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The first two volumes, The Book of Lost Tales, Part I and Part II , introduce the earliest iterations of the Tolkien mythos. These stories, written during and after World War I, present a much more mythological and "fairy-tale" version of Middle-earth. Notable differences include the presence of "Gnomes" (the early name for the Noldor) and a framing device involving an Anglo-Saxon mariner named Eriol who visits the Lonely Isle. the history of middle earth volumes 1-12 pdf