IV. THE LAY OF LEITHIAN RECOMMENCED. When my father began the Lay of Leithian again from the beginning, he did not at first intend much more, perhaps, than a revision, an improve- ment of individual lines and short passages, but all on the original plan and structure. This, at least, is what he did with Canto I; and he carried out the revisions on the old B typescript. But with Canto II he was quickly carried into a far more radical reconstruction, and was virtually writing a new poem on the same subject and in the same metre as the old. This, it is true, was partly because the story of Gorlim had changed, but it is also clear that a new impulse had entered, seeking a new rather than merely altered expression. The old typescript was still used at least as a physical basis for the new writing, but for a long stretch the typed verses were simply struck through and the new written on inserted pages and slips. The old Canto II of just over 300 lines was expanded to 500, and divided into new Cantos 2 and 3 (the old and the new can be conveniently distinguished by Roman and Arabic numerals). The rewriting on the old typescript continues for a short distance into Canto III (new Canto 4) and then stops. On the basis of this now extremely chaotic text my father wrote out a fine, decorated manuscript, 'C', inevitably introducing some further changes; and this stops only a few lines short of the point where the rewriting on the B-text stops. Subsequently, an amanuensis typescript ('D') was made, in two copies, apparently with my father's supervision, but for the moment nothing need be said of this beyond noticing that he made certain changes to these texts at a later time. The rewriting on the B-text was no doubt a secondary stage, of which the preliminary workings no longer exist; for in the case of the new Canto 4 such preliminary drafts are extant. On one of these pages, and quite obviously done at the same time as the verse-drafts, my father drew a floor-plan of part of the house 99 Holywell Street, Oxford, to which he removed in 1950. He doubtless drew the plan shortly before moving house, while pondering its best arrangement. It is clear then that a new start on the Lay of Leithian was one of the first things that he turned to when The Lord of the Rings was complete. I give below the text of the manuscript C in its final form (that is, after certain changes had been made to it) so far as it goes (line 624), incor- porating one or two very minor alterations made later to the D type- script(s), followed by a further short section (lines 625 - 60) found only in draft before being added to D. Brief Notes and Commentary are given on pp, 348 ff. THE LAY OF LEITHIAN. I. OF THINGOL IN DORIATH. A king there was in days of old: ere Men yet walked upon the mould his power was reared in caverns' shade, his hand was over glen and glade. Of leaves his crown, his mantle green, his silver lances long and keen; the starlight in his shield was caught, ere moon was made or sun was wrought. In after-days, when to the shore of Middle-earth from Valinor 10 the Elven-hosts in might returned, and banners flew and beacons burned, when kings of Eldamar went by in strength of war, beneath the sky then still his silver trumpets blew 15 when sun was young and moon was new. Afar then in Beleriand, in Doriath's beleaguered land, King Thingol sat on guarded throne in many-pillared halls of stone: 20 there beryl, pearl, and opal pale, and metal wrought like fishes' mail, buckler and corslet, axe-and sword, and gleaming spears were laid in hoard: all these he had and counted small, 25 for dearer than all wealth in hall, and fairer than are born to-Men, a daughter had he, Luthien. OF LUTHIEN THE BELOVED. Such lissom limbs no more shall run on the green earth beneath the sun; 30 so fair a maid no more shall be from dawn to dusk, from sun to sea. Her robe was blue as summer skies, but grey as evening were her eyes; her mantle sewn with lilies fair, 35 but dark as shadow was her hair. Her feet were swift as bird on wing, her laughter merry as the spring; the slender willow, the bowing reed, the fragrance of a flowering mead, 40 the light upon the leaves of trees, the voice of water, more then these her beauty was and blissfulness, her glory and her loveliness. She dwelt in the enchanted land 45 while elven-might yet held in hand the woven woods of Doriath: none ever thither found the path unbidden, none the forest-eaves dared pass, or stir the listening leaves. 50 To North there lay a land of dread, Dungorthin where all ways were dead in hills of shadow bleak and cold; beyond was Deadly Nightshade's hold in Taur-nu-Fuin's fastness grim, 55 where sun was sick and moon was dim. To South the wide earth unexplored; to West the ancient Ocean roared, unsailed and shoreless, wide and wild; to East in peaks of blue were piled, 60 in silence folded, mist-enfurled, the mountains of the outer world. Thus Thingol in his dolven hall amid the Thousand Caverns tall of Menegroth as king abode: 65 to him there led no mortal road. Beside him sat his deathless queen, fair Melian, and wove unseen nets of enchantment round his throne, and spells were laid on tree and stone: 70 sharp was his sword and high his helm, the king of beech and oak and elm. When grass was green and leaves were long, when finch and mavis sang their song, there under bough and under sun 75 in shadow and in light would run fair Luthien the elven-maid, dancing in dell and grassy glade. OF DAIRON MINSTREL OF THINGOL. When sky was clear and stars were keen, then Dairon with his fingers lean, 80 as daylight melted into eve, a trembling music sweet would weave on flutes of silver, thin and clear for Luthien, the maiden dear. There mirth there was and voices bright; 85 there eve was peace and morn was light; there jewel gleamed and silver wan and red gold on white fingers shone, and elanor and niphredil bloomed in the grass unfading still, 90 while the endless years of Elven-land rolled over far Beleriand, until a day of doom befell, as still the elven-harpers tell. 2. OF MORGOTH & THE SNARING OF GORLIM. Far in the Northern hills of stone 95 in caverns black there was a throne by flame encircled; there the smoke in coiling columns rose to choke the breath of life, and there in deep and gasping dungeons lost would creep 100 to hopeless death all those who strayed by doom beneath that ghastly shade. A king there sat, most dark and fell of all that under heaven dwell. Than earth or sea, than moon or star 105 more ancient was he, mightier far in mind abysmal than the thought of Eldar or of Men, and wrought of strength primeval; ere the stone was hewn to build the world, alone 110 he walked in darkness, fierce and dire, burned, as he wielded it, by fire. He 'twas that laid in ruin black the Blessed Realm and fled then back to Middle-earth anew to build 115 beneath the mountains mansions filled with misbegotten slaves of hate: death's shadow brooded at his gate. His hosts he armed with spears of steel and brands of flame, and at their heel 120 the wolf walked and the serpent crept with lidless eyes. Now forth they leapt, his ruinous legions, kindling war in field and frith and woodland hoar. %here long the golden elanor 125 had gleamed amid the grass they bore their banners black, where finch had sung and harpers silver harps had wrung now dark the ravens wheeled and cried amid the reek, and far and wide 130 the swords of Morgoth dripped with red above the hewn and trampled dead. Slowly his shadow like a cloud rolled from the North, and on the proud that would not yield his vengeance fell; 135 to death or thraldom under hell all things he doomed: the Northern land lay cowed beneath his ghastly hand. But still there lived in hiding cold Beor's son, Barahir the bold, 140 of land bereaved and lordship shorn who once a prince of Men was born, and now an outlaw lurked and lay in the hard heath and woodland grey. OF THE SAVING OF KING INGLOR FELAGUND BY THE XII BEORINGS Twelve men beside him still there went, 145 still faithful when all hope was spent. Their names are yet in elven-song remembered, though the years are long since doughty Dagnir and Ragnor, Radhruin, Dairuin and Gildor, 150 Gorlim Unhappy, and Urthel, and Arthad and Hathaldir fell; since the black shaft with venomed wound took Belegund and Baragund, the mighty sons of Bregolas; 155 since he whose doom and deeds surpass all tales of Men was laid on bier, fair Beren son of Barahir. For these it was, the chosen men of Beor's house, who in the fen 160 of reedy Serech stood at bay about King Inglor in the day of his defeat, and with their swords thus saved of all the Elven-lords the fairest; and his love they earned. 