03:P4
The Lay of the Children of Húrin (Second Version) I

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Volume: The Lays of Beleriand
Chapter: The Lay of the Children of Húrin (Second Version)
Pages: 95–101
Paragraph count: 250
Token count: 1,543

Citation Index

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

p95
THE CHILDREN OF
I
⸤¶Ye Gods who
⸤¶with moveless pinnacles,
⸤¶o’er shrouded shores
⸤¶of the Bay
⸤¶Ye Men unmindful
⸤¶wars and weeping
⸤¶of Morgoth’s might
⸤¶Lo! hear what
⸤¶lingering forlorn in
⸤¶fading faintly down
⸤¶in shadowy isles
p96
⸤¶sing still in
⸤¶how his webs
⸤¶with Níniel’s sorrow:
⸤¶A! Húrin Thalion
⸤¶was whelmed in
⸤¶of the ruined
⸤¶in blood beaten;
⸤¶of Finweg fell
⸤¶and his gleaming
⸤¶shields were shaken,
⸤¶in darkling tide
⸤¶the cruel Glamhoth’s
⸤¶were lost and
⸤¶That field yet
⸤¶Nirnaith Ornoth, Unnumbered
⸤¶the seven chieftains
⸤¶fled there and
⸤¶betrayed with treason.
⸤¶unmoved remembered in
⸤¶Thalion Erithámrod and
⸤¶Torn and trampled
⸤¶of the house
⸤¶In host upon
⸤¶with hideous arms
⸤¶enmeshed his might,
⸤¶pulled down the
⸤¶At Bauglir’s bidding
⸤¶to the halls
⸤¶to the Mountains
⸤¶they led the
⸤¶Húrin Thalion, to
⸤¶in halls upheld
⸤¶of black basalt.
⸤¶worms and serpents
⸤¶there Bauglir’s breast
⸤¶with blazing rage,
⸤¶from his trap
⸤¶Fingolfin’s son; Fëanor’s
⸤¶the makers of
⸤¶For Húrin standing
⸤¶unbent in battle,
p97
⸤¶his axe wielded
⸤¶the sound of
⸤¶as livid lightning
⸤¶as toppling trunks
⸤¶his foes had
⸤¶where blades were
⸤¶the Men of
⸤¶with sad remnant
⸤¶of ruthless Orcs,
⸤¶that Turgon the
⸤¶a pathway clove
⸤¶from swirling slaughter.
⸤¶through the hosts
⸤¶on the lea
⸤¶goes sweeping scythe.
⸤¶a countless company,
⸤¶through darkened dales
⸤¶out of ken
⸤¶in the tale
⸤¶thus to doubt
⸤¶thus his mind
⸤¶thoughts of darkness,
⸤¶bound, unbending, in
⸤¶Said the dread
⸤¶stout steel-handed, stands
⸤¶yet quick a
⸤¶Then knows he
⸤¶what hope he
⸤¶The bale most
⸤¶Then Húrin answered,
⸤¶his shining eyes
⸤¶in wrath were
⸤¶by fear unfettered
⸤¶nor dread thee
⸤¶fiends and phantoms,
⸤¶His dark tresses,
⸤¶that fell o’er
⸤¶in the eye
⸤¶since that day
⸤¶has no mortal
⸤¶There the mind
p98
⸤¶neath gaze unfathomed
⸤¶yet his heart
⸤¶But Lungorthin Lord
⸤¶on the mouth
⸤¶‘Nay, fear when
⸤¶and the whistling
⸤¶and wilting flesh
⸤¶Then hung they
⸤¶in chains by
⸤¶that with fiery
⸤¶yet loosed not
⸤¶to pray for
⸤¶on the sable
⸤¶of far-off fires
⸤¶down deep corridors
⸤¶in the blind
⸤¶there with mourning
⸤¶the throb and
⸤¶brazen clangour; belched
⸤¶flaming furnaces; there
