Elrond/Earendil

[ArwenEvenstar]

Why did Aragorn have to go ask Elrond when Bilbo was making a song about Earendil? Would it offend Elrond?

[Silpion]

I don’t think Aragorn had to ask Elrond about the song Bilbo was writing. Bilbo wanted Aragorn’s help with his song and requested that Aragorn (referred to as the Dúnadan) be found to assist him.

This if from the chapter ‘Many Meetings’ from The Fellowship of the Ring

‘As a matter of fact it was all mine. Except that Aragorn insisted on my putting in a green stone. He seemed to think it important. I don’t know why. Otherwise he obviously thought the whole thing rather above my head, and he said that if I had the cheek to make verses about Eärendil in the house of Elrond, it was my affair. I suppose he was right.’

I don’t know if Bilbo’s song offended Elrond. I wonder if Bilbo knew that he was creating a song about Elrond’s father.

[Anglorfin]

I've always read that part to mean that songs about Earendil were usually performed by a chorus of solemn Elves or something. Mostly just to give Earendil's name a due amount of reverence, especially in the house of Elrond. For Bilbo to write a song could have been seen as a great honour by Elrond but could have easily been mishandled and turned out bad and crude.

[Beruthiel]

I don't think there's much chance of Bilbo's verses being too crude. Mostly Bilbo (as I'm coming to understand) did a lot of translating, rather than writing of his own.

Yes, I'd say he was being a bit high-folootin' cheeky writing about Earendil, close relative of Elrond and Arwen, even related so closely to Aragorn - did you not see the significance of the Green Stone? If not, don't worry. It will be discussed later.

I really liked the comment "It is difficult to tell the difference between the work of two mortals?!" that was dropped by an unnamed Elf at the fire. THAT was funny. Elves don't know mortals either! Imagine, if Elves dream of we mortals? If we were as elusive as the Elves seem to us?

[Lefty Scaevola]

Earendil is Elrond's father, and Aragorn's ancestor, about 60 generations removed, through Elros, Elronds borther, first King of Numenor

[LutraMage]

Originally posted by Beruthiel
I really liked the comment "It is difficult to tell the difference between the work of two mortals?!" that was dropped by an unnamed Elf at the fire.

I think the Elf in question was called Lindir.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally posted by Beruthiel
I really liked the comment "It is difficult to tell the difference between the work of two mortals?!" that was dropped by an unnamed Elf at the fire. THAT was funny. Elves don't know mortals either! Imagine, if Elves dream of we mortals? If we were as elusive as the Elves seem to us?

That's not far off. As I understand it, Elves consider immortality to be as much of a curse as Men consider mortality to be.