The Silmarillion—AINULINDALË--The Music of the Ainur

Ainulindalë, which refers to the “Music of the Ainur”, is the myth of the Creation of Arda, the Earth, before the first Age. The Ainur was “the children of Ilúvatar’s thought”, whereas elves and men are “the children of Ilúvatar”. The World is made up of two parts: The Void, which includes the place where the Ainur lived, “The Timeless Halls”, and Eä, the universe, which Ilúvatar created by his will and in which Arda is in. Ilúvatar then sent some of the Ainur in and they are the Valar, the Powers of the World. When they arrived, they were surprised, for there was different from what they thought Arda was like. They began to labour, but during this time, an evil fell upon them and it was not from the Earth.