Ulaphel was the twin-sister of Ucin, and the daughter of the Hildo bard Sinuphel and the dwarf-lord Khazí. She, like her twin brother, one of the first of the Umli or "half-dwarves". Ulaphel bore a hildo name, for she was born in Hildorien and was initially thought to be the offspring of Sinuphel's husband, Lord Cintapher. Because Sinuphel had been cursed by Morgoth, however, she was the bastard-child of a mannish mother and a dwarven father. So, during the initial weeks of her hard life, she and her brother were kept secluded. A nurse unveiled Sinuphel's secret when she was only three months old. Driven from Hildorien, Sinuphel took her children northward, where she encountered the mysterious Lossoth or snow-men (aka Forodwaith or northern men). She settled among the nomadic northerners and began the task of raising her banished offspring. Sinuphel looked upon her labours with care and love and both her children grew to be strong an wise. Ulaphel's family lived in a cave-home in the deep valley of Ushahír, within sight of the Sea of Illuin. She was fascinated by nature, which was fortunate in such a harsh locale, and eventually she became a powerful animist and by the age of twelve she was already revered by her Lossadan neighbours. Sinuphel was murdered by the great white dragon Lhamthanc when Ucaphel was only fourteen. Ucaphel's brother Ucin exacted revenge and drove Lhamthanc northward across the Iron Mountains avenging his mother's death. These tragic events destroyed Ulaphel's family. The bereaved Ucin moved to Lamthanc's lair, forever sundering his special bond with his sister. Although they remained friends the two twins stayed apart and fostered separate lines that would give birth to the Umli Umlati. Ulaphel married a lossadan Hunter named Aluenda, about ten years after Sinuphel's demise. Their union produced two children: Acanli and Unkûs – the mother and father of the Fosír-Talsír and the Dumalir.
Speculations[]
Tolkien's writings seem to make a real blending of Hildo and Khazâd blood highly unlikely. Therefore it seems that the Legend of Ucin and Ulaphel must be considered false, and Ulaphels father was in fact not Khazî but a mortal man, it must have been legend or rumors that made the people of Hildorien wrongly suggest Khazî to be her father. After all, if the origin legend of the Umli is considered a legend - and nothing else - this would make the Umli just an exotic easterling-people. Maybe influenced and taught by Dwarves to some degree (as Tolkien's writings suggest some early contacts of both races) but not true half-bloods.
A purely mannish background of the Umli is also suggested in the background of the Fustir-gost
References[]
- MERP: Lords of Middle-earth Vol III: Hobbits, Dwarves, Ents, Orcs & Trolls