03:P1a
The Lay of the Children of Húrin (First Version) Prologue and I (a)

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Volume: The Lays of Beleriand
Chapter: The Lay of the Children of Húrin (First Version)
Pages: 6–14
Paragraph count: 360
Token count: 2,564

Citation Index

Page numbers refer to the setting used by all editions other than mass-market paperbacks.

p6
TÚRIN SON OF
⸤¶Lo! the golden
⸤¶the gloom of
⸤¶the woes of
⸤¶fading faintly down
⸤¶is now to
⸤¶of Níniel the
⸤¶of Thalion’s son
⸤¶Lo! Húrin Thalion
⸤¶was whelmed, what
⸤¶of Elfinesse were
⸤¶by the dread
⸤¶That field is
⸤¶Nínin Unothradin, Unnumbered
⸤¶There the children
⸤¶fled and fought
⸤¶they betrayed with
⸤¶Thalion Erithámrod and
⸤¶There in host
⸤¶overbore him at
⸤¶by the bidding
⸤¶and pulled down
⸤¶To Bauglir’s halls
⸤¶to the Hells
⸤¶they haled the
⸤¶Thalion Erithámrod, to
⸤¶whose breast was
⸤¶and wroth he
⸤¶had not taken
⸤¶even Finweg’s heir;
⸤¶makers of the
⸤¶For Turgon towering
⸤¶a pathway clove
⸤¶out of that
⸤¶through the hosts
⸤¶all low on
⸤¶A countless company
⸤¶through the darkened
p7
⸤¶out of ken
⸤¶in the tale;
⸤¶of Morgoth the
⸤¶Nor spies sped
⸤¶nor his wealth
⸤¶whither the nation
⸤¶Now a thought
⸤¶bound, unbending, in
⸤¶then moved in
⸤¶how Men were
⸤¶by the Elves
⸤¶could master the
⸤¶the children of
⸤¶‘Is it dauntless
⸤¶‘stout steel-handed, who
⸤¶a captive living
⸤¶Knowest thou my
⸤¶what hope he
⸤¶the bale most
⸤¶‘I know and
⸤¶by fear unfettered,
⸤¶said Thalion there,
⸤¶on the mouth
⸤¶‘Fear when thou
⸤¶and the whips
⸤¶Yet a way
⸤¶to lessen thy
⸤¶Go question the
⸤¶I have taken,
⸤¶how with fire
⸤¶where he lurketh
⸤¶Thou must feign
⸤¶and their inmost
⸤¶Then, if truth
⸤¶I will bid
⸤¶in my service
⸤¶following the footsteps
⸤¶‘Build not thy
⸤¶I am no
⸤¶torment were sweeter
p8
⸤¶‘If torment be
⸤¶The hoards of
⸤¶the gems and
⸤¶are mine, and
⸤¶yea, wealth to
⸤¶‘Canst not learn
⸤¶O Bauglir unblest?
⸤¶of the things
⸤¶In hate I
⸤¶‘Boldly thou bravest
⸤¶in mirth quod
⸤¶and thy aid
⸤¶if little they
⸤¶helpless to hinder,
⸤¶Then Thalion was
⸤¶that mountain that
⸤¶on high o’er
⸤¶blackly brooding on
⸤¶To a stool
⸤¶they bound him
⸤¶and the Lord
⸤¶then cursed him
⸤¶with a doom
⸤¶There the mighty
⸤¶but unveiled was
⸤¶all earthly things
⸤¶that fell on
I
TÚRIN’S FOSTERING
⸤¶Lo! the lady
⸤¶waited in the
⸤¶but he came
⸤¶No tidings told
⸤¶or lost in
⸤¶Laid waste his
⸤¶and men unmindful
⸤¶dwelt in Dorlómin
p9
⸤¶with his widowed
⸤¶who a son
⸤¶Túrin Thaliodrin of
⸤¶Then in days
⸤¶and was naméd
⸤¶that in language
⸤¶Then her thoughts
⸤¶and the dancer
⸤¶whom the boldest
⸤¶had won to
⸤¶firmest friendship to
⸤¶Thalion Erithámrod –
⸤¶and said to
⸤¶our friends are
⸤¶Thou must fare
⸤¶where Thingol is
⸤¶If he remember
⸤¶he will fain
⸤¶he will teach
⸤¶and Thalion’s son
⸤¶but remember thy
⸤¶Heavy boded the
⸤¶yet he weened
⸤¶and he denied
⸤¶Lo! henchmen had
⸤¶who were young
⸤¶who alone of
⸤¶steadfast in service
⸤¶now she bade
⸤¶and the woods
⸤¶though Túrin be
⸤¶they must gird
⸤¶and Morwin mourned
⸤¶Came a summer
⸤¶warm through the
⸤¶Then Morwin stood
⸤¶by the gate
⸤¶At the breast
⸤¶and the doorpost
⸤¶There Gumlin guided
⸤¶and a heavy
p10
⸤¶but the heart
⸤¶uncomprehending its coming
⸤¶He sought for
⸤¶‘Quickly will I
⸤¶long ere manhood
⸤¶great tale of
⸤¶for he wist
⸤¶nor the sundering
⸤¶The farewells are
⸤¶to the dark
⸤¶in the tangled
⸤¶his awakened heart,
⸤¶calling ‘I cannot,
⸤¶O Morwin, my
⸤¶Hateful are the
