strange stories of the sun and moon and stars , of the manner of the earth and its elements , and of the depths of heaven , were told to him ; and the secret characters of the elves he learnt , and their speeches and old tongues , and heard tell of iluvatar , the lord for always , who dwelleth beyond the world , of the great music of the ainur about iluvatar 's feet in the uttermost deeps of time , whence came the making of the world and the manner of it , and all therein and their governance . ''