This second part of The Book of Lost Tales is arranged on the same lines and with the same intentions as the first part, as described in the Foreword to it, pages to -- i t.
References to the first part are given in the form 'I. 240', to the second as 'p. 240', except where a reference is made to both, e.g. 'I. 222, II. 292'. As before, I have adopted a consistent (if not necessarily 'correct') system of accentuation for names; and in the cases of Mim and Niniel, written thus throughout, I give Mim and Niniel. The two pages from the original manuscripts are reproduced with the permission of the Bodleian Library, Oxford, and I wish to express my thanks to the staff of the Department of Western Manuscripts at the Bodleian for their assistance. The correspondence of the original pages to the printed text in this book is as follows: (i) The page from the manuscript of The Tale of Tinuviel. Upper part: printed text page 24 (7 lines up, the sorest dread) to page 25 (line 3, so swiftly."). Lower part: printed text page 25 (iilines up, the harsh voice) to page 26 (line 7, but Tevildo).
(2) The page from the manuscript of The Fall of Condolin. Upper part: printed text page 189 (line 12, "Now," therefore said Galdor to line 20 if no further."). Lower part: printed text page 189 (line 27, But the others, led by one Legolas Greenleaf) to page 190 (line ii, leaving the main company to follow he). For differences in the printed text of The Fall of Gondolin from the page reproduced see page 201, notes 34 36, and page 203, Bad Uthwen; some other small differences not referred to in the notes are also due to later changes made to the text B of the Tale (see pages 146 -- 7). These pages illustrate the complicated 'jigsaw' of the manuscripts of the Lost Tales described in the Foreword to Part I, page 10. I take this opportunity to notice that it has been pointed out to me by Mr Douglas A.
Anderson that the version of the poem Why the Man in the Moon came down too soon printed in The Book of Lost Tales I is not, as I supposed, that published in A Northern Venture in 1923, but contains several subsequent changes. The third volume in this 'History' will contain the alliterative Lay of the Children of Hurin (c. 1918 -- 1925) and the Lay of Leithian (1925 -- 1931), together with the commentary on a part of the latter by C. S. Lewis, and the rewriting of the poem that my father embarked on after the completion of The Lord of the Rings.
Chapter One
I.
THE TALE OF TINUVIEL. The Tale of Tinuviel was written in 1917, but the earliest extant text is later, being a manuscript in ink over an erased original in pencil; and in fact my father's rewriting of this tale seems to have been one of the last completed elements in the Lost Tales (see I. 203 -- 4). There is also.a typescript version of the Tale of Tinuviel, later than the manuscript but belonging to the same 'phase' of the mythology: my father had the manuscript before him and changed the text as he went along. Significant differences between the two versions of the tale are given on pp. 41 ff. In the manuscript the tale is headed: 'Link to the Tale of Tinuviel, also the Tale of Tinuviel.' The Link begins with the following passage: 'Great was the power of Melko for ill,' said Eriol, 'if he could indeed destroy with his cunning the happiness and glory of the Gods and Elves, darkening the light of their dwelling and bringing all their love to naught. This must surely be the worst deed that ever he has done.' 'Of a truth never has such evil again been done in Valinor,' said Lindo, 'but Melko's hand has laboured at worse things in the world, and the seeds of his evil have waxen since to a great and terrible growth.' 'Nay,' said Eriol, 'yet can my heart not think of other griefs, for sorrow at the destruction of those most fair Trees and the darkness of the world.' This passage was struck out, and is not found in the typescript text, but it reappears in almost identical form at the end of The Flight of the Noldoli (I. 169). The reason for this was that my father