Cuivienyarna

Cuivienyarna is a legend that tells of the awakening of the Elves. It is found in The History of Middle-earth -The War of the Jewels. The tale accounts the story of how the Elves became members of the Three Clans of the Quendi and the fathers of these clans, Imin, Tata, and Enel.

Etymology
The legend title comes from the lake of Cuiviénen where the evles awoke. Cuiviénen translates as Water of Awakening and Cuivienyarna can be broken down to cuivië: awakening and nyarna: legend.

Summary
The tale begins at Cuiviénen, which is a bay in the Sea of Helcar. Imin, Tata, and Enel were the first to awake and the first three numbers of the elvish counting system were based after their names. The first thing they saw were the stars in the sky and above all other light the Elves loved starlight the most. Then they saw their spouses next to them (Iminyë, Tatië and Enelyë) and awoke them. The six made their way to a dell where twelve Quendi had awoken. Imin chose these as his companions since he had been the first to awake. They continued to further and found eighteen Quendi who had awoken. Tata chose these as his companions since he had been second to awake. As they continued on they found twenty-four Quendi who had awoken and this time Enel chose these as his companions. They traveled further and came to a hill where thirty-six Elves had awoke. Imin however, noticing that the numbers of the Elves increased each time, decided to wait for a bigger group. These Elves followed Tata instead. Continuing on they found a lake where forty-four Elves were bathing and singing. These Elves would love the water more then all the others. Imin waited still and the Elves went with Enel. These three groups, the Minyar (Imin), the Tatyar (Tata), and the Nelyar (Enel), were the origins of the tribes Vanyar, the Noldor, and the Teleri.