...things "invented" by mortals are merely things copied from "the gods,"
though the Valar do have more foresight of things to come than many gods of
classic myth (who often were as clueless as the mortals, just invested with
greater powers and longer lives). Since I seem to recall that they took
on fanar like those of the Eruhini in anticipation of their coming -- and Aule
made the Dwarves in similar anthropomorphic shape before the awakening of the
Elves -- it would not be too great a stretch of the imagination to think that
the Valar were also aware of other things concerning them. Either that,
or Feanor et al DID just rip off the Valar, and recorded in their own histories
that these things were invented by their own people when they were not.
The notion of Hosts of the Valar marching to war ala Tom Bombadil is truly
frightening....
:)
<><><><><><><><>
"There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a [keyboard] and open a vein." -- paraphrase of Red Smith
