I haven't read the Sil, can someone answer this question for me?

[Beleglotiel]

I need help!

I am writing a fanfic and I need some info (that I assume is in the Sil) in order to write this part in my story.

-What does it say about elves giving birth and things relating to that?

Thank you!

[Rumil]

As far as i can remember there isn't much specific info relating to childbirth in the Sil except in the story of Miriel (mother of Feanor):

"...in the bearing of her son Miriel was consumed in spirit and body; and after his birth she yearned for release from the labour of living. And when she had named him, she said to Finwe: 'Never again shall I bear child; for strength that would have nourished the life of many has gone forth into Feanor.' "

Although this may not give you much to go on it does suggest one or two things to me. It would seem that the mother gives of her life force to the infant elf in a way which is not quite human. Miriel implies that giving birth to any elf child requires a depletion of life on the part of the mother. This may explain why elf families don't all have about 400 brothers and sisters (after all they are immortal) so were there no other limit i could see no reason (other than astronomical babysitting costs) why elves should not keep having children throughout their lives. Galadriel doesn't seem to have become a mother until she was a few thousand years old. By which time presumably she could have had a couple of hundred kids (shudder). This of course begs the question of whether there is an elvish menopause and were Galadriel's mood swings (see mirror of galadriel) in any way connected with this;) (jk) Hope these ramblings are of some use.

[Beleglotiel]

Okay.............thanks............so the childbirth would be somewhat related to human birth but it just takes a whole lot more out of the mother than a human?

[Rumil]

The mother actually has to find the nourishment for an immortal life from her own life force/energy... so yeh basically it would suggest it takes more out of the mother.

[Beleglotiel]

Originally posted by Rumil
The mother actually has to find the nourishment for an immortal life from her own life force/energy...

Uh.........................................what? :huh:

[Rumil]

Well Miriel says "strength that would have nourished the life of many has gone forth into Feanor" ok?

This means that strength goes from the mother into the infant yeh? So the mother has to give away some of her strength in order to give life (my guess is quite a lot of strength as we are talking about immortal life) to her baby. Feanor takes the strength of many babies all at once ... thus he is so great. But the suggestion here is that the amount of 'strength' (what I call life force has a limit - the mother only has enough to create a few lives as opposed to an infinte number - which in theory elves could otherwise do because they are immortal) Sorry i can't explain it very clearly but i kind of get what i'm talking about even if i can't explain it properly!

[Beleglotiel]

OKay.........i think I get it! Thanks Rumil! :thumbs:

[Winyaél Greenleaf]

I didn't quite understand that part when I was reading Sil, but now it makes sense, otherwise there will be overpopulation of elves since they rarely die.
But the poor she-elves! :o Maybe thats an exception for Feanor.

[Nerdanel]

I don't know much about elves giving birth but i know something about birthdays: they don't count their age from the time they were given birth but since they were "begotten"... so it must be "Happy begettingday!"... -.-.... if that's any help

[Lasgalen]

Originally posted by Winyaél Greenleaf

But the poor she-elves! :o Maybe thats an exception for Feanor.
Yes, it was an exception. Most Elves were not as drained as Miriel from child-birth. Feanors spirit burned exceptionally bright.

-Lasgalen