⸤¶O Morwin, my
⸤¶Grim are the
⸤¶And there came
⸤¶down the dark
⸤¶and one who
⸤¶heard how the
⸤¶The ways were
⸤¶o’er the hills
⸤¶deep in the
⸤¶and never ere
⸤¶had children of
⸤¶and few of
⸤¶There Túrin and
⸤¶and hunger and
⸤¶for wolfriders and
⸤¶and the Things
⸤¶Magics were about
⸤¶and strayed steerless,
⸤¶Thus they passed
⸤¶wildered and wayworn
⸤¶They had nor
⸤¶their death they
⸤¶when they heard
⸤¶and baying dogs.
⸤¶who farthest fared
⸤¶ahunting by hill
p11
⸤¶who cared not
⸤¶He was great
⸤¶but lithe of
⸤¶his footsteps fell
⸤¶all garbed in
⸤¶a son of
⸤¶‘Who are ye?’
⸤¶hard hunted men
⸤¶‘Nay, for famine
⸤¶‘wayworn and wildered,
⸤¶Or hast not
⸤¶or the tear-drenchéd
⸤¶of Morgoth devoured
⸤¶There Thalion Erithámrod
⸤¶vanished from the
⸤¶weeps yet widowed
⸤¶Thou lookest on
⸤¶and Thalion’s son
⸤¶are wending by
⸤¶Then Beleg bade
⸤¶‘The Gods have
⸤¶I have heard
⸤¶and who hath
⸤¶of Nínin Unothradin,
⸤¶To that war
⸤¶with the Orcs
⸤¶oft stab unseen
⸤¶I am the
⸤¶Then he bade
⸤¶a flask of
⸤¶that is bruised
⸤¶and the Gnome-folk
⸤¶and by long
⸤¶There bakéd flesh
⸤¶they had to
⸤¶by the wine
⸤¶and they soundly
⸤¶of the tall
⸤¶Later they wakened
⸤¶devious winding through
p12
⸤¶by slade and
⸤¶through lonely days
⸤¶and but for
⸤¶by the magic
⸤¶To the shadowy
⸤¶where stilly that
⸤¶of the cavernous
⸤¶O’er the guarded
⸤¶and thrice they
⸤¶‘the Gods are
⸤¶what the future
⸤¶To the throne
⸤¶and their speech
⸤¶and held in
⸤¶Beren Ermabwed’s brother-in-arms.¶⸥⸤⸥
⸤¶Remembering Morwin, of
⸤¶he turned not
⸤¶said: ‘O son
⸤¶in my cavernous
⸤¶Nor as slave
⸤¶thou shalt dwell
⸤¶to remember thy
⸤¶Thou wisdom shalt
⸤¶and weapons shalt
⸤¶and Thalion’s son
⸤¶There tarried the
⸤¶till their limbs
⸤¶through dread and
⸤¶But Gumlin was
⸤¶than Halog, and
⸤¶Then sickness took
⸤¶while Halog hardened
⸤¶An Elfin escort
⸤¶and magics of
⸤¶In his mouth
⸤¶words of the
⸤¶how Thingol called
⸤¶to fare unfearing
⸤¶there to sojourn
⸤¶for Húrin the
⸤¶and no might
p13
⸤¶Of the errand
⸤¶the tale tells
⸤¶to the threshold
⸤¶was said where
⸤¶But she dared
⸤¶for Nienor her
⸤¶More, the pride
⸤¶had suffered her
⸤¶when despair sped
⸤¶as alms-guest of
⸤¶it liked her
⸤¶a hope in
⸤¶and the dwelling
⸤¶At night she
⸤¶or a footstep
⸤¶so she fared
⸤¶Yet the thanes
⸤¶and her shame
⸤¶to reward their
⸤¶but gave them
⸤¶that last lingered,
⸤¶a helm of
⸤¶when he battled
⸤¶against ogres and
⸤¶’twas o’erwritten with
⸤¶She bade Thingol
⸤¶Thus Halog her
⸤¶the thanes of
⸤¶and the message
⸤¶so quick their
⸤¶Then was Melian
⸤¶and courteously received
⸤¶who deeply delved
⸤¶with Elfin armouries
⸤¶but he handled
⸤¶said: ‘High were
⸤¶with that token
⸤¶that Thalion Erithámrod
⸤¶oft bore into
⸤¶Then a thought
⸤¶and Túrin he
p14
⸤¶that Morwin his
⸤¶had sent to
⸤¶a helm that
⸤¶whose makers had
⸤¶that its worth
⸤¶guarded from glaive
⸤¶‘Lo! Húrin’s helm
⸤¶bids thee battle;
⸤¶and Túrin touched
⸤¶too weak to
⸤¶and his mind
⸤¶and the first
⸤¶Thus came it
⸤¶that Túrin tarried
⸤¶with Gumlin his
⸤¶when but seven
⸤¶on the son
⸤¶his lot was
⸤¶from faring folk
⸤¶and tidings were
⸤¶how Morwin his
⸤¶and they named
⸤¶to the sweet
⸤¶Thus his heart
⸤¶There he waxed
⸤¶in all lands
⸤¶for the strength
⸤¶Much lore he
⸤¶but fortune followed
⸤¶oft wrong and
⸤¶what he loved
⸤¶and full friendship
⸤¶nor was lightly
⸤¶He was gloomy-hearted,
⸤¶for the sundering
⸤¶On manhood’s threshold
⸤¶in the wielding
⸤¶he had a
⸤¶for he mourned
⸤¶Yet greater his
⸤¶when from Hithlum’s