165 And he escaping south, returned to Nargothrond his mighty realm, where still he wore his crowned helm; but they to their northern homeland rode, dauntless and few, and there abode 170 unconquered still, defying fate, pursued by Morgoth's sleepless hate. OF TARN AELUIN THE BLESSED. Such deeds of daring there they wrought that soon the hunters that them sought at rumour of their coming fled. 175 Though price was set upon each head to match the weregild of a king, no soldier could to Morgoth bring news even of their hidden lair; for where the highland brown and bare 180 above the darkling pines arose of steep Dorthonion to the snows and barren mountain-winds, there lay a tarn of water, blue by day, by night a mirror of dark glass 185 for stars of Elbereth that pass above the world into the West. Once hallowed, still that place was blest: no shadow of Morgoth, and no evil thing yet thither came; a whispering ring 190 of slender birches silver-grey stooped on its margin, round it lay a lonely moor, and the bare bones of ancient Earth like standing stones thrust through the heather and the whin; 195 and there by houseless Aeluin the hunted lord and faithful men under the grey stones made their den. OF GORLIM UNHAPPY. Gorlim Unhappy, Angrim's son, as the tale tells, of these was one 200 most fierce and hopeless. He to wife, while fair was the fortune of his life, took the white maiden Eilinel: dear love they had ere evil fell. To war he rode; from war returned 205 to find his fields and homestead burned, his house forsaken roofless stood, empty amid the leafless wood; and Eilinel, white Eilinel, was taken whither none could tell, 210 to death or thraldom far away. Black was the shadow of that day for ever on his heart, and doubt still gnawed him as he went about in wilderness wandring, or at night 215 oft sleepless, thinking that she might ere evil came have timely fled into the woods: she was not dead, she lived, she would return again to seek him, and would deem him slain. 220 Therefore at whiles he left the lair, and secretly, alone, would peril dare, and come to his old house at night, broken and cold, without fire or light, and naught but grief renewed would gain, 225 watching and waiting there in vain. In vain, or worse - for many spies had Morgoth, many lurking eyes well used to pierce the deepest dark; and Gorlim's coming they would mark 230 and would report. There came a day when once more Gorlim crept that way, down the deserted weedy lane at dusk of autumn sad with rain and cold wind whining. Lo! a light 235 at window fluttering in the night amazed he saw; and drawing near, between faint hope and sudden fear, he looked within. 'Twas Eilinel! Though changed she was, he knew her well. 240 With grief and hunger she was worn, her tresses tangled, raiment torn; her gentle eyes with tears were dim, as soft she wept: 'Gorlim, Gorlim! Thou canst not have forsaken me. 245 Then slain, alas! thou slain must be! And I must linger cold, alone, and loveless as a barren stone! ' One cry he gave - and then the light blew out, and in the wind of night 250 wolves howled; and on his shoulder fell suddenly the griping hands of hell. There Morgoth's servants fast him caught and he was cruelly bound, and brought to Sauron captain of the host, 255 the lord of werewolf and of ghost, most foul and fell of all who knelt at Morgoth's throne. In might he dwelt on Gaurhoth Isle; but now had ridden with strength abroad, by Morgoth bidden 260 to find the rebel Barahir. He sat in dark encampment near, and thither his butchers dragged their prey. There now in anguish Gorlim lay: with bond on neck, on hand and foot, 165 to bitter torment he was put, to break his will and him constrain to buy with treason end of pain. But naught to them would he reveal of Barahir, nor break the seal 270 of faith that on his tongue was laid; until at last a pause was made, and one came softly to his stake, a darkling form that stooped, and spake to him of Eilinel his wife. 275 'Wouldst thou,' he said, 'forsake thy life, who with few words might win release for her, and thee, and go in peace, and dwell together far from war, friends of the King? What wouldst thou more?' 280 And Gorlim, now long worn with pain, yearning to see his wife again (whom well he weened was also caught in Sauron's net), allowed the thought to grow, and faltered in his troth. 285 Then straight, half willing and half loath, they brought him to the seat of stone where Sauron sat. He stood alone before that dark and dreadful face, and Sauron said: 'Come, mortal base! 290 What do I hear? That thou wouldst dare to barter with me? Well, speak fair! What is thy price?' And Gorlim low bowed down his head, and with great woe, word on slow word, at last implored 295 that merciless and faithless lord that he might free depart, and might again find Eilinel the White, and dwell with her, and cease from war against the King. He craved no more. 300 Then Sauron smiled, and said: 'Thou thrall! The price thou askest is but small for treachery and shame so great! I grant it surely! Well, I wait: Come! Speak now swiftly and speak true!' 305 Then Gorlim wavered, and he drew half back; but Sauron's daunting eye there held him, and he dared not lie: as he began, so must he wend from first false step to faithless end: 310 he all must answer as he could, betray his lord and brotherhood, and cease, and fall upon his face. Then Sauron laughed aloud. 'Thou base, thou cringing worm! Stand up, 315 and hear me! And now drink the cup that I have sweetly blent for thee! Thou fool: a phantom thou didst see that I, I Sauron, made to snare thy lovesick wits. Naught else was there. 320 Cold 'tis with Sauron's wraiths to wed! Thy Eilinel! She is long since dead, dead, food of worms less low than thou. And yet thy boon I grant thee now: to Eilinel thou soon shalt go, 325 and lie in her bed, no more to know of war - or manhood. Have thy pay! ' And Gorlim then they dragged away, and cruelly slew him; and at last in the dank mould his body cast, 330 where Eilinel long since had laid in the burned woods by butchers slain. Thus Gorlim died an evil death, and cursed himself with dying breath, and Barahir at last was caught 335 in Morgoth's snare; for set.at naught by treason was the ancient grace that guarded long that lonely place, Tarn Aeluin: now all laid bare were secret paths and hidden lair. 340 * 3. OF BEREN SON OF BARAHIR & HIS ESCAPE. Dark from the North now blew the cloud; the winds of autumn cold and loud hissed in the heather; sad and grey Aeluin's mournful water lay. 'Son Beren', then said Barahir, 345 'Thou knowst the rumour that we hear of strength from the Gaurhoth that is sent against us; and our food nigh spent. On thee the lot falls by our law to go forth now alone to draw 350 what help thou canst from the hidden few that feed us still, and what is new to learn. Good fortune go with thee! In speed return, for grudgingly we spare thee from our brotherhood, 355 so small: and Gorlim in the wood is long astray or dead. Farewell!' As Beren went, still like a knell resounded in his heart that word, the last of his father that he heard. 360 Through moor and fen, by tree and briar he wandered far: he saw the fire of Sauron's camp, he heard the howl of hunting Orc and wolf a-prowl, and turning back, for long the way, 365 benighted in the forest lay. In weariness he then must sleep, fain in a badger-hole to creep, and yet he heard (or dreamed it so) nearby a marching legion go 370 with clink of mail and clash of shields up towards the stony mountain-fields. He slipped then into darkness down, until, as man that waters drown strives upwards gasping, it seemed to him 375 he rose through slime beside the brim of sullen pool beneath dead trees. Their livid boughs in a cold breeze trembled, and all their black leaves stirred: each leaf a black and croaking bird, 380 whose neb a gout of blood let fall. He shuddered, struggling thence to crawl through winding weeds, when far away he saw a shadow faint and grey gliding across the dreary lake. 385 Slowly it came, and softly spake: 'Gorlim I was, but now a wraith of will defeated, broken faith, traitor betrayed. Go! Stay not here! Awaken, son of Barahir, 390 and haste! For Morgoth's fingers close upon thy father's throat; he knows your trysts, your paths, your secret lair.' Then he revealed the devil's snare in which he fell, and failed; and last 395 begging forgiveness, wept, and passed out into darkness. Beren woke, leapt up as one by sudden stroke with fire of anger filled. His bow and sword he seized, and like the roe 400 hotfoot o'er rock and heath he sped before the dawn. Ere day was dead to Aeluin at last he came, as the red sun westward sank in flame; but Aeluin was red with blood, 405 red were the stones and trampled mud. Black in the birches sat a-row the raven and the carrion crow; wet were their nebs, and dark the meat that dripped beneath their griping feet. 410 One croaked: 'Ha, ha, he comes too late! ' 'Ha, ha! ' they answered, 'ha! too late! ' There Beren laid his father's bones in haste beneath a cairn of stones; no graven rune nor word he wrote 415 o'er Barahir, but thrice he smote the topmost stone, and thrice aloud he cried his name. 