03:P5
The Lay of the Children of Húrin (Second Version) II

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Volume: The Lays of Beleriand
Chapter: The Lay of the Children of Húrin (Second Version)
Pages: 104–118
Paragraph count: 574
Token count: 3,812

Citation Index

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

p104
II
TÚRIN’S FOSTERING
⸤¶Lo! the lady
⸤¶waited in the
⸤¶but he came
⸤¶from that black
⸤¶no tidings told
⸤¶or lost in
⸤¶Laid waste his
⸤¶and men unmindful
⸤¶in Dorlómin dwelling
⸤¶with his wife
⸤¶and a son
⸤¶Túrin Thalion of
⸤¶In days of
⸤¶and named Nienor,
⸤¶that in language
⸤¶Then her thoughts
⸤¶and Lúthien the
⸤¶his daughter dear,
⸤¶who Tinúviel was
⸤¶the Star-mantled, still
⸤¶who light as
⸤¶had danced in
⸤¶on the lawns
p105
⸤¶while deftly was
⸤¶with fingers fleet
⸤¶The boldest of
⸤¶to wife had
⸤¶had vowed fellowship
⸤¶with Húrin of
⸤¶by the marge
⸤¶Thus to her
⸤¶our friends are
⸤¶Thou must fare
⸤¶where Thingol is
⸤¶If he remember
⸤¶he will foster
⸤¶the trade he
⸤¶that no slave
⸤¶A! return my
⸤¶remember thy mother
⸤¶or when sorrows
⸤¶for fears troubled
⸤¶Heavy boded the
⸤¶who unwitting of
⸤¶yet weened her
⸤¶and denied her
⸤¶Lo! Mailrond and
⸤¶were young of
⸤¶and alone of
⸤¶now steadfast in
⸤¶now she bade
⸤¶and the woods
⸤¶though Túrin be
⸤¶they must gird
⸤¶but to doubt
⸤¶of Morwen who
⸤¶Came a day
⸤¶of the towering
⸤¶to murmurs moving
⸤¶far and faintly;
⸤¶sheen of silver
⸤¶sudden sunbeams were
⸤¶where winds came
⸤¶warm through the
p106
⸤¶Then Morwen stood,
⸤¶by the gate
⸤¶at her breast
⸤¶crooning lowly to
⸤¶a song of
⸤¶lest she droop
⸤¶and Halog hastened
⸤¶and Mailrond the
⸤¶her gallant Túrin,
⸤¶with heart heavy
⸤¶uncomprehending his coming
⸤¶There he cried
⸤¶‘Lo! quickly will
⸤¶I will long
⸤¶great tale of
⸤¶He wist not
⸤¶nor the sundering
⸤¶as farewells they
⸤¶The last kisses
⸤¶are over and
⸤¶in the dark
⸤¶in trees entangled.
⸤¶to woe’s knowledge
⸤¶that he wept
⸤¶sad resounding in
⸤¶as he called:
⸤¶O! Morwen my
⸤¶The hills are
⸤¶O! Morwen my
⸤¶for grim are
⸤¶And there came
⸤¶down the dark
⸤¶that one there
⸤¶heard how the
* * *
⸤¶The ways were
⸤¶o’er the hills
⸤¶deep in the
⸤¶and never ere
⸤¶had children of
⸤¶save Beren the
p107
⸤¶to his wandering
⸤¶or fells or
⸤¶and few had
⸤¶There was told
⸤¶that in the
⸤¶in linkéd words
⸤¶of Beren Ermabwed,
⸤¶how Lúthien the
⸤¶in the enchanted
⸤¶Tinúviel he named
⸤¶more sweet her
⸤¶and wavering wisps
⸤¶shot with starlight,
⸤¶she danced like
⸤¶pale-twinkling pearls in
⸤¶how for love
⸤¶on that quest
⸤¶thrust by Thingol
⸤¶of the Lands
⸤¶and Melian’s magic,
⸤¶that after happened
⸤¶and the flight
⸤¶when Carcharoth the
⸤¶the wolf-warden of
⸤¶whose vitals fire
⸤¶them hunted howling
⸤¶he had bitten
⸤¶the nameless wonder,
⸤¶where light living
⸤¶all hue’s essence.
