Taking Readings I by Himring

In Defence of Vana, the Ever-Young

On LiveJournal, Dwimordene had challenged me to come up with a defence for the importance of Vana the Ever-Young, who she felt was the most uninteresting of the Valier. So I tried...

At first she might seem pale and rather uninteresting: merely someone’s sister, someone-or-other’s wife. For is not everyone young? Is not everyone rushing around doing new things, creating things never seen or heard of before? During the Spring of the World, what need is there for Spring?

But still there are so many things…

Then Arda begins to age and scar. Everyone makes mistakes and becomes so much sadder and wiser—and so much more tired.

…that I have never seen…

‘No, I don’t want to go back to Valinor, not yet’, says Galadriel. ‘Let’s cross those mountains. We haven’t seen what is on the other side.’

…in every wood…

Treebeard wakes up to hear hobbit voices. Those don’t sound like orcs! And he adds a new name to the long list of living creatures.

…in every spring…

The White Tree blooms. It is true, its lineage is magnificent and awe-inspiring, but is that really the most important thing about it?

…there is a different green.

That is why Sam plants and plants his garden unstintingly, each year, all over again.

For in time, Varda’s stars grow dim and Nienna’s tears run dry and even Nessa’s dance slows to a stately pavane.

‘But we haven’t tried this way yet’, says Vana, brightly. ‘Shall we? Because you never know…’

And Bilbo runs out of the door without a handkerchief.

Chapter End Notes

Yes, the bits in italics are a couplet from one of Bilbo's songs.

Dwimordene was kind enough to say that I had convinced her of Vana's importance. I'm hoping we will see a piece by her on Vana some day.