'Thy death', he vowed, 'I will avenge. Yea, though my fate should lead at last to Angband's gate.' 420 And then he turned, and did not weep: too dark his heart, the wound too deep. Out into night, as cold as stone, loveless, friendless, he strode alone. Of hunter's lore he had no need 425 the trail to find. With little heed his ruthless foe, secure and proud, marched north away with blowing loud of brazen horns their lord to greet, trampling the earth with grinding feet. 430 Behind them bold but wary went now Beren, swift as hound on scent, until beside a darkling well, where Rivil rises from the fell down into Serech's reeds to flow, 435 he found the slayers, found his foe. From hiding on the hillside near he marked them all: though less than fear, too many for his sword and bow to slay alone. Then, crawling low 440 as snake in heath, he nearer crept. There many weary with marching slept, but captains, sprawling on the grass, drank and from hand to hand let pass their booty, grudging each small thing 445 raped from dead bodies. One a ring held up, and laughed: 'Now, mates,' he cried 'here's mine! And I'll not be denied, though few be like it in the land. For I 'twas wrenched it from the hand 450 of that same Barahir I slew, the robber-knave. If tales be true, he had it of some elvish lord, for the rogue-service of his sword. No help it gave to him - he's dead. 455 They're parlous, elvish rings, 'tis said; still for the gold I'll keep it, yea and so eke out my niggard pay. Old Sauron bade me bring it back, and yet, methinks, he has no lack 460 of weightier treasures in his hoard: the greater the greedier the lord! So mark ye, mates, ye all shall swear the hand of Barahir was bare!' And as he spoke an arrow sped 465 from tree behind, and forward dead choking he fell with barb in throat; with leering face the earth he smote. Forth, then as wolfhound grim there leapt Beren among them. Two he swept 470 aside with sword; caught up the ring; slew one who grasped him; with a spring back into shadow passed, and fled before their yells of wrath and dread of ambush in the valley rang. 475 Then after him like wolves they sprang, howling and cursing, gnashing teeth, hewing and bursting through the heath, shooting wild arrows, sheaf on sheaf, at trembling shade or shaken leaf. 480 In fateful hour was Beren born: he laughed at dart and wailing horn; fleetest of foot of living men, tireless on fell and light on fen, elf-wise in wood, he passed away, 485 defended by his hauberk grey of dwarvish craft in Nogrod made, where hammers rang in cavern's shade. As fearless Beren was renowned: when men most hardy upon ground 490 were reckoned folk would speak his name, foretelling that his after-fame would even golden Hador pass or Barahir and Bregolas; but sorrow now his heart had wrought 495 to fierce despair, no more he fought in hope of life or joy or praise, but seeking so to use his days only that Morgoth deep should feel the sting of his avenging steel, 500 ere death he found and end of pain: his only fear was thraldom's chain. Danger he sought and death pursued, and thus escaped the doom he wooed, and deeds of breathless daring wrought 505 alone, of which the rumour brought new hope to many a broken man. They whispered 'Beren', and began in secret swords to whet, and soft by shrouded hearths at evening oft 510 songs they would sing of Beren's bow, of Dagmor his sword: how he would go silent to camps and slay the chief, or trapped in his hiding past belief would slip away, and under night 515 by mist or moon, or by the light of open day would come again. Of hunters hunted, slayers slain they sang, of Gorgol the Butcher hewn, of ambush in Ladros, fire in Drun, 520 of thirty in one battle dead, of wolves that yelped like curs and fled, yea, Sauron himself with wound in hand. Thus one alone filled all that land with fear and death for Morgoth's folk; 525 his comrades were the beech and oak who failed him not, and wary things with fur and fell and feathered wings that silent wander, or dwell alone in hill and wild and waste of stone 530 watched o'er his ways, his faithful friends. Yet seldom well an outlaw ends; and Morgoth was a king more strong than all the world has since in song recorded: dark athwart the land 535 reached out the shadow of his hand, at each recoil returned again; two more were sent for one foe slain. New hope was cowed, all rebels killed; quenched were the fires, the songs were stilled, 540 tree felled, heath burned, and through the waste marched the black host of Orcs in haste. Almost they closed their ring of steel round Beren; hard upon his heel now trod their spies; within their hedge 545 of all aid shorn, upon the edge of death at bay he stood aghast and knew that he must die at last, or flee the land of Barahir, his land beloved. Beside the mere 550 beneath a heap of nameless stones must crumble those once mighty bones, forsaken by both son and kin, bewailed by reeds of Aeluin. In winter's night the houseless North 555 he left behind, and stealing forth the leaguer of his watchful foe he passed - a shadow on the snow, a swirl of wind, and he was gone, the ruin of Dorthonion, 560 Tarn Aeluin and its water wan, never again to look upon. No more shall hidden bowstring sing, no more his shaven arrows wing, no more his hunted head shall lie 565 upon the heath beneath the sky. The Northern stars, whose silver fire of old Men named the Burning Briar, were set behind his back, and shone o'er land forsaken: he was gone. 570 Southward he turned, and south away his long and lonely journey lay, while ever loomed before his path the dreadful peaks of Gorgorath. Never had foot of man most bold 575 yet trod those mountains steep and cold, nor climbed upon their sudden brink, whence, sickened, eyes must turn and,shrink to see their southward cliffs fall sheer in rocky pinnacle and pier 580 down into shadows that were laid before the sun and moon were made. In valleys woven with deceit and washed with waters bitter-sweet dark magic lurked in gulf and glen; 585 but out away beyond the ken of mortal sight the eagle's eye from dizzy towers that pierced the sky might grey and gleaming see afar, as sheen on water under star, 590 Beleriand, Beleriand, the borders of the Elven-land. 4. OF THE COMING OF BEREN TO DORIATH; BUT FIRST IS TOLD OF THE MEETING OF MELIAN AND THINGOL. There long ago in Elder-days ere voice was heard or trod were ways, the haunt of silent shadows stood 595 in starlit dusk Nan Elmoth wood. In Elder-days that long are gone a light amid the shadows shone, a voice was in the silence heard: the sudden singing of a bird. 600 There Melian came, the Lady grey, and dark and long her tresses lay beneath her silver girdle-seat and down unto her silver feet. The nightingales with her she brought, 605 to whom their song herself she taught, who sweet upon her gleaming hands had sung in the immortal lands. Thence wayward wandering on a time from Lorien she dared to climb 610 the everlasting mountain-wall of Valinor, at whose feet fall the surges of the Shadowy Sea. Out away she went then free, to gardens of the Gods no more 615 returning, but on mortal shore, a glimmer ere the dawn she strayed, singing her spells from glade to glade. A bird in dim Nan Elmoth wood trilled, and to listen Thingol stood 620 amazed; then far away he heard a voice more fair than fairest bird, a voice as crystal clear of note as thread of silver glass remote. Here the manuscript C ends. Of the next short section there are no less than five rough drafts, with endless small variations of wording (and the first ten lines of it were written onto the B-text). The final form was then added, in type, to the D typescript: Of folk and kin no more he thought; 625 of errand that the Eldar brought from Cuivienen far away, of lands beyond the Seas that lay no more he recked, forgetting all, drawn only by that distant call 630 till deep in dim Nan Elmoth wood lost and beyond recall he stood. And there he saw her, fair and fay: Ar-Melian, the Lady grey, as silent as the windless trees, 635 standing with mist about her knees, and in her face remote the light of Lorien glimmered in the night. No word she spoke; but pace by pace, a halting shadow, towards her face 640 forth walked the silver-mantled king, tall Elu Thingol. In the ring of waiting trees he took her hand. One moment face to face they stand alone, beneath the wheeling sky, 645 while starlit years on earth go by and in Nan Elmoth wood the trees grow dark and tall. The murmuring seas rising and falling on the shore and Ulmo's horn he heeds no more. 650 But long his people sought in vain their lord, till Ulmo called again, and then in grief they marched away, leaving the woods. To havens grey upon the western shore, the last 655 long shore of mortal lands, they passed, and thence were borne beyond the Sea in Aman, the Blessed Realm, to be by evergreen Ezellohar in Valinor, in Eldamar. 