Nellas the Elf Maiden

[easygreen]

This isn't a Silmarillion question per se, but this would appear to be the appropriate place to ask it since the hardcore Tolkienites read/respond to the comments in this forum.

In the Narn I Hin Hurin, Nellas is the elf maiden who wins Turin Thingol's pardon by telling what she saw.

I'd love to know more about this character.

Is she a Sindarin or Nandorin elf, or Silvan elf dwelling in Doriath? The reason I'm curious is because she's worlds different from the all the other elven women in the ancient tales - the latter are mostly Ladies of the Noldor, with the notable exception of Luthien (and Luthien is pretty queenly herself).

Nellas is an odd character. She's shy, and bursts out into tears, and sits in trees. She seems very young. Other elven characters don't seem young even when they are young.

Any additional information would be appreciated.

[Inoldonil]

There are no Noldor in Doriath, only Sindar or Nandor or a mix of the two (mostly Sindar). Her name I think means 'Third Leaf' or 'Three Leaf', that sounds Greenelven enough. I don't know anything more about her than is revealed in the Narn. She did dwell in the woods, as a Nando might.

On the other hand she was able to teach Turin the Sindarin tongue after the manner of the ancient realm, older, and more courteous, and richer in beautiful words

This remark is probably in relation to the Sindarin spoken later in the age, i.e., Nellas was teaching him the common way of speaking Sindarin at the time, which was ancient according to the time the Narn-I-Hin-Hurin was supposedly written, much later in the Age, by Dirhavel (read the first passage in the Notes). Her reluctance to walk ever under roofs of stone I think suggests strongly she is Nandorin in origin.

This is a Silmarillion related topic, for if particular to the Narn then that story is a background to the chapter appearing in the Quenta Silmarillion. Nellas is in Of Turin Turambar.

[easygreen]

Actually, there is one Noldorin elf in the ancient kingdom of Doriath. Galadriel :)

[Inoldonil]

:D Goodness, I had forgotten her!

But there is a reason she is alloud to dwell there, her mother was Earwen, of close kin to Olwe, and thus to Thingol. Anyway her grandmother was a Vanya. She's still of the Noldor, 'tis true.