Cuiviénen :: Idril

Idril

Idril was born in Aman during the Years of the Trees. She was the daughter and only child of Elenwë and Turgon, who later became king of Gondolin.

After Melkor and Ungoliant had destroyed the Two Trees, Idril was among the Noldor who went to Middle-Earth.

Together with many others, she crossed the Helcaraxë, the Grinding Ice, led by Fingolfin and his sons, and by Finrod and Galadriel.
Many perished in the crossing, among them was Elenwë, Idril's mother.

Idril probably lived in Nevrast until Gondolin was built, then she and Turgon moved thither.
The Hidden City of Gondolin was fair, and fit to compare even with Elven Tirion beyond the sea.
But fairer than all the wonders of Gondolin was Idril, Turgon's daughter, she that was called Celebrindal, the Silver-foot, whose hair was as the gold of Laurelin before the coming of Melkor.
(The Silmarillion, page 126)
Idril was called Celebrindal, the Silver-foot, because she always was barefoot.

Idril lived long in bliss, and she received from Enerdhil, a jewel-smith, the Elessar, which was a green stone. This is possibly the same one as Aragorn wore during the War of the Ring.
But 200 years after Gondolin was built Turgon's sister, Aredhel Ar-Feiniel, left Gondolin. Aredhel went to seek Celegorm, one of the sons of Fëanor, who was her friend.
But as is told in the Silmarillion (Chapter 16, Of Maeglin), Aredhel was lost in the wood of Nan Elmoth. There she met Eöl, she married him and bore him a son, Maeglin.
Aredhel and Maeglin later came back to Gondolin, closely followed by Eöl. Eöl tried to take back his son, and when Maeglin refused, Eöl threw a spear at him. The spear hit Aredhel instead, and she died, and Eöl was cast down from the sheer walls of the city.

Maeglin stayed in Gondolin, and he greatly desired his cousin Idril, as is said in the Silmarillion (page 136):
Yet to none were his [Maeglin's] eyes more often drawn than to Idril the King's daughter, who sat beside him; for she was as golden as the Vanyar, her mother's kindred, and she seemed to him as the sun from which all the King's hall drew its light.

Idril however, did not love Maeglin at all. The Eldar wedded not with kin so close.
Years passed, and still Maeglin watched Idril, and his love turned to darkness in his heart.

After the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the Fifth Battle of Beleriand, a mortal came to Gondolin. His name was Tuor, and he came with counsel from Ulmo, saying that the Gondolindrim had to abandon their city, and go down Sirion to the sea. But Turgon had become proud, and he refused to leave Gondolin.
Tuor stayed in Gondolin, and seven years later he married Idril Celebrindal.
In the spring of the next year, their son Eärendil was born.
In these days, Gondolin was still full of peace and joy, but Idril, who was wise and far-seeing, knew thatthis peace would not last forever, so she let prepare a secret way out of Gondolin. The work was known but to few, and no whisper of it reached Maeglin's ears.

One time when Maeglin was quarrying after metals in the mountains around Gondolin, he was captured by orcs, and taken to Angband. He revealed the location of Gondolin to Morgoth, who had promised him Idril in return for information. Maeglin returned to Gondolin so that nobody would suspect anything. People thought he seemed much nicer, "Meglin (Maeglin) is softened" they said. Idril however, wasn't fooled. She started telling people in secret that, "if the city came to its last stand or Turgon be slain that they rally about Tuor and her son." (The Book of Lost Tales 2, The Fall of Gondolin)

If it hadn't been for Idril, there would probably have been no survivors when Morgoth attacked Gondolin some years later. She and Tuor led the remnant of the Gondolindrim down the Sirion to Nan-tathren, the Land of the Willows, were the power of Ulmo still ran in the river.

Then the sea-longing awoke in Tuor's heart, and together with Idril and Eärendil he went to the mouths of Sirion.

There they dwelt, until Tuor felt old age creep upon him. He built a great ship, Eärrámë, which means Sea-Wing. Idril and Tuor then sailed into the West. Their fate is unknown, but it is said that they came to Aman, and Tuor was admitted to Eldamar.