66o 52. On one of the copies of D Dungorthin was changed to Dungortheb, but this belongs to a later layer of nomen- clature and I have not introduced it into the text. 55. Taur-nu-Fuin C: the line as written on the B-text still had Taur-na-Fuin. 140. Beor's son: changed on one of the copies of D to the Beoring, i.e. a man of Beor's house. This was a change made when the genealogy had been greatly extended and Barahir was no longer Beor's son but his remote descendant (see P. 198). 249-330. In this section of the Canto the rewriting on (or inserted into) the B-text exists in two versions, one the immediate fore- runner of the other. The difference between them is that in the earlier Gorlim was still, as in the earlier Lay, taken to Angband and to Morgoth himself. Thus the passage in the first rewriting corresponding to lines 255 - 66 reads: to Angband and the iron halls where laboured Morgoth's hopeless thralls; and there with bonds on hand and foot to grievous torment he was put In what follows the two versions are the same, except that in the first it is Morgoth, not Sauron: precisely the same lines are used of each. But at lines 306-x x the first version has: Then Gorlim wavered, and he drew half back; but Morgoth's daunting eyes there held him. To the Lord of Lies 'tis vain in lies the breath to spend: as he began, so he must end, and all must answer as he could and at lines 318-21 Morgoth says: Thou fool! A phantom thou didst see that Sauron my servant made to snare thy lovesick wits. Naught else was there. Cold 'tis with Sauron's wraiths to wed! 547. The word aghast is marked with an X in C (because Beren was not aghast). 567-8. At first the passage in B (p. 167, lines 369 - 82) beginning No more his hidden bowstring sings was scarcely changed in the rewriting, but as first written C had (old lines 376 - g): found him no more. The stars that burn about the North with silver fire that Varda wrought, the Burning Briar as Men it called in days long gone Old lines 373 - 5 were then cut out and 376 - g rewritten: The stars that burn with silver fire about the North, the Burning Briar that Varda lit in ages gone This was in turn changed to the text given, lines 567 - 8. 581. In one of the copies of D an X is placed against this line. I think this was probably very late and marks my father's changed ideas concerning the making of the Sun and Moon. 596. Nan Elmoth: in the preliminary draft the name of the wood was first Glad-uial, emended to Glath-uial; then Gilam- moth, emended to Nan Elmoth. It was here that the name Nan Elmoth emerged. 627. In one of the drafts of this passage the line is from Waking Water far away. 634. In one of the drafts of this passage Tar-Melian stands in the margin as an alternative. Commentary on lines 1 - 660. A strictly chronological account of the evolution of the legends of the Elder Days would have to consider several other works before the revisions to the Lay of Leithian were reached. By treating the Lay revised and unrevised as an entity and not piecemeal I jump these stages, and names which had in fact emerged a good while before appear here for the first time in this 'History'. I do little more than list them: 65. Menegroth 89. elanor and niphredil. At line 125 is -a reference to the golden elanor. 115. Middle-earth 149 ff. The names of the men of Barahir's band, beside Beren and Gorlim: Dagnir, Ragnor, Radhruin, Dairuin, Gildor, Urthel, Arthad, Hathaldir; Belegund and Baragund. Belegund and Baragund are the sons of Bregolas (Barahir's brother); and Gorlim is the son of Angrim (199). All these names appear in The Silmarillion (pp. 155, 162). 161. 'the fen of reedy Serech.' Beren came on the Orcs at the well of Rivil, which 'rises from the fell/down into Serech's reeds to flow' (434 - 5). 162. Felagund is called Inglor (Inglor Felagund in the sub-title, P 335). 182, 560. Dorthonion 186. Elbereth 196, etc. (Tarn) Aeluin 255, etc. Sauron 259,347. Gaurhoth. Cf. Tol-in-Gaurhoth 'Isle of Werewolves' in The Silmarillion. 434. Rivil 494. Hador 512. Dagmor. Beren's sword is named nowhere else. 519. Gorgol the Butcher. He is named nowhere else. 520. Ladros (the lands to the north-east of Dorthonion that were granted by the Noldorin kings to the Men of the House of Beor). 520. Drun. This name is marked on the later of the 'Silmarillion' maps (that on which the published map was based) as north of Aeluin and west of Ladros, but is named in no other place. 574. Gorgorath. This has occurred in the prose outline for Canto X of the Lay, but in the form Corgoroth (p. 272). 596, etc. Nan Elmoth. See note to line 596. 634. Ar-Melian (Tar-Melian). The name is not found elsewhere with either prefix. 659. Ezellohar (the Green Mound of the Two Trees in Valinor). In addition may be noted here Dungorthin (52), where the new version changes the old lines 49 - 50 To North there lay the Land of Dread whence only evil pathways led to To North there lay a land of dread, Dungorthin where all ways were dead In the old version 'the Land of Dread' clearly meant, simply, 'the land of Morgoth'. Here Dungorthin is placed as it is in The Silmarillion (p. 121), between the Mountains of Terror and the northern bound of the Girdle of Melian; see p. 314. In the revised Lay the story of Gorlim was greatly developed. In the old (see pp. 162 - 4, 169-70), Gorlim left his companions and went 'to meet / with hidden friend within a dale', he found 'a homestead looming pale', and within it he saw a phantom of Eilinel. He left the house, in fear of Morgoth's hunters and wolves, and returned to his companions; but after some days he deliberately sought out Morgoth's servants and offered to betray his fellows. He was taken to the halls of Morgoth-who does not say that the wraith was set to decoy Gorlim: a wraith of that which might have been, methinks, it is that thou hast seen! (But in lines 241 - 2 it is said that 'men believed that Morgoth made/the fiendish phantom'.) There is also a remarkable development in the revised Lay, in that 'the XII Beorings' (one would expect XIII, including Barahir himself) of Dorthonion were the very men who saved King Felagund in the Battle of Sudden Flame: For these it was, the chosen men of Beor's house, who in the fen of reedy Serech stood at bay about King Inglor in the day of his defeat... (159-63) In?he Silmarillion the story is that 'Morgoth pursued [Barahir) to the death, until at last there remained to him only twelve companions' (p. 162): there is no suggestion that these survivors were a picked band, already joined as companions in an earlier heroic deed. Felagund (Inglor) is now said to have m turned to Nargothrond (lines 166 - 7) after his rescue by Barahir and his men (see pp. 85-6). From this point onwards substantial rewriting of the poem is restricted to a few sections. Canto III continued. From the end of the rewritten opening of the poem (line 660 above) the D typescript continues as a copy of B to the end of the poem, but though it was certainly made under my father's supervision it is of very minor textual value in itself. The passage in the original text (p. 173) lines 453 (Thus Thingol sailed not on the seas) to 470 was left unchanged; but for lines 471 (In later days when Morgoth first) to approximately 613 my father substi- tuted 142 lines of new verse (omitting the long retrospective passage lines 563 ff. concerning Beren's journey over the Mountains of Terror), in which there is very little of the old