was sure THAT was Mordor.

6YO: “Mordor, where the shadows lie.”

I had to break it to her that Mordor wouldn’t be talked about until the very end of the book. Later when the route of the Elves traveling west was described we pulled out the map of Beleriand and showed some of it.

As soon as I started to read about the Elves captured by Melkor the older two kids piped up.

6YO: “I know what they turned into…”

8YO: “Orcs!”

I was quite proud that they made the connection so quickly before it was spelled out in the text.