⸤¶through the glooms
⸤¶their captives herded
⸤¶Many a hopeless
⸤¶for his tearless
⸤¶Lo! Morgoth remembered
⸤¶the weird of
⸤¶in ruin and
⸤¶of mortal Men
⸤¶that treason alone
⸤¶should master the
⸤¶the children of
⸤¶from defeat fending
⸤¶Turgon the terrible,
⸤¶the sons of
⸤¶homes hid darkly
⸤¶where Thingol was
⸤¶Then the Lord
⸤¶to where Húrin
p99
⸤¶and the Balrogs
⸤¶with flails of
⸤¶there laughed as
⸤¶but Bauglir said:
⸤¶’tis fate unfitting
⸤¶warrior warfain that
⸤¶his sword he
⸤¶to free him
⸤¶While shrinking in
⸤¶in the hungry
⸤¶their league belying,
⸤¶he by evil
⸤¶dungeons droopeth doomed
⸤¶and anguish endless.
⸤¶I had fainer
⸤¶or axe with
⸤¶wield in warfare
⸤¶the banners of
⸤¶in my sounding
⸤¶of glowing steel
⸤¶be forged and
⸤¶and mail unmatched
⸤¶my mercy waiving
⸤¶neath the brazen
⸤¶who art worthy
⸤¶as a captain
⸤¶and shields are
⸤¶of their foes
⸤¶Lo! receive my
⸤¶ancient enmity thus
⸤¶I am a
⸤¶his servants’ deeds.
⸤¶thy hand should
⸤¶as Bauglir’s champion,
⸤¶to lead o’er
⸤¶whose royal array
⸤¶on Turgon the
⸤¶and left thee
⸤¶in waterless wastes
⸤¶my wrath to
⸤¶robber-Gnomes, rebels, and
⸤¶that forlorn witless
p100
⸤¶defy in their
⸤¶I will bid
⸤¶Go follow their
⸤¶with thy sword
⸤¶when in triumph
⸤¶I have hoards
⸤¶suffered no longer
⸤¶through clenchéd teeth
⸤¶‘O accursed king’,
⸤¶‘thy hopes build
⸤¶no tool am
⸤¶who tryst nor
⸤¶seek traitors elsewhere.’¶⸥⸤⸥
Then returned answer
⸤¶Morgoth amazed his
⸤¶‘Nay, madness holds
⸤¶my measureless hoards
⸤¶in places secret
⸤¶agelong unopened; Elfin
⸤¶and gold in
⸤¶the gems and
⸤¶in the mansions
⸤¶are mine, and
⸤¶of wealth to
⸤¶Then Húrin, hanging,
⸤¶‘Canst not learn
⸤¶O Bauglir unblest?
⸤¶of the things
⸤¶In hate I
⸤¶and thy might
⸤¶and cruel counsels
⸤¶must wait, on
⸤¶To the hosts
⸤¶‘Let thy foul
⸤¶ye Balrogs and
⸤¶go seek the
⸤¶Through the dismal
⸤¶like startled starlings
⸤¶Minions miserable of
⸤¶your doom dread
⸤¶The tide shall
p101
⸤¶and victory shall
⸤¶the wrath of
⸤¶Then tumult awoke,
⸤¶in rage roaring
⸤¶consuming madness seized
⸤¶yet with lowered
⸤¶thus Thalion Erithámrod
⸤¶‘Thou hast said
⸤¶shall march to
⸤¶nor thy aid
⸤¶mortal mightless. I
⸤¶on my deeds
⸤¶Yet if little
⸤¶helpless to hinder
⸤¶and thy lidless
⸤¶shall not shut
⸤¶like the Gods
⸤¶on the might
⸤¶to fools who
⸤¶To Thangorodrim was
⸤¶that mountain that
⸤¶on high over
⸤¶blackly brooding on
⸤¶There stretched on
⸤¶in bonds unbreakable
⸤¶there the lord
⸤¶there cursed him
⸤¶that should walk
⸤¶to a doom
⸤¶There the mighty
⸤¶but unveiled was
⸤¶with eyes enchanted
⸤¶and the weird
⸤¶that fell on