Lay, and as the passage proceeds progressively less. There is no doubt that these lines are (relatively) very late: an apparently contemporaneous piece of rewriting in Canto X is certainly post-1955 (see p. 360), and they may well be considerably later than that. There is a quantity of rough draft material in manuscript but also a typescript made by my father of the first 103 lines, inserted into the D-text. In later days, when Morgoth fled from wrath and raised once more his head and Iron Crown, his mighty seat beneath the smoking mountain's feet founded and fortified anew, 5 then slowly dread and darkness grew: the Shadow of the North that all the Folk of Earth would hold in thrall. The lords of Men to knee he brings, the kingdoms of the Exiled Kings 10 assails with ever-mounting war: in their last havens by the shore they dwell, or strongholds walled with fear defend upon his borders drear, till each one falls. Yet reign there still IS in Doriath beyond his will the Grey King and immortal Queen. No evil in their realm is seen; no power their might can yet surpass: there still is laughter and green grass, 20 there leaves are lit by the white sun, and many marvels are begun. There went now in the Guarded Realm beneath the beech, beneath the elm, there lightfoot ran now on the green 25 the daughter of the king and queen: of Arda's eldest children born in beauty of their elven-morn and only child ordained by birth to walk in raiment of the Earth 30 from Those descended who began before the world of Elf and Man. Beyond the bounds of Arda far still shone the Legions, star on star, memorials of their labour long, 35 achievement of Vision and of Song; and when beneath their ancient light on Earth below was cloudless night, music in Doriath awoke, and there beneath the branching oak, 40 or seated on the beech-leaves brown, Daeron the dark with ferny crown played on his pipes with elvish art unbearable by mortal heart. No other player has there been, 45 no other lips or fingers seen so skilled, 'tis said in elven-lore, save Maelor* son of Feanor, forgotten harper, singer doomed, who young when Laurelin yet bloomed 50 to endless lamentation passed and in the tombless sea was cast.+ But Daeron in his heart*s delight yet lived and played by starlit night, until one summer-eve befell, 55 as still the elven harpers tell. Then merrily his piping trilled; the grass was soft, the wind was stilled, the twilight lingered faint and cool in shadow-shapes upon the pool f 60 beneath the boughs of sleeping trees standing silent. About their knees a mist of hemlocks glimmered pale, and ghostly moths on lace-wings frail went to and fro. Beside the mere 65 quickening, rippling, rising clear the piping called. Then forth she came, as sheer and sudden as a flame of peerless white the shadows cleaving, her maiden-bower on white feet leaving; 70 and as when summer stars arise (* Both Maglor and Maelor appear in the draft manuacripts of this passage. The final typescript has Maelor, changed to Maglor, but not I think by my father. + In The Silmarillion (p.254) it is not said that Maglor ended his life in the sea: he cast the Silmaril into the sea, 'and thereafter he wandered ever upon the shores, singing in pain and regret beside the waves'. | There is no other reference to a 'pool' or 'mere' at the place in the woods where Beren came upon Luthien.) radiant into darkened skies, her living light on all was cast in fleeting silver as she passed. There now she stepped with elven pace, 75 bending and swaying in her grace, as half-reluctant; then began to dance, to dance: in mazes ran bewildering, and a mist of white was wreathed about her whirling flight. 80 Wind-ripples on the water flashed, and trembling leaf and flower were plashed with diamond-dews, as ever fleet and fleeter went her winged feet. Her long hair as a cloud was streaming 85 about her arms uplifted gleaming, as slow above the trees the Moon in glory of the plenilune arose, and on the open glade its light serene and clear was laid. 90 Then suddenly her feet were stilled, and through the woven wood there thrilled, half wordless, half in elven-tongue, her voice upraised in blissful song that once of nightingales she learned 95 and in her living joy had turned to heart-enthralling loveliness, unmarred, immortal, sorrowless. Ir Ithil ammen Eruchin menel-vir sila diriel 100 si loth a galadh lasto din! A Hir Annun gilthoniel, le linnon im Tinuviel! The typescript ends here, but the final manuscript draft continues: O elven-fairest Luthien what wonder moved thy dances then? 105 That night what doom of Elvenesse enchanted did thy voice possess? Such marvel shall there no more be on Earth or west beyond the Sea, at dusk or dawn, by night or noon 110 or neath the mirror of the moon! On NeIdoreth was laid a spell; the piping into silence fell, for Daeron cast his flute away, unheeded on the grass it lay, 115 in wonder bound as stone he stood heart-broken in the listening wood. And still she sang above the night, as light returning into light upsoaring from the world below 120 when suddenly there came a slow dull tread of heavy feet on leaves, and from the darkness on the eaves of the bright glade a shape came out with hands agrope, as if in doubt 125 or blind, and as it stumbling passed under the moon a shadow cast bended and darkling. Then from on high as lark falls headlong from the sky the song of Luthien fell and ceased; 130 but Daeron from the spell released awoke to fear, and cried in woe: 'Flee Luthien, ah Luthien go! An evil walks the wood! Away! ' Then forth.he fled in his dismay 135 ever calling her to follow him, until far off his cry was dim 'Ah flee, ah flee now, Luthien! ' But silent stood she in the glen unmoved, who never fear had known, 110 as slender moonlit flower alone, white and windless with upturned face waiting Here the manuscript comes to an end. Canto IV. A small section of this Canto was partly rewritten at some late date. Lines 884ff. were changed to: Then Thingol said: '0 Dairon wise, with wary ears and watchful eyes, who all that passes in this land dost ever heed and understand, what omen doth this silence bear? This was written rapidly on the B-text and was primarily prompted, I think, by the wish to get rid of the word 'magic' at line 886, which is underlined and marked with an X on the D typescript. At the same time 'wild stallion' at 893 was changed to 'great stallion', and Tavros to Taurus at 891. A little further on, lines 902 - 19 were changed, also at this time: beneath the trees of Ennorath.* Would it were so! An age now hath gone by since Nahar trod this earth in days of our peace and ancient mirth, ere rebel lords of Eldamar pursuing Morgoth from afar brought war and ruin to the North. Doth Tauros to their aid come forth? But if not he, who comes or what?' And Dairon said: 'He cometh riot! No feet divine shall leave that shore where the Outer Seas' last surges roar, till many things be come to pass, and many evils wrought. Alas! the guest is here. The woods are still, but wait not; for a marvel chill them holds at the strange deeds they see, though king sees not - yet queen, maybe, can guess, and maiden doubtless knows who ever now beside her goes.' Lines 926 - 9 were rewritten: But Dairon looked on Luthien's face and faltered, seeing his disgrace in those clear eyes. He spoke no more, and silent Thingol's anger bore. But these rewritings were hasty, at the level of rough draft, and in no way comparable to what has preceded. (* Ennorath: 'Middle-earth'; cf. The Lord of the Rings, Appendix E (III.393, footnote t). I Cantos V - IX. There is no later recasting in these Cantos save for four lines in Canto IX: the dying words of Felagund to Beren (2633 ff.): I now must go to my long rest in Aman, there beyond the shore of Eldamar for ever more in memory to dwell.' Thus died the king, as still the elven harpers sing. At this point my father wrote on one of the copies of the D-text: 'He should give ring back to Beren' (for the later history of the ring see Unfinished Tales p. 171 note 2, and The Lard of the Rings Appendix A, III. 322 note r and 338). But in fact it is nowhere said that Beren had returned the ring to Felagund. Canto X With the beginning of this Canto a substantial passage of new writing begins, at first written on the B-text, and then, with further change, in a typescript made by father, to all appearance at the same time as that given on pp. 352 - 5 (but in this case the new verse was retyped as part of the D-text). Songs have recalled, by harpers sung long years ago in elven