Back to Elves
It is written in the Silmarillion , in the chapter "Of the coming of Men into the West", p. 168:
"Now the Eldar
were beyond all other people skilled in tongues; and Felagund"
(King Finrod Felagund
of
Nargothrond
who eventually died fulfilling an oath to
Barahir, Beren's
father,
when he followed Beren into Thangorodrim and there fell
into darkness and was
slain
by
a werewolf, even as he slew it, but I digress.)
"discovered also that
he
could
read in the minds of men such thoughts as they wished
to reveal in speech."
This passage is omitted in all other
versions of the "Quenta Silmarillion", but as the Silmarillion
was
later then these I would take it to be true. Whether this ability
was
given to all elves, all the Noldor or only the high among the
Noldor or
other Races
is not known to me.
It was said (Lord of the Rings) that
Galadriel
could
read the hidden secrets of men's hearts. It would appear
that if
she
had this ability it was augmented by her Ring, one of the Three,
(Nenya),
for she was able to read the hearts of Gimli and Legolas as well (The
Fellowship
of the Ring: "The Mirror of Galadriel".).
The Orcs are but perverted versions of elves so
likely
if they have it normal elves do. It would appear they don't
for
they
had to torture Frodo and others (LOTR) In order to make them
talk.
Whether as Varda (guild member, not book character)
suggested,
it's
strength might depend on whether the mind readee was fond of the
mind
reader,
would also help to decipher this mystery were it known. I am
forced
to conclude from the limited information that it is not known who
had
it,
what was the extent of the ability, and what it depended on.
I
leave
it up to you, the reader, to decide for yourself.
References:
Lord
of
the Rings : FotR
"The Mirror of Galadriel"
Silmarillion
"Of the coming of Men into the West"
Related articles: See also the ability of prophecy
under
"Mythological Themes in the Works of Tolkien" by
Irmo-(Valar)
(Ed. note: paper removed at
Irmo's
request)