--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Much evil must befall a country before it…" description: "\"Much evil must befall a country before it ever really forgets the Elves, if once they lived there.\" — J. R. R. Tolkien" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_country_much-evil-must-befall-a-country-before-i_2055096.png" --- # Much evil must befall a country before it ever really… ![“Much evil must befall a country before it ever really forgets the Elves, if once they lived there.” quote by J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_country_much-evil-must-befall-a-country-before-i_2055096.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_country_much-evil-must-befall-a-country-before-i_2055096.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_country_much-evil-must-befall-a-country-before-i_2055096.png) > “Much evil must befall a country before it ever really forgets the Elves, if once they lived there.” [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A nation may ignore past evils until they become too great, forgetting the lessons of earlier transgressions. **In simple terms:** Nations forget past evils. Key Takeaway Learn from history. Themes history memory justice Mood somber thoughtful Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - national policy - education - reconciliation Key Concepts collective memory political cycles Questions to Reflect On - What warnings does history give? - How can societies retain memory? A Different Perspective Denial can delay necessary change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Elves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elves/) [Elves Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elves-lived-3262423/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Befall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-befall-2353476/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Forgets Elves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgets-elves-3643189/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) ## Related quotes > [Much evil must befall a country before it wholly forgets the Elves, if once they dwelt there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/much-evil-must-befall-a-country-before-it-wholly-forgets-the-elves-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My character is different from all of the Elves you've met before, in that she's really young. And I keep telling journalists this because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/my-character-is-different-from-all-of-the-elves-you-ve-met-before-in/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [The worst evil which can befall the artist is that his work should appear good in his own eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-worst-evil-which-can-befall-the-artist-is-that-his-work-should/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [The greatest evil that can befall man is that he should come to think ill of himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-evil-that-can-befall-man-is-that-he-should-come-to-think/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God loves everyone, to the point that He will permit evil to befall those who are not ready to defend themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/god-loves-everyone-to-the-point-that-he-will-permit-evil-to-befall/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [Evil will befall him who regards not the advice of a benevolent friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/evil-will-befall-him-who-regards-not-the-advice-of-a-benevolent-friend/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [It is plain indeed that in spite of later estrangement Hobbits are relatives of ours: far nearer to us than Elves, or even than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/it-is-plain-indeed-that-in-spite-of-later-estrangement-hobbits-are/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [O! Tril-lil-lil-lolly the valley is jolly, ha! ha! -Elves of Rivendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/o-tril-lil-lil-lolly-the-valley-is-jolly-ha-ha-elves-of-rivendell/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will say both no and yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/go-not-to-the-elves-for-counsel-for-they-will-say-both-no-and-yes/) [J. R. R. 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His sense of duty was no less than yours, I deem. You wonder what his name is, where he came from. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-enemy-his-sense-of-duty-was-no-less-than-yours-i-deem-you-wonder/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [My first name was inspired by the character of Aslan, the lion in C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aselin-debison/my-first-name-was-inspired-by-the-character-of-aslan-the-lion-in-c-s/) [Aselin Debison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aselin-debison/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) ## More by J. R. R. Tolkien > [I never liked Hans Christian Andersen because I knew he was always getting at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/i-never-liked-hans-christian-andersen-because-i-knew-he-was-always/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/no-half-heartedness-and-no-worldly-fear-must-turn-us-aside-from/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [If you don't know where you're going, you'll wind up somewhere else. Not all those who wander are lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/if-you-don-t-know-where-you-re-going-you-ll-wind-up-somewhere-else/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [The enemy? His sense of duty was no less than yours, I deem. You wonder what his name is, where he came from. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-enemy-his-sense-of-duty-was-no-less-than-yours-i-deem-you-wonder/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Much of the same sort of degraded and filthy talk can still be heard among the orc-minded; dreary and repetitive with hatred and contempt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/much-of-the-same-sort-of-degraded-and-filthy-talk-can-still-be-heard/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [It was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/it-was-a-hobbit-hole-and-that-means-comfort/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Adventures make one late for supper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/adventures-make-one-late-for-supper/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-lord-of-the-rings-is-of-course-a-fundamentally-religious-and/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [I have no help to send, therefore I must go myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/i-have-no-help-to-send-therefore-i-must-go-myself/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Many are the strange chances of the world, and help oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the Wise falter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/many-are-the-strange-chances-of-the-world-and-help-oft-shall-come/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Mind your P's and Q's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/mind-your-p-s-and-q-s/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [If you're going to have a complicated story you must work to a map; otherwise you'll never make a map of it afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/if-you-re-going-to-have-a-complicated-story-you-must-work-to-a-map/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Outside the ring of dancing warriors with spears and axes stood wolves at a respectful distance, watching and waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/outside-the-ring-of-dancing-warriors-with-spears-and-axes-stood/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [You have to understand the good in things, to detect the real evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/you-have-to-understand-the-good-in-things-to-detect-the-real-evil/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [The mind that thought of light, heavy, grey, yellow, still, swift, also conceived of magic that would make heavy things light and able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-mind-that-thought-of-light-heavy-grey-yellow-still-swift-also/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) [Explore all 252 J. R. R. Tolkien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. 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The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Much evil must befall a country before it ever really forgets the Elves, if once they lived there.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. 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