tongue, how Luthien and Beren strayed in Sirion's vale; and many a glade they filled with joy, and there their feet 5 passed by lightly, and days were sweet. Though winter hunted through the wood, still flowers lingered where they stood. Tinuviel! Tinuviel! Still unafraid the birds now dwell 10 and sing on boughs amid the snow where Luthien and Beren go. From Sirion's Isle they passed away, but on the hill alone there lay a green grave, and a stone was set, 15 and there there lie the white bones yet of Finrod fair, Finarfin's son, unless that land be changed and gone, or foundered in unfathomed seas, while Finrod walks beneath the trees 20 in Eldamar* and comes no more to the grey world of tears and war. To Nargothrond no more he came but thither swiftly ran the fame of their dead king and his great deed, 25 how Luthien the Isle had freed: the Werewolf Lord was overthrown, and broken were his towers of stone. For many now came home at last who long ago to shadow passed; 30 and like a shadow had returned Huan the hound, though scant he earned or praise or thanks of Celegorm. There now arose a growing storm, a clamour of'many voices loud, 35 and folk whom Curufin had cowed and their own king had help denied, in shame and anger now they cried: 'Come! Slay these faithless lords untrue! Why lurk they here? What will they do, 40 but bring Finarfin's kin to naught, treacherous cuckoo-guests unsought? Away with them! ' But wise and slow Orodreth spoke: 'Beware, lest woe and wickedness to worse ye bring! 45 Finrod is fallen. I am king. But even as he would speak, I now command you. I will not allow in Nargothrond the ancient curse from evil unto evil worse 50 to work. With tears for Finrod weep repentant! Swords for Morgoth keep! No kindred blood shall here be shed. Yet here shall neither rest nor bread the brethren find who set at naught 55 (* Eldamar: earlier reading the Blessed Realm.- With these lines cf. the revised version of Felagund's dying words in Canto IX (p. 357).) Finarfin's house. Let them be sought, unharmed to stand before me! Go! The courtesy of Finrod show! ' In scorn stood Celegorm, unbowed, with glance of fire in anger proud 60 and menacing; but at his side smiling and silent, wary-eyed, was Curufin, with hand on haft of his long knife. And then he laughed, and 'Well?'said he. 'Why didst thou call 65 for us, Sir Steward? In thy hall we are not wont to stand. Come, speak, if aught of us thou hast to seek! ' Cold words Orodreth answered slow: 'Before the king ye stand. But know, 70 of you he seeks for naught. His will ye come to hear, and to fulfil. Be gone for ever, ere the day shall fall into the sea! Your way shall never lead you hither more, 75 nor any son of Feanor; of love no more shall there be bond between your house and Nargothrond! ' 'We will remember it,' they said, and turned upon their heels, and sped, 80 saddled their horses, trussed their gear, and went with hound and bow and spear, alone; for none of all the folk would follow them. No word they spoke, but sounded horns, and rode away 85 like wind at end of stormy day. The typescript made by my father ends here, but the revision written on the B-text continues (and was incorporated in the D typescript). Towards Doriath the wanderers now were drawing nigh. Though bare was bough, and winter through the grasses grey went hissing chill, and brief was day, 90 they sang beneath the frosty sky above them lifted clear and high. They came to Mindeb swift and bright that from the northern mountains' height to Neldoreth came leaping down 95 with noise among the boulders brown, but into sudden silence fell, passing beneath the guarding spell that Melian on the borders laid of Thingol's land. There now they stayed; 100 for silence sad on Beren fell. Unheeded long, at last too well he heard the warning of his heart: alas, beloved, here we part. 'Alas, Tinuviel,' he said, 105 'this road no further can we tread together, no more hand in hand can journey in the Elven-land.' 'Why part we here? What dost thou say, even at dawn of brighter day? ' 110 From lines 2936 to 2965 no further changes were made (except Elfinesse to Elvenesse at 2962). In the preceding passage, Inglor Felagund son of Finrod has become Finrod Felagund son of Finarfin, which dates the revision to, at earliest, 1955, for the change had not been made in the first edition of The Lord of the Rings. A further short stretch of rewriting begins at 2966, returning to the original text two lines later: My word, alas! I now must keep, and not the first of men must weep for oath in pride and anger sworn. Too brief the meeting, brief the morn, too soon comes night when we must part! 5 All oaths are for breaking of the heart, with shame denied, with anguish kept. Ah! would that now unknown I slept with Barahir beneath the stone, and thou wert dancing still alone, 10 unmarred, immortal, sorrowless, singing in joy of Elvenesse.' 'That may not be. For bonds there are stronger than stone or iron bar, more strong than proudly spoken oath. IS Have I not plighted thee my troth? Hath love no pride nor honour then? Or dost thou deem then Luthien so frail of purpose, light of love? By stars of Elbereth above! 20 If thou wilt here my hand forsake and leave me lonely paths to take, then Luthien will not go home... At the same time line 2974 was changed to beyond all hope in love once more and 2988 ff. to In rage and haste thus madly eastward they now raced, to find the old and perilous path between the dreadful Gorgorath and Thingol's realm. That was their road most swift to where their kin abode far off, where Himring's watchful hill o'er Aglon's gorge hung tall and still. They saw the wanderers. With a shout straight on them turned their steeds about... Cantos XI - XIII. There is no rewriting in Cantos XI and XII, but a little towards the end of XIII. Lines 4092 - 5 were replaced by: the Silmarils with living light were kindled clear, and waxing bright shone like the stars that in the North above the reek of earth leap forth. Lines 4150 - 9 were replaced by: In claws of iron the gem was caught; the knife them rent, as they were naught but brittle nails on a dead hand. Behold! the hope of Elvenland, the fire of Feanor, Light of Morn 5 before the sun and moon were born, thus out of bondage came at last, from iron to mortal hand it passed. There Beren stood. The jewel he held, and its pure radiance slowly welled 10 through flesh and bone, and turned to fire with hue of living blood. Desire then smote his heart their doom to dare, and from the deeps of Hell to bear all three immortal gems, and save IS the elven-light from Morgoth's grave. Again he stooped; with knife he strove; through band and claw of iron it clove. But round the Silmarils dark Fate was woven: they were meshed in hate, 20 and not yet come was their doomed hour when wrested from the fallen power of Morgoth in a ruined world, regained and lost, they should be hurled in fiery gulf and groundless sea, 25 beyond recall while Time shall be. Canto XIV. Lines 4185 - go were rewritten: At last before them far away they saw a glimmer, faint and grey of ghostly light that shivering fell down from the yawning gates of Hell. Then hope awoke, and straightway died - the doors were open, gates were wide; but on the threshold terror walked. The dreadful wolf awake there stalked } The wolf awake there watchful stalked } and in his eyes the red fire glowered; there Carcharoth in menace towered, a waiting death, a biding doom: Lines 4208-11 were rewritten: and Beren in despair then strode past Luthien to bar the road, unarmed, defenceless, to defend the elven-maid until the end. * Of the original Lay scarcely more than a sixth is represented in the rewriting, and the proportion of new verse to old is less than a quarter; so that Humphrey Carpenter's statement in The Inklings, p. 31, that 'Eventually, indeed, he came to rewrite the whole poem' must, alas, be corrected. Note on the original submission of the Lay of Leithian and The Silmarillion in 1937. In the wake of the immediate success of The Hobbit, which was published on 21 September 1937, Stanley Unwin, the chairman of George Allen & Unwin, was naturally anxious that my father should produce a sequel or successor - about hobbits. The result of the first meeting between them, not long after the publication of the book, was that my father sent in various manuscripts, among them the Lay of Leithian (referred to in the correspondence of that time as the Gest(e) of Beren and Luthien) and The Silmarillion. Humphrey Carpenter says in his Biography (p. 183) that 'the manu- script [of The Silmarillion] - or rather, the bundle of manuscripts - had arrived in a somewhat disordered state, and the only clearly continuous section seemed to be the long poem "The Gest of Eeren and Luthien".' Rayner Unwin has told me that in the record kept by Allen L Unwin of incoming manuscripts the works delivered on 15 November 1937 were listed as: x Farmer Giles of Ham Long Poem Mr Bliss The Gnomes Material The Lost Road Notes of my father's show that together with The Silmarillion 'proper' he sent at this time Ainulindale (The Music of the Ainur), Ambarkanta (The Shape of the World), and The Fall of the Numenoreans. I think that this is why the fourth item in the record book was written down as 'The Gnomes Material'. It may be that the different manuscripts were not very clearly differentiated, while the title-pages of the different works would certainly seem obscure; and 'The Gnomes Material' was a con- venient covering phrase.