<P> Tolkien's essay "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age" in The Silmarillion gives the background of the making of the rings . At the end of the First Age, Sauron evaded the call of the Valar to surrender, and fled to Middle - earth . Midway through the Second Age he came in disguise as Annatar ("Lord of Gifts") to the Elven smiths of Eregion, who were led by Celebrimbor, and taught them the craft of forging magic rings . Tolkien writes that the Elves made many lesser rings as essays in the craft, but eventually with Sauron's assistance they forged the Seven and the Nine . The Three were made by Celebrimbor himself without Sauron's assistance; they remained unsullied by his touch . </P> <P> Sauron returned to Mordor, and in his forge in Mount Doom he made the One Ring, imbuing it with a large portion of his power . Its purpose was to dominate and command the wearers of the other Rings . However, when Sauron put on the One Ring and recited the incantation inscribed on it, the Elves became aware of him, and understood who he was and his purpose . The words he spoke are in the language that Westron speakers call Black Speech: </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> <P> Ash nazg durbatulûk, Ash nazg gimbatul, Ash nazg thrakatulûk Agh burzum - ishi krimpatul . </P> </Td> <Td> <P> One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, And in the darkness bind them . </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> <P> Ash nazg durbatulûk, Ash nazg gimbatul, Ash nazg thrakatulûk Agh burzum - ishi krimpatul . </P> </Td> <Td> <P> One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, And in the darkness bind them . </P> </Td> </Tr>

Who were the rings given to in lord of the rings