IIRC the passage in the book just mentions that Legolas had such a "light step" that he didn't break the top of the snow. As Tolkien's elves are supposed to be "unfallen," I suppose it's that they're not burdened down by the weight of sin, mortality and whatnot.
Of course, conceptually, this whole "unfallen" thing leads to all sorts of contradictions. "Wait ... how do they have children without 'original sin'? Surely all those elvish family trees weren't the result of immaculate conception. And wow ... some of those elves in the First and Second Age were pretty wicked ... how come they didn't fall?" etc.
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Date: 2006-07-07 05:55 am (UTC)I can't recall the reason Elves don't. Are they Light and Ethereal or something?
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Date: 2006-07-07 11:15 am (UTC)Of course, conceptually, this whole "unfallen" thing leads to all sorts of contradictions. "Wait ... how do they have children without 'original sin'? Surely all those elvish family trees weren't the result of immaculate conception. And wow ... some of those elves in the First and Second Age were pretty wicked ... how come they didn't fall?" etc.
Oh well! Very pretty scenery, tho. ;)
-The Gneech
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Date: 2006-07-11 02:25 pm (UTC)