Part of the charm of The Lord of the Rings, though, is that it draws upon British mythology and cultural heritage, all of which are older than the story itself. Tolkien was in fact hoping to make the book a new kind of myth for modern Britain.

I'm not familiar with the different Arthurian stories you're relating here, this is interesting. I like all of these different themes, such as the embodiment of the "dark side" of Arthur. I'm mainly familiar with L'Morte de Arthur, upon which most modern versions of the myth are based.

Ever heard of Joseph Campbell? I considered going to university to study comparative mythology. Ended up teaching English in the middle of England instead. Go figure.

Yes, the original Grimm's fairy tales were . . . grim. As were some of Hans Christian Andersen's. Different stories for a different age.