* But perhaps one may detect in it a note of helplessness as well, apparent also in the description of item z as a 'Long Poem'. - On the other hand, it should be mentioned that the text of?he Silmarillion was at that time a fine, simple, and very legible manuscript. (* There is.no question that The Silmarillion itself did go to Allen R Unwin at this time. My father made a note while it was gone about changes to be made to it when it came back to him, and he specifically acknowledged the return of it (Letters p. 27): 'I have received safely... the Geste (in verse) and the Silmarillion and related fragments.' There is no evidence that The Silmarillion and the other Middle-earth prose works were submitted to the publishers' reader. In his report on the poem he referred only to 'a few pages' and 'some pages' in prose, and Stanley Unwin, when he returned the manuscripts on 15 December I937, mentioned 'the pages of a prose version' which accompanied the poem. Humphrey Carpenter seems certainly right in his suggestion (Biography p. 184) that these pages were attached 'for the purpose of completing the story, for the poem itself was unfinished'; they were pages from the story of Beren and Luthien as told in The Silmarillion. But it is also obvious from the reader's report that he saw nothing else of The Silmarillion. He headed his report: 'The Geste of Beren and Luthien (Retold in Verse by? )', and began: I am rather at a loss to know what to do with this - it doesn't even seem to have an author! - or any indication of sources, etc. Publishers' readers are rightly supposed to be of moderate intelligence and read- ing; but I confess my reading has not extended to early Celtic Gestes, and I don't even know whether this is a famous Geste or not, or, for that matter, whether it is authentic. I presume it is, as the unspecified versifier has included some pages of a prose-version (which is far superior). By the last sentence he meant, I think, that the story, as represented in what he took to be a close prose translation, was authentic 'Celtic Geste', and that 'the unspecified versifier' had proceeded to make a poem out of it. However, he was a critic positive in his taste, and he contrasted the poem, greatly to its disadvantage, with 'the few pages of (presumably) prose transcript from the original'. In the poem, he said, 'the primitive strength is gone, the clear colours are gone' - a notable conclusion, even if the actual evolution of the Matter of Beren and Luthien was thus turned onto its head. It may seem odd that the reader who was given the poem should have had so little to go on; even odder, that he wrote with some enthusiasm about the fragment of prose narrative that accompanied it, yet never saw the work from which the fragment came, though that was the most important manuscript sent in by the author: he had indeed no reason to suspect its existence. But I would guess that my father had not made it sufficiently clear at the outset what the Middle-earth prose works were and how they related to each other, and that as a result 'the Gnomes Material' had been set aside as altogether too peculiar and difficult. At the bottom of the reader's report Charles Furth of Allen R Unwin wrote: 'What do we do?'; and it was left to the tact of Stanley Unwin to devise a way. When he returned the manuscripts to my father he said: As you yourself surmised, it is going to be a difficult task to do anything with the Geste of Beren and Luthien in verse form, but our reader is much impressed with the pages of a prose version that accompanied it - and he quoted from the report only the approving (if misdirected) remarks which the reader had made about the Silmarillion fragment, and which Humphrey Carpenter quotes- 'It has something of that mad, bright-eyed beauty that perplexes all Anglo-Saxons in the face of Celtic art,' &c. But Stanley Unwin then went on to say: ?he Silmarillion contains plenty of wonderful material; in fact it is a mine to be explored in writing further books like The Hobbit rather than a book in itself. These words effectively show in themselves that The Silmarillion had not been given to a reader and reported on. At that time it was an extremely coherent work, though unfinished in that version.* Beyond question, Stanley Unwin's object was to save my father's feelings, while (relying on the reader's report - which concerned the poem) rejecting the material submitted, and to persuade him to write a book that would continue the success of The Hobbit. But the result was that my father was entirely misled; for in his reply of 16 December 1937 (given in full in Letters pp. 26 - 7) - three days before he wrote saying that he had completed the first chapter, 'A Long-expected Party', of 'a new story about Hobbits' - he said: My chief joy comes from learning that the Silmarillion is not rejected with scorn... I do not mind about the verse-form [i.e. the verse-form of the tale of Beren and Luthien, the Lay of Leithian] which in spite of certain virtuous passages has grave defects, for it is only for me the rough material.+ But I shall certainly now hope one day to be able, or to be able to afford, to publish the Silmarillion! He was quite obviously under the impression that The Silmarillion had been given to a reader and reported on (no doubt he saw no significance in Stanley Unwin's phrase 'the pages of a prose version'); whereas so far as the existing evidence goes (and it seems sufficiently complete) this was not the case at all. He thought it had been read and rejected, whereas it had merely been rejected. The reader had certainly rejected the Lay of Leithian; he had not rejected The Silmarillion, of which he had only seen a few pages (not knowing what they were), and in any case enjoyed them - granting the difficulties that an Anglo-Saxon finds in appreciating Celtic art. (* There was not in fact a great deal more to be done in reworking the 1930 text: the new version extended (in some 40,000 words) to part way through Chapter XXI, Of Turin Turambar. + This may seem a rather surprising thing to say; but it is to be remembered that he had abandoned the poem six years before, and was at this time absorbed in the perfecting of the proee Silmarillion.) It is strange to reflect on what the outcome might conceivably have been if The Silmarillion actually had been read at that time, and if the reader had maintained the good opinion he formed from those few pages; for while there is no necessary reason to suppose even so that it would have been accepted for publication, it does not seem absolutely out of the question. And if it had been? My father wrote long after (in 1946, Letters P. 346): I then [after the publication of The Hobbit] offered them the legends of the Elder Days, but their readers turned that down. They wanted a sequel. But I wanted heroic legends and high romance. The result was The Lord of the Rings. GLOSSARY OF OBSOLETE, ARCHAIC, AND RARE WORDS AND MEANINGS. In this list words occurring in the Lay of the Children of Hurin (H, and the second version H ii) and in the Lay of Leithian (L, and the con- tinuous part of the later rewriting L ii) are referenced to the lines; words from other poems or passages are referenced to the pages on which they occur. Both Lays, but especially The Children of Hurin, make use of some totally lost words (and lost meanings), but the list includes also a good many that remain well-known literary archaisms, and some words that are neither but are of very limited currency. an if, H 63, 485. as as if, H 310, ii. 659. astonied astounded, H 578. bade H ii.646. If This Thingol she bade means 'This she offered to Thingol' the word is used in two senses within the line: she bade (offered) him the helm, and bade (asked) him to receive her thanks', but more probably the line means 'she asked him to receive it, and her thanks' (cf. H 301). bale evil, woe, torment, H 56, ii. 81. balusters the pillars of a balustrade, p. 132. bated restrained, held in, H 1121. bent open place covered with grass, H 1032, 1517, 1539, ii. 500; L 1369, 2281. betid come to pass, L 2408 blent mingled, H 453, 583; L ii. 317. boots in it boots not, it is of no use, H 1871. bosmed (in bare-bosmed) bosomed, H 1198. brand blade, sword, H 1340, ii. 149. carping talk, chatter, H 477; carped H 506. casque helmet, H ii. 655. chaplet garland, L 753 chase hunting-grounds, L 3297 clomb old past tense of climb, H 1494; L 1382, 3872. corse corpse, H 1295, 1404; L 3620. cozening beguiling or defrauding, p. 305. croft enclosed plot of arable land, L 1968. dear precious, valuable, H 480. dolour suffering, L 2814. dolven (also in dark(ly)-, deep-dolven) delved, dug, H 2052; L 213, 1677, 11. 