: ...Tolkien made a definite connection between his wife and Luthien Tinuviel. On their joint gravestone there are two words other than their given names and dates:

: LUTHIEN

: BEREN

: Somewhere Tom calls Goldberry daughter of the River (Withywindle ?) which would make her a water nymph in classical terms. In Middle Earth terms it would probably make her one of the followers of one of the "Water dieties" - Ulmo or one of his tribe - which I would guess would make her a very minor Maia. In the Silmarillion Ulmo is given authority over all waters even to the very source-springs of streams.