⸤¶and the woods
⸤¶in his dreadful
⸤¶did shudder darkly
⸤¶how the hound
⸤¶to the hunt
⸤¶and as dawn
⸤¶was the slayer
⸤¶there Beren bleeding
⸤¶till the lips
⸤¶awoke him to
⸤¶to the long
⸤¶the Elf-maiden, and
p108
⸤¶her mother Mablui
⸤¶that they dwell
⸤¶and the grass
⸤¶where East or
⸤¶Then a song
⸤¶a sudden sweetness
⸤¶that is ‘Light
⸤¶whose music of
⸤¶yet in hearts
⸤¶The grass was
⸤¶The leaves of
⸤¶The old tree-roots
⸤¶And the early
⸤¶There went her
⸤¶And Dairon’s flute
⸤¶As neath the
⸤¶Tinúviel danced a-shimmering.
⸤¶The pale moths
⸤¶And daylight died
⸤¶As Beren from
⸤¶Came thither wayworn
⸤¶He peered between
⸤¶And watched in
⸤¶Her dancing through
⸤¶And the ghostly
⸤¶There magic took
⸤¶And he forgot
⸤¶And out he
⸤¶Where the moonbeams
⸤¶Through the tangled
⸤¶They fled on
⸤¶And left him
⸤¶In the silent
⸤¶Still hearkening for
⸤¶Of lissom feet
p109
⸤¶For music welling
⸤¶In the dim-lit
⸤¶But withered are
⸤¶And one by
⸤¶Whispering fall the
⸤¶In the dying
⸤¶He sought her
⸤¶Where the leaves
⸤¶By winter moon
⸤¶With shaken light
⸤¶He found her
⸤¶A silver wraith
⸤¶And the mists
⸤¶In moonlight palely
⸤¶She danced upon
⸤¶Whose grass unfading
⸤¶While Dairon’s fingers
⸤¶O’er his magic
⸤¶And out he
⸤¶In the moonlight
⸤¶No impress found
⸤¶That fled him
⸤¶And longing filled
⸤¶‘Tinúviel, Tinúviel,’¶⸥⸤⸥
⸤¶And longing sped
⸤¶Behind her wayward
⸤¶She heard as
⸤¶His lonely voice
⸤¶‘Tinúviel, Tinúviel’:¶⸥⸤⸥
⸤¶One moment paused
⸤¶And Beren caught
⸤¶And kissed her
⸤¶Tinúviel whom love
⸤¶In the woods
⸤¶Till moonlight and
⸤¶Shall Beren by
⸤¶Dance in the
⸤¶In the forest
p110
⸤¶Wherever grass is
⸤¶And the leaves
⸤¶And ancient roots
⸤¶As once they
⸤¶Shall go their
⸤¶But never Dairon’s
⸤¶Be heard beneath
⸤¶Since Beren came
⸤¶This for hearts’
⸤¶as the frowning
⸤¶and nethermost night
⸤¶There Túrin and
⸤¶and hunger and
⸤¶from wolfriders and
⸤¶and the things
⸤¶There numbed and
⸤¶cold and clinging,
⸤¶summer had vanquished
⸤¶a dismal dripping
⸤¶ever splashed and
⸤¶from rainy leaves,
⸤¶greyly, grudgingly, gleaming
⸤¶at drenching dawn.
⸤¶in the magic
⸤¶and strayed steerless,
⸤¶and the sun
⸤¶had the mountains
⸤¶bewildered and wayworn
⸤¶in despair and
⸤¶Without bread or
⸤¶and fainting strength
⸤¶their death they
⸤¶when they heard
⸤¶and dogs baying.
⸤¶and hushed hollows
⸤¶and echoes answered
⸤¶for Beleg the
⸤¶who furthest fared
⸤¶by hill and
⸤¶careless of comrades
⸤¶as light as
p111
⸤¶as free and
⸤¶He was great
⸤¶and lithe of
⸤¶his footsteps fell
⸤¶all garbed in
⸤¶‘Who are ye?’
