The cold laughter of the fay is heard five times throughout the poem, and contrasts with the ‘mirth’ and laughter of the lord and lady. It thus becomes a leitmotif, a kind of fate-theme both presaging and commenting on the lord’s doom, and signalling the hostility of the fairy world toward mortals.
It's interesting that the fay here is the opposite of Middle-Earth's elves. They are inherently good and bear no ill will towards men and I wonder, are they dangerous, dark fay are supposed to be one of those who haven't sailed and gradually diminshed or is she some being who is completely different from them.
Also, from where exactly did Tolkien get his idea for his elves?
