Nost-na-Lothion

Nost-na-Lothion, or Nostna-Lothion, was a spring festival held in the Elven city of Gondolin.

Description

The festival was a celebration of the coming of spring when the snow and ice of the Encircling Hills melted and flooded the Tumladin, which took in and "drank the waters", and "burst into flowers". The festival was held in early spring "with revelry of children", and predicted a fruitful blossoming of living things that year, which uplifted "the hearts of the Gondothim" with the hope of a "good promise of the year". The first assault of the Fall of Gondolin happened during this time.

Etymology

Nost-na-Lothion is a Gnomish name meaning "birth of flowers", comprised of the elements nost ("birth; blood, high birth; birthday"), na ("of (the)"), and loth ("flower").

In other versions

In an early draft referred to as Tuor B, Tolkien originally gave Nost-na-Lossion as the name of the festival, but soon changed it to Nost-na-Lothion. The last element Lossion is derived from lôs, an early form of loth.

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