⸤¶hiding, hunted, by
⸤¶‘Nay, for famine
⸤¶‘wayworn and wildered,
⸤¶Or hast not
⸤¶field tear-drenchéd where
⸤¶Morgoth devoured the
⸤¶of the hosts
⸤¶The Thalion Erithámrod
⸤¶there vanished from
⸤¶yet weeps in
⸤¶Thou lookest on
⸤¶and the Thalion’s
⸤¶now wend at
⸤¶Then Beleg bade
⸤¶‘The Gods have
⸤¶I have heard
⸤¶and who hath
⸤¶of Nirnaith Ornoth,
⸤¶To that war
⸤¶with the Orcs
⸤¶smite oft unseen
⸤¶I am the
⸤¶the forest is
⸤¶Then he bade
⸤¶a flask of
⸤¶that is bruised
⸤¶the Gnome-folk know
⸤¶by long ways
⸤¶for the Elves
⸤¶the vine-clad valleys
⸤¶in the land
⸤¶a fire, with
⸤¶of wind-fallen wood
⸤¶rotten, rain-sodden, to
p112
⸤¶there coaxed and
⸤¶there baked they
⸤¶white wheaten bread
⸤¶he haled from
⸤¶and hope mounted,
⸤¶by that wine
⸤¶and they soundly
⸤¶of the tall
⸤¶Then they waked
⸤¶and merry was
⸤¶from the radiant
⸤¶long leagues to
⸤¶devious winding through
⸤¶by slade and
⸤¶through lonely days,
⸤¶they fared unfaltering,
⸤¶who but for
⸤¶by the magic
⸤¶To those shadowy
⸤¶where stilly the
⸤¶of the cavernous
⸤¶Over the guarded
⸤¶and thrice they
⸤¶‘the Gods are
⸤¶what the future
⸤¶To the throne
⸤¶there their speech
⸤¶for Húrin of
⸤¶whom Beren Ermabwed
⸤¶and remembering Morwen,
⸤¶he turned not
⸤¶There clasped him
⸤¶for Melian moved
⸤¶and he said:
⸤¶the light in
⸤¶Húrin of Hithlum,
⸤¶and here shalt
⸤¶In these cavernous
⸤¶thou shalt dwell
⸤¶to remember thy
⸤¶thou shalt wisdom
p113
⸤¶and weapons shalt
⸤¶nor slave in
⸤¶There the twain
⸤¶till their limbs
⸤¶through dread and
⸤¶so firm their
⸤¶eld sat more
⸤¶of Mailrond the
⸤¶his might matched
⸤¶than Halog he
⸤¶Then sickness assailed
⸤¶‘To Túrin I
⸤¶he said and
⸤¶but Halog hardened
⸤¶An Elfin escort
⸤¶and magics of
⸤¶and a message
⸤¶words of gladness
⸤¶and Túrin taken
⸤¶of the King
⸤¶now Thingol called
⸤¶to fare unfearing
⸤¶there to sojourn
⸤¶for Húrin of
⸤¶and no might
⸤¶Of the errand
⸤¶the tale tells
⸤¶to Morwen’s threshold.
