The Te Tree Eru knew all, chough; and, at the instant the Smith completed his work, the One spoke to his misguided servant. He asked of Aulé’ motives and admonished the Vala for crafting things outside his authority. Contrite, Aulé explained thache did notseek mastery over his creation, but rather sought something new and full of life. This thought touched Eru. Weeping, the grief-stricken Smith raised his hammer in order to right his trangression, but Eru intervened, Forgiving his servant, the One accepted the Dwarves as a gift. Yet, since the Seven Fathers rested outside Eru’s scheme, Aulé’s children were placed in slumber, until their ap- pointed time of awakening. Laying the stout ‘Naugrim in wombs deep within remote parts of Endor, Aulé returned to Valinor. The Smith was comforted by Eru's forgiveness, nd by the know!- edge that none of the other Valar knew his work. Only his spouse Yavanna received his counsel, and to her alone he revealed his work and his joy The Elves, not the Dwarves, were destined by Eru to be the Firstborn; and, indeed, this was so. They awoke at Cuivignien in eastern Middle-earth not long after Aulé’s return to Aman. First to speak and immortal of body, the Elves stood as the first of the Children of Eru. ‘Tre Suse OF YAvANNA The World that greeted the Elves was land in slumber. Robbed of the light of the Two Lamps, Endor slept asf in perpetual night. Although the radiance of the Two Trees graced Valinor, Middle-earth lay in ewilight Only the tars shone through the dark- ness, and all growth was stayed. Yavanna—mistress of the earth and guardian of the Olvar—awaited the retum of the Light. Few things stirred beneath the umbral skies, save the multitudes of the Evil North. Oromé’s EMBASSY AND THE CLAIM OF MorGoTH With the awakening of the Elves, Morgoth stirred with new hate. The Black En- emy, seeking domination of the Firstborn, sent his shadowy servants southward to Cuiviénen. ‘There—at the starlt inlet on the Inland Sea of Helcar, where the light of the Two Trees was but a faint glow—Morgoth’s minions sowed fear, suspicion, and discord. The Valar were as yet unaware of the coming of the Elves, but Fate interceded, and the Huntsman Oromé came tupon the Firsthorn soon after the Black Enemy made his first overtures. His arrival was a wonderful, awkward moment that instilled, asplendid song in Orome's heart. Unfortunately, many of the Elves looked upon the Vala rider as a predatory spectre, a creature of darkness who fed upon the weak. In fact, many of the Elveshad been lost, buenot at Oromé’s hands. Captured or seduced by ‘Morgoth’s fiendish ploys, they became the root of anew race—the Ores. While the Black Enemy could not create life anew, he could pervert that which had already been given a spirit. The new- born race of Quendi were threatened with bond- age or extinction.