Tianwen·Magweth Pengolodh

across the sky. Pengolod deliberately added an encouraging tone, thinking of the other Losinziel who sailed across the water that day. He thought that Alfwine must be smart enough to see the story he told The connection to the turning point that is taking place in your own life.

Alfwinai sighed, stretched out his legs, and put his hands behind his head: "These are good old stories! Some of them I have been familiar with since I was a child, but every time I hear the stories from people who have experienced them, I still can't understand them." Not surprised. It's incredible that you witnessed the birth of that bright star."

Instead of boosting his confidence, Alfwine suddenly sounded like Tar-Minastir, and Pengolod was disappointed to find he had nothing to say but good night.For the first time, he returned to the room earlier than Alfwine, who was still looking at the bright star in thought.

explorers guild

When Pengolod took Alfwine to the Explorers' Guild, the leader was not at home.They were led through the banqueting hall, which had been converted into the quarters where the clerks ran the Númenorean navy; and then they passed the drawing room, where the furniture was covered with drapes to keep it from dust.As soon as they arrived at their destination, the manager, who was busy with everything, left.

The Explorers' Guild archives are quiet, but not deserted.The librarian in charge apologized repeatedly, saying that his family and his wife would be honored if they were there. "My lord, I beg you not to be offended." The librarian was eager to chat a little more to refresh the long silence of the day. "Our lady is a learned woman herself. She has heard the story of Erendis , resolved that she would not be separated from her husband when he went out to explore the seas. They were therefore in Middle-earth all the time of the Great War, while their daughter remained in Armenelos, to be the queen's chief lady-in-waiting."

"Is their daughter Laurenqui eager to learn?" Pengolod asked.

"O all the stars of Varda! She's not." The librarian chuckled. "A pretty girl like our Lady Laurie, I don't expect her to worry about wisdom or anything other than the court dance and the next dress." Nothing. But I'm sure she'd be glad you asked her, if you'd seen her at court," he said, hinting that he would be kind enough to convey Pengolod's "thoughts."

Pengolod bit his cheek to keep the ugly words out of his mouth.

"You're here to see those old books, right? I'll take you there right away." The librarian led them into the large reading room, where the sun shines in through the high windows made up of hundreds of small panes, and the books are all Store in a curtained alcove out of direct sunlight.The librarian glanced at the ink-stained hands of the two guests and gave them white linen gloves to wear when handling books.He arranged on the table some blocks of wood wrapped in soft velvet, and produced a velvet cushion and two round sticks wrapped in velvet.He then took out an ancient book and a curious scroll, and demonstrated how to let the spine hang in the air, hold the book open between two velvet wooden blocks, and carefully hold the scroll unrolled using velvet cushions and round rods .Pengolod had been dealing with documents for 2000 years before this librarian was born, and Alfwine did it every day, and writing flawless documents was routine for him.Both listened politely as the librarian shuddered and explained—as they would have demonstrated if they had given a rare book to a stranger.

Even so, Alfwine still muttered after the librarian left: "What a nagging old guy. If he is the teacher of the president's daughter, it's no wonder that Laurenque doesn't like to learn runes."

Pengolod said narrowly, "If you were the president's librarian, you would do a better job?" They all suppressed a laugh.

"Seriously, my past teachers said that holding on to your knowledge too closely, and being too obsessed with your mentorship, are the worst flaws. If others never learn, you'll always be an expert, but you'll grow old. Becoming isolated year after year.” Alfwinet looked around the library, “Maybe he wasn’t her teacher. I can’t imagine giving a child access to these precious things. My old teacher also said, if I With a child, start by ordering her little books out of shredded paper, so she can tear them up as she pleases, but she'll learn to like them."

Pengolods said: "I actually did this for my sister Singoldier's children. I'll never forget her daughter chewing a booklet and her husband taking it out of her hand Go, and replace it with a blank scrap of paper, and say she may eat the uninked one. Hingo Teal nearly knocked the tiles off the poor fellow's roof when he heard that."