63. dreed endured, suffered, H 531. drouth (the same word in origin as drought) dryness, H 946, 972; (plains of, fields of) drouth, thirst, H 826; L 2047. eld old age, H ii. 595; of eld, of old, H x x 8, ii. 262. enfurled (in mist-enfurled) enveloped, swathed (in something twisted or folded), L 59, ii.61. The word is not recorded with the prefix en-. Cf. furled, wrapped, L 1551, unfurled, opened out, L 404, 1591, 3986. enow enough, L 1304. error (probably) wandering, H ii. 495. fain gladly, H 130; L 823; glad, L ii.368; fain of eager for, or well-pleased with, H 410, 458, ii. 786; warfain eager for war, H 386, 1664, ii. 137, bloodfain ii. 750; I had fainer I would like it better, H ii. 146. falchion (broad) sword, H 1217, ii.63, 146 fallow golden brown, H 2106; pp. 128 - g; fallow-gold p. 129; fallow deer L 86. (A distinct word from fallow of ground.) fare journeying, H 2184. fast fixedly, unmovingly, H 1614 (or perhaps adjective qualifying pondering, deep, unbroken, cf. fast asleep); secure against attack, L 360. fell hide, L 2344, 3398, 3458, 3484, 3941, 4I24, ii. 528. fey death-bound, L 3305; see unfey. flittermouse bat, L 4074. fold land, H 765; folds H 533, 1632 probably the same, but perhaps 'windings'. force waterfall, H 1595. forhungered starved, L 3076. forwandered worn out by wandering, H 190, 897, ii.498; L 550, 2354. *354 freshets small streams of fresh water, H 1597; L 1934. frith wood, woodland, H 1795; p. 132; L 896, 2264, ii. 124. frore frosty, H ii. 594; very cold, L 578, 1718. garth enclosed ground beside a house, garden, yard, H 149, ii. 313. ghyll deep rocky ravine, H 1498. glaive lance, or sword, H 322, 1210, ii.680. glamoury magic, enchantment, pp. 122 - 3;L 2073. gloam twilight, p. 146. grasses plants, herbs, L 3122. guerdon recompense, H 658; L 222, 1064, 4139. haggard (of clothes) ragged, disordered, H 466; (of hills) wild, H 2120, L 3167; modern meaning H 1890, L 3720 (in transferred sense, haggard hunger, haggard care H I437, L 564) haled drew, pulled out, H ii. 551. hap fortune, lot, condition, H 340. hest command, H 86, 689. hie hasten, H 838. hight called, named, H 366, 863. hold fastness, stronghold, L 52, 1702, 2457; p. 134 (or perhaps 'grasp'); refuge, L 210. holt wood, copse, L 2342. inane empty, void, L 3533. keep central part of the stronghold, L 1677. lambent of flame, playing on a surface without burning, H 1217. lapped hemmed in, H 690; enfolded, H 709. lea grassland, H 35, 1797, ii. 66. leasows meadows, H 1797. leeches physicians, L 3055, 3144. let hinder, L 2019. levin lightning, H 1681. lief willing, L 3417; lievet better, more delightful, H 78. like please, H go, 286, 598, 1376, ii. 226, 626 (but 'like' H 616) lind linden, lime-tree, p. 120. loath hateful to, L 3419; unwilling, L 3417. lode path, road, H 798. louted bent, bowed, H 1520. march borderland, H ii. 493; L 3672. marge margin, H 1555. mavis song-thrush, L ii. 74. meed reward, requital, H 81, 268, 701, 793, ii. I95, 231, 604. meet fitting, H 487. mete deal out (used in the construction I shall mete thee a meed, his meed was meted) H Sr, 532, 7O1 1092, ii. 195. mews seagulls, p. 129; seamew H 1551. neb beak, bill, L 255, 570, ii. 381, 409. nesh soft, tender, L 4220. opes opens, L 3740; oped H 550. or ever before ever, L 1821. or... or either... or, H 439 - 40 L 54, 2886; p. 359 outer utter, uttermost (?), L 2079. palfrey small saddle-horse, L 3379. parlous perilous, dangerous, L ii. 456. pled old past tense of plead, L 2983. pleniluae full moon, p. 354. prate chatter, talk to no purpose, H 501. quick living, alive, H ii. 78. quod (quoth), said, H 88. quook old past tense of quake, L 3582. recked cared, H 619; L ii. 629; unrecked unheeded, disregarded, H 1799. redeless without resource, devoid of counsel, L 3427. rive cleave, H 1211; past tense rove, L 4149. roamed wandered, went (of a path or journey), H 1432; extended (?) (of regions), H 1577. (These usages appear to be unrecorded.) rout company, troop, band, L 2997. rove see rive. ruel-bone some kind of ivory, L 2261 (cf. J. R. R. Tolkien, Sir Gawain, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo, translation of Pearl stanza 18: And her hue as rewel ivoty man). nath pity, compassion, H 306, 1941, 1969, 2134, ii.654; L 116; remorse, H 509; sorrow, H 1661 shaws woods, thickets, H 647 (cf. the Trollshaws west of Rivendell). sheer (of light) bright, L 689; (of water) clear and pure, L 1439. shoon old plural of shoe, L 490. shores supports, props, L 3880. sigaldry sorcery, L 2072 (cf. stanza 3 of the poem Errantry, in J. R. R. Tolkien, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, 1962). slade valley, dell, H 235, I 150 2171 ii. 561; s1ades of death H 685, 886. slot track, trail (of a hunted creature), H 745, 1314 alough mire, mud, H 881. sped availed (attained his purpose), H 41; prospered (transitive), H 247, (intransitive) ii. 574; pressed, urged on, H 284; sent with haste, H 654. stared (probably) shone, L 3I32 a meaning of the verb found in the mediaeval alliterative poems: cf. J. R. R. Tolkien, Sir Gawain, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo, translation of Pearl stanza 10: stars stare in the welkin in minter night, where the original has staren with this meaning. strikes runs, flows, H 240, 520, ii. 567. suage assuage, relieve, H 612. sued petitioned for, appealed for, H 857. swath 'the space covered by a sweep of the mower's scythe' (O.E.D.), H 33, ii.64; L 2106. swinking toiling, H 784. sylphine of the nature of a sylph (spirit inhabiting the air, see p. 306), L 4077. (This adjective to sylph is not recorded.) tale count, amount, sum, H 159, 471, ii. 326. Cf. untold uncounted, H ii. 678, L 12, 2251. targe shield, H 13 I 409, 2 I 53, it. 284, 785. thewed in mighty-thewed, of great strength, with mighty sinews, H ii. 714. thirled pierced, H 697. tilth cultivated land, H 1798. tors rocky hill-tops, H 2119. travail hardship (as endured on a journey, i.e. both travail and travel), H xyg, ii. 300. unfey not 'fey', not fated to die, H ii. 752 (or possibly the meaning is 'not feeble, not timid', reversing another sense of fey). This word is apparently not recorded in English, but u-feigr 'unfey' is found in Old Norse. unkempt uncombed, H 490. unreeked see reeked. wading going, passing, H 1605. waiviag refusing, rejecting, H ii. 154. wallet bag for provisions, H 228, ii. 551. wan dark, L 261, ii. 561. wanhope despair, H 188. web woven fabric, L 1471l; used of ring-mail L 324, and of the 'weavings' of fate H ii. 13. weeds clothes, H 445. weft woven fabric, L 3061. weird fate, doom, H 160, ii. 119, 246, 327; L 2290, 3173. weregild the price to be paid in compensation for the killing of a man, varying according to his rank, L ii. 177. whin gorse, L ii. 195. wieldy (capable of easily wielding body or weapon), vigorous, agile, H 1765. wildered lost, H 188, 204, 1316, ii.516; p. 146; bewildered, H 774; L 641 (see p. 323). minding (1) of the motion of wind or water (without any necessary suggestion of twisting), H 769, 1857. (2) (of trumpet) blowing, H 1832. wist see wot. mold forested hills or uplands (see p. 88), H 1816, 1992, 1994; L 1742. wolfham(e) wolfskin, L 3398; pp. 271 - 3, 283 (see p. 271). woof woven fabric, L 4149. wot (present tense of verb wit), know, H 204, ii. 516; past tense wist knew, H 160, 200, 399, ii.327; past participle unwiet unknown, H 257. wrack (1) ruin, disaster, destruction, H 27, 629, 2036, ii. 120; p. 142. (2) seaweed, H 1569 wrights craftsmen, H 300 I 147, ii. 641, 671.