Yavanna

Yavanna Kementari (also called Queen of the Valar) was an Ainu and one of the Holy ones of Arda called the Aratar. She was one of the eight greatest Valar, which was originally nine and included Melkor until his rebellion. She caused Arda to flourish with trees and all things that grow, the Kelvar and Olvar. She was wife to Aule, sister to Vana, and a relative of Melian the queen of Doriath. She is also known as the Ivon (Fruit Giver) and Kelementari (Queen of Earth).

Yavanna's usual appearance was that of a tall woman or tree. In the form of a woman, she wore a green robe. In the form of a tree that stood tall, she grew from combining the influence of Ulmo's water and Manwe's wing. She waters the land with the golden dew from her tree branches. In the bloom of Arda, when the Year of Lamb began, the Queen of Earth, Yavanna, sowed and tended well to all things that grew on Arda. All that she raised flourished as she anticipated and prepared for the period of growth. She used her powers like other Valar did, for good, and the Olvar (plant), Kelvar (animal), and other life on Arda thrived. Melkor was unconcerned with the prosperity of Arda. He intended to frustrate the effort of Holy ones and Valar. [1]

Melkor attacked the island of Almaren and displaced all Valar to the continent of Aman, which was where they formed the trees, Telperion and Laurelin, and founded Valinor. When Yavanna saw the darkness that befell Endor, she caused living things within it to go into slumber. They remained in their state until the origination of Moon and the sun. Yavanna was worried over the decision of Eru Iluvatar to keep the dwarf race who were beings from her consort creations in Endor. She feared that the dwarves would destroy the trees of Endor, and she confronted Manwe with her concerns that he took to Eru Illuvatar.

Manwë reported Yavanna's worries to Eru as he prayed, and Illuvatar understood her pain. Eru then granted her request with the origination of the Ent-kind to protect Yavanna’s trees from destruction. The Ents were created when Yavanna sang in Ainur’s song about giant trees in the rains of Ulmo and Manwe, and the trees responded by singing to Iluvatar. This marked the Tree host’s creation. Also, Yavanna’s thoughts intercepted those of Manwe and formed the Immortal Eagles of Manwe. In the earliest times of Arda, the Fruit Giver sowed seeds for the trees and nurtured it as she did with other living things.

Yavanna knew that the Dark Lord Melkor would not stop harm the living things she raised, therefore she gave all her support to plans aimed at destroying his influence on Arda. She later got her desire when Melkor was expelled. She sowed once again and the life that flourishes returned to Middle-earth with the second spring of life. The Valar settled in their new home in Aman and resumed their life beyond the fall of Almaren. In this new bliss, Yavanna sat on the mound of Ezellohar and began to sing for the Valar. They listened to her emotional words, and it moved Nienna to tears. Her song coincided with the tears from her Aratar sister and formed the greatest of her creations. Yavanna followed the creation of her greatest trees with the creation of Galathilion which was a smaller Telperion for Mindon. Yavanna told the Valar of her desire to awaken the Trees of Valinor from their remains if she had Feanor's Jewel.

Feanor used his will against her request and denied her request. She met with Nienna, and together they took one of Telperion's silver flowers and Laurelin's golden fruits. The two Aratar sisters gave Aule the flower and fruit, and thus he made the Moon of Middle-earth and the sun. The Valar, Osse, Aule, and his consort, Yavanna made Andor befitting for the beings that remained loyal to Iluvatar and stood alongside the Valar during the Great Battle. Thereafter, the Edain formed the great land of the Numenoreans on it. She also requested the Maia Curumo, turned Saruman, to allow her humble servant, Aiwendil later known as Radagast the Brown, follow him to the Mortals.

The Quenya, meaning for Yavanna, Fruit Giver, was coined from yáve (which means "fruit") and then anna (which means gift).

Yavanna's byname Kementári has the meaning "Queen of Earth". [2] It's coined from combining kemen (meaning the Earth) with tari (meaning Queen).

In Sindarin, her name was Ivon, which is like her name in Quenya, which is "Fruit Giver". Other usages of Ivon include Ivanneth (name of the month) and Ivonwin, which means the Yavanna's Maidens.

Yavanna was also referred to as Palúrien (meaning The Wide Earth's Lady)

In Tolkien's works, she is similar to the goddess of greek mythology: Gaia, the "Mother Earth" and Demeter, who was in charge of growth and fertility. She was a powerful and influential Aratar. Yavanna was second to only Vadar in the ranks of the Valier. Aragorn, the son of Arathorn II, may be related to her through Melian the Maia. Melian was King Elessar’s ancestor. Although her relation to Melian isn't clear, she may be related to Melian as a result of her relation to other half-elven and Maia characters, like Erwing and her husband, Earendil. In some adaptations of Yavanna, her sister (Vana) was the bearer of Laurelins's last golden fruit.

1. ^The Silmarillion, Valaquenta: Of the Valar.
2. ^Queen of the Earth.