Melian was a Maia. She lived in Lórien and was the most beautiful and the wisest woman. No other person was more skilled in songs of enchantment than Melian.

At the time when the Quendi awoke at Cuiviénen, Melian left Valinor and came to Middle-Earth to fill the silence there with her voice and the voices of the birds.

It came to pass that Elwë, lord of the Teleri, one day came alone to the starlit wood of Nan Elmoth and there he heard the song of nightingales. Suddenly an enchantment fell on him and beyond the voices of the birds he also heard Melian's voice. It filled his heart with desire and he followed the voice deep into Nan Elmoth until he was lost. But finally he found Melian.

"She spoke no word, but being filled with love Elwë came to her and took her hand, and straightway a spell was laid on him, so that they stood thus while long years were measured by the wheeling stars above them and the trees of Nan Elmoth grew tall and dark before they spoke any word."

By his people Elwë was never seen again and his brother Olwë took the kingship of the Teleri. Elwë became a great king, too, and his people were all the Eldar of Beleriand. They were called the Sindar, the Grey-Elves.

Elwë was now called Elu Thingol, King Greymantle. Together Thingol and Melian lived in their halls in Menegroth, the Thousand Caves, in Doriath.

"And of the love of Thingol and Melian there came into the world the fairest of all the children of Ilúvatar that was or shall be."