⸤¶was said where
⸤¶but she dared
⸤¶who Nienor her
⸤¶would not leave
⸤¶to adventure her
⸤¶the pride of
⸤¶had suffered her
⸤¶when despair urged
⸤¶an almsguest of
⸤¶it little liked
⸤¶a hope in
⸤¶and the dwelling
⸤¶at night she
p114
⸤¶or a footstep
⸤¶Thus she fared
⸤¶Yet the thanes
⸤¶nor her shame
⸤¶to reward their
⸤¶but gave them
⸤¶that last lingered,
⸤¶a helm of
⸤¶when he battled
⸤¶against ogres and
⸤¶Grey-gleaming steel, with
⸤¶wrights had wrought
⸤¶of might and
⸤¶and its wearer
⸤¶whoso bore to
⸤¶dire dragon-headed its
⸤¶This Thingol she
⸤¶Thus Halog her
⸤¶but Thingol’s thanes
⸤¶and girt them
⸤¶enmeshed the mountains
⸤¶for the hills
⸤¶Lo! Morwen’s message
⸤¶so speedy fared
⸤¶For Morwen Melian
⸤¶but courteously the
⸤¶her golden gift,
⸤¶who deeply delved
⸤¶with elvish armouries
⸤¶yet he handled
⸤¶‘That head were
⸤¶with the token
⸤¶to Dorlómin dear,
⸤¶that Thalion Erithámrod
⸤¶oft bore into
⸤¶Would that he
⸤¶on that direst
⸤¶Then a thought
⸤¶and Túrin was
⸤¶that his mother
⸤¶had sent to
p115
⸤¶o’er-written with runes
⸤¶in dark dwarfland
⸤¶ere Men to
⸤¶o’er the world
⸤¶by the father
⸤¶whose sire Gumlin
⸤¶ere his soul
⸤¶‘’Tis Telchar’s work
⸤¶its wearer warded
⸤¶from glaive guarded
⸤¶Now Húrin’s helm
⸤¶to battle bids
⸤¶go wear it
⸤¶did Túrin touch
⸤¶too weak to
⸤¶and his mind
⸤¶was mazed and
⸤¶Thus many a
⸤¶it came to
⸤¶for twelve years
⸤¶But seven winters
⸤¶on the son
⸤¶came glad and
⸤¶nine years followed
⸤¶and his lot
⸤¶from faring folk
⸤¶and tidings were
⸤¶how Morwen his
⸤¶and easement of
⸤¶all Nienor named
⸤¶the slender maiden
⸤¶now graceful growing.
⸤¶and hope yet
⸤¶He waxed and
⸤¶in all lands
⸤¶for his stoutness
⸤¶Much lore he
⸤¶but fortune followed
⸤¶oft wrong and
⸤¶what he loved
⸤¶and full friendship
p116
⸤¶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
⸤¶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 was
⸤¶There Morgoth shut
⸤¶fenced them from
⸤¶Even Beleg fared
⸤¶as once was
⸤¶with the armies
⸤¶and murder walked
⸤¶only the mighty
⸤¶yet held their
⸤¶To assuage his
⸤¶for his heart
⸤¶then Húrin’s son
⸤¶and weapons weighty
⸤¶and he went
⸤¶and far in
⸤¶into black battle
⸤¶Ere manhood’s measure
⸤¶Orcs of Angband
⸤¶that roamed and
⸤¶There hard his
⸤¶the wounds of
⸤¶of the sickle
⸤¶the bloodfain blades
⸤¶in Angband smithied,
p117
⸤¶unfey, fearless, and
⸤¶Thus his prowess
⸤¶and beyond his
⸤¶for by him
⸤¶from Thingol’s folk,
⸤¶and wide wandered
⸤¶‘Lo! we deemed
⸤¶but high o’er
⸤¶its wings are
⸤¶and the flame
⸤¶Or is Húrin
⸤¶And Thû who
⸤¶neath Morgoth Bauglir,
⸤¶‘go ravage the
⸤¶and mar the
⸤¶even Thû feared
⸤¶One only was
⸤¶more high in
⸤¶than Túrin son
⸤¶even the hunter
⸤¶whose father was
⸤¶to bend whose
⸤¶that the black
⸤¶had none the
⸤¶of the woods’
⸤¶He was leader
⸤¶all garbed in
⸤¶the archers arrowfleet
⸤¶the scouts that
⸤¶afar o’er the
⸤¶and tales and
⸤¶of camps and
⸤¶all the movements
⸤¶Thus Túrin, who
⸤¶who was fain
⸤¶where shining swords
⸤¶and his corslet-clad
⸤¶were snared seldom
⸤¶Then the fame
⸤¶was carried to
⸤¶and tales of
p118
⸤¶of the bond
⸤¶with the blackhaired
⸤¶Then the king
⸤¶did Orc-raids lessen
⸤¶ever and often
⸤¶to rest them
⸤¶in songs and
⸤¶the memory of
⸤¶when the mountains
⸤¶On a time
⸤¶and Thingol thanked
⸤¶there was laughter
⸤¶of a countless
⸤¶and the wine
⸤¶in their golden
⸤¶there burdened the
⸤¶in those high
⸤¶There mirth fell
⸤¶did sing them
⸤¶that Taingwethil towering
⸤¶o’ershadowed sheerly, of
⸤¶where the great
⸤¶from the guarded
⸤¶One sang of
⸤¶and the curse