Alfwinai turned around and looked at the rows of bookshelves: "So many books—the first time I have seen such a large library in my life. I really don't know where to start. By the way, you don't have children yourself. huh? You've never been in love with a woman?"

For a moment, Pengolod twitched the corners of his mouth.He'd been waiting for that question since they'd talked about getting married the night after the contest three days earlier.If he wanted to ensure that he would not lose Alfwine's friendship, then the two of them drank slightly drunk together and sat on a bench looking at the stars, which was really not a good time to answer this question.He said calmly: "I have as much love for all women as I have for my sister. In my case, you perhaps know the elf saying, 'Marriage without heart'?"

"Ah. Well." Alfwine pulled his beard, "It's not uncommon among the sailors here. I actually saw some at sea when I was a child. In my own words, I always think that men are too ugly compared to women. .I've been wondering ever since you turned down that . . . lady on the pier."

Pengolod said: "I'm sure that certain lady didn't ask for your favor, and really doesn't know what she missed." Seeing Alfwine laugh with relief, he added, "But I Didn't lie to Laurinque, we elves and mortals have to have an intimate relationship, we must break fate. Any mortal." He added meaningfully.

Alfwine nodded, then looked over his shoulder: "Don't forget our kind gossip fellow." Every word they spoke in the library was in Sindarin.The librarian was clearly more than happy to show off his fluency. "Ready to see what's on these shelves now?"

Pengolod agreed, and then asked, "Which ancient tale do you like best? Perhaps we can find it."

Alfwine was quiet for a moment: "I've never told anyone, but today seems to be a day to tell a secret. It's "The Story of the Children of Hurin."

Having heard that there is anyone who loves this tale of bad luck and disaster after disaster, right up to horrific incest, it's Pengolod's turn to be quiet and say "oh". "The story of Turin? Interesting. It is one of the better-documented stories, but tragic to the point of pain."

"As soon as I heard that story, I knew it was my favourite. It wasn't for the gore or—unfortunate coincidence. It's the only story in history about a man as crippled as I am," said Alfwiner firmly. of the people—Chief Brandir."

"The only one?" Pengolod asked, half talking to himself.They walked slowly towards the bookshelves.

After thinking hard for a while, Pengolod really didn't think of other stories, and only nodded in agreement, and Alfwine said: "The only one. Brandir is a good man, and he comes from a famous family, which makes me very relieved. He was the leader of the Harris family, a brilliant healer, and a man of peace. Despite his misfortune, he loved with sincerity and kindness. When I heard his story, I felt that I was not a bad person. A piece of crap, but a piece of history. Have you ever met Brandir?"

Pengolod shook his head. "No, I never had a chance. He—"

They said in unison: "I was unjustly killed."

Pengolod looked thoughtful for a moment: "If you had heard the story of Rumir earlier, you might have liked it too."

"That might comfort me, but he is never mentioned in the tales of Gondolin. I think this shelf holds the tales of Turin's time." Together they drew aside the canvas curtain that protected the book.

Pengolod immediately reached for a thin creamy book bound in gilt leather.When he was holding the book and looking at it, Alfwine carefully checked the bookshelf, pulled out a few volumes, and mustache smiled: "It's my lucky day. They have three different versions of that story. You What did you find?" Pengolod held up the book.Alfwine saw the cover clearly and asked: "Since you have experienced all kinds of Gondolin, why do you still read its stories? To make sure they are right?"

"For this book, no. Because I wrote this book myself." Pengolod opened the book and looked at the title page, "The Fall of Gondolin. Gil-galad gave it to Aldarion Many books—I looked at this library and remembered how they were packed. Aldarion was king and master of guilds in his time, I think, and many people visited here. This It was written and bound by my own hand. I always tend to give this story a white cover, like the old White City."

"That was written by you!" Alfwine leaned against the bookshelf and stood firm, "But, in that case, why didn't you mention Rumir, or any of your own experiences?"

Pengolod back