: Queen Beruthiel is given a good amount of attention in Unfinished Tales. She was the wife of king Tarannon of Gondor. She always dressed in black. Beruthiel dabbled in witchcraft and had ten cats (nine black and one white) that she used as spies and familiars. Her husband found out about this, divorced her, and set her on a ship out of Gondor. She was last seen from Ethir Anduin floating southwards, perhaps to Umbar.

This little tale has always intrigued me, especially the ten cats (nine black and one white). Nine black cats, nine Nazgul. One white, one Lord of the Rings. I'm sure this inference was not unintentional of Tolkien's part. Was this small tale part of a larger story that was abandoned, or just a tastey tidbit Tolkien added for seasoning?