03:P1b
The Lay of the Children of Húrin (First Version) Prologue and I (b)

More information on this P-text coming soon.

Volume: The Lays of Beleriand
Chapter: The Lay of the Children of Húrin (First Version)
Pages: 16–20
Paragraph count: 201
Token count: 1,459

Citation Index

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

p16
⸤¶and no traveller
⸤¶For those days
⸤¶and the power
⸤¶of the grim
⸤¶till the lands
⸤¶and they fell
⸤¶who bent not
⸤¶of dark Dorlómin
⸤¶that Hithlum unhappy
⸤¶There Morgoth shut
⸤¶fenced them from
⸤¶Even Beleg fared
⸤¶as once was
⸤¶with the armies
⸤¶while murder walked
⸤¶only mighty magic
⸤¶yet held their
⸤¶To assuage his
⸤¶and hate of
⸤¶then Húrin’s son
⸤¶and weapons weighty
⸤¶and went to
⸤¶and far in
⸤¶into black battle
⸤¶Ere manhood’s measure
⸤¶the Orcs of
⸤¶that roamed and
⸤¶There hard his
⸤¶the wounds of
⸤¶and his prowess
⸤¶and beyond his
⸤¶for by him
⸤¶from Thingol’s folk,
⸤¶Thû who was
⸤¶neath Morgoth Bauglir;
⸤¶‘Go ravage the
⸤¶and mar the
⸤¶Only one was
⸤¶higher in honour
⸤¶than Túrin son
⸤¶even the huntsman
p17
⸤¶the son of
⸤¶(to bend whose
⸤¶had none the
⸤¶of the wood’s
⸤¶He was leader
⸤¶the scouts that
⸤¶afar o’er the
⸤¶and tales and
⸤¶of camps and
⸤¶all the movements
⸤¶Thus Túrin, who
⸤¶who was fain
⸤¶and the banded
⸤¶were snared seldom
⸤¶Then the fame
⸤¶were carried to
⸤¶and tales of
⸤¶and how Beleg
⸤¶to the black-haired
⸤¶Then the king
⸤¶ever and anon
⸤¶to rest them
⸤¶the secret songs
⸤¶On a time
⸤¶there was laughter
⸤¶of a countless
⸤¶amid the wine
⸤¶in their golden
⸤¶there burdened the
⸤¶set high in
⸤¶There mirth fell
⸤¶did sing to
⸤¶neath Tain-Gwethil, towering
⸤¶where the great
⸤¶from the guarded
⸤¶Then one sang
⸤¶and the curse
⸤¶all silent sat
⸤¶and waited the
⸤¶the Man among
⸤¶Unheeding he heard
p18
⸤¶or lay or
⸤¶to a deep
⸤¶and strained for
⸤¶for voices that
⸤¶He was lithe
⸤¶and woodland weeds
⸤¶and grey and
⸤¶or golden trinket
⸤¶An Elf there
⸤¶that was lost
⸤¶from the quiet
⸤¶were made in
⸤¶ere light was
⸤¶but blood of
⸤¶He was close
⸤¶a hardy hunter
⸤¶but loose his
⸤¶and his pride
⸤¶He was fain
⸤¶and of gems
⸤¶as found favour
⸤¶Now costly clad
⸤¶he sat on
⸤¶near the king
⸤¶When those twain
⸤¶lightly with laughter,
⸤¶his haggard raiment
⸤¶but Túrin untroubled
⸤¶nor wasted words
⸤¶But this day
⸤¶than of wont,
⸤¶for of twelve
⸤¶since on Morwin
⸤¶he looked the
⸤¶of the forest
⸤¶and he answered
⸤¶Then the fool’s
⸤¶to a keener
⸤¶at the clothes
⸤¶of Túrin newcome
⸤¶He drew forth
p19
⸤¶a comb of
⸤¶and tendered it
⸤¶nor deigned to
⸤¶who too deep
⸤¶‘Nay, an thou
⸤¶nor its use,’
⸤¶thy mother’s ministry,
⸤¶that she teach
⸤¶if the women
⸤¶uncouth and unkempt
⸤¶Then a fierce
⸤¶was born of
⸤¶his white wrath
⸤¶for the women
⸤¶and a heavy
⸤¶with gold adorned
⸤¶of his might
⸤¶he seized and,
⸤¶in the face
⸤¶‘fill thy mouth
⸤¶thus witless prate
⸤¶but his face
⸤¶and heavy his
⸤¶of the floor
⸤¶of the o’erturned
⸤¶as clutching he
⸤¶in death silent.
⸤¶at bench and
⸤¶they rose around
⸤¶he gazed aghast
⸤¶on his wine-stained
⸤¶half-comprehending. On his
⸤¶into the night
⸤¶but some their
⸤¶– they were
⸤¶they dared not
⸤¶stonefacéd stared on
⸤¶and no sign
⸤¶his hands laved
⸤¶that strikes ’fore
⸤¶‘Who has cast,’
p20
⸤¶for all I
⸤¶in bitter banishment
⸤¶of my fosterfather
⸤¶nor look on
⸤¶yea, his heart
⸤¶but that road
⸤¶of the Elves
⸤¶should speed the
⸤¶o’er the hills
⸤¶lest a doom
⸤¶be meted his
⸤¶In the furthest
⸤¶in the darkest
⸤¶in haste he
⸤¶and they found
⸤¶the thanes of
⸤¶sought him sorrowing,
⸤¶with no purpose
⸤¶of Thingol throned
⸤¶He in council
⸤¶to forget their
⸤¶in that wilful
⸤¶of Orgof the
⸤¶that his soul
⸤¶to the deep
⸤¶there a thousand
⸤¶in the gloom
⸤¶ere he fare
⸤¶Yet of his
⸤¶and gifts ungrudging
⸤¶to the sons
⸤¶well deemed the
⸤¶Túrin knew not,
⸤¶the hands of
⸤¶wandering the woodland
⸤¶for his fate
⸤¶should harbour longer