VII. THE EARLIEST ANNALS OF BELERIAND. As with the Annals of Valinor, these are the 'earliest' Annals of Beleriand because they were followed by others, the last be- ing called the Grey Annals, companion to the Annals of Aman and belonging to the same time (p. 310). But unlike the Annals of Aman, the Grey Annals were left unfinished at the end of the story of Turin Turambar; and both as prose narrative and still more as definitive history of the end of the Elder Days from the time of The Lord of the Rings their abandonment is grievous. The earliest Annals of Beleriand ('AB') are themselves found in two versions, which I shall call AB I and AB II. AB I is a complete text to the end of the First Age; AB II is quite brief, and though it begins as a fair copy of the much-emended opening of I it soon becomes strongly divergent. In this chapter I give both texts separately and in their entirety, and in what follows I refer only to the earlier, AB I. This is a good, clear manuscript, but the style suggests very rapid composition. For much of its length the entries are in the present tense and often staccato, even with such expressions as 'the Orcs got between them' (annal 172), though by subse- quent small expansions and alterations here and there my fa- ther slightly modified this character. I think that his primary intention at this time was the consolidation of the historical structure in its internal relations and chronology - the Annals began, perhaps, in parallel with the Quenta as a convenient way of driving abreast, and keeping track of, the different el- ements in the ever more complex narrative web. Nonetheless major new developments enter here. The manuscript was fairly heavily emended, though much less so towards the end, and from the nature of the changes, largely concerned with dating, it has become a complicated document. To present it in its original form, with all the later changes recorded in notes, would make it quite unnecessarily difficult to follow, and indeed would be scarcely possible, since many alterations were made either at the time of writing or in its immediate context. A later 'layer' of pencilled emen- dation, very largely concerned with names, is easily separable. The text given here, therefore, is that of the manuscript afier all the earlier changes and additions (in ink) had been made to it, and these are only recorded in the notes in certain cases. The later pencilled alterations are fully registered. That AB I is earlier than the comparable portion of AV is easily shown. Thus in AB I, as in Q ($8), there is no mention of Fingolfin's march to Angband immediately on his arrival, whereas it appears in AV (p. 320); again as in Q and in con- trast to AV (p. 318) the Battle under Stars was fought, and Feanor died, before the encampment in Mithrim. Further, the names Dagor-os-Giliath and Eredwethion are added in pencil in AB I, whereas in AV they appear in the text as first written, and Erydlomin still means the Shadowy Mountains (see p. 333). That AB I is later than Q is shown by a multiplicity of features, as will be seen from the Commentary. There follows the text of AB I. ANNALS OF BELERIAND. Morgoth flees from Valinor with the Silmarils, the magic gems of Feanor, and returns into the Northern World and, rebuilds his fortress of Angband beneath the Black Moun- tain, Thangorodrim. He devises the Balrogs and the Orcs. The Silmarils are set in Morgoth's iron crown. The Gnomes of the eldest house, the Dispossessed, come into the North under Feanor and his seven sons, with their friends Orodreth, Angrod, and Egnor, sons of Finrod.' They burn the Telerian ships. First of the Battles with Morgoth,' the Battle under Stars. Feanor defeats the Orcs, but is mortally wounded by Gotmog captain of Balrogs, and dies. Maidros, his eldest son, is ambushed and captured and hung on Thangorodrim. The sons of Feanor camp about Lake Mithrim in the North- west, behind the Shadowy Mountains.(3) Year 1. Here Sun and Moon, made by the Gods after the death of the Two Trees of Valinor, appear. Thus measured time came into the Hither Lands. Fingolfin leads the second house of the Gnomes over the straits of Grinding Ice into the Hither Lands. With him came the son of Finrod, Felagund,4 and part of the third or youngest house. They march from the North as the Sun rises, and unfurl their banners; and they come to Mithrim, but there is feud' between them and the sons of Feanor. Morgoth at coming of Light retreats into his deepest dungeons, but smithies in secret, and sends forth black clouds. 2. Fingon son of Fingolfin heals the feud by rescu- ing Maidros. 1-100. The Gnomes explore and settle Beleriand, and all the vale of Sirion from' the Great Sea to the Blue Mountains,' except for Doriath in the cen- tre where Thingol and Melian reign. 20. Feast and Games of Reuniting were held in Nan Tathrin, the Land of Willows, near the delta of Sirion, between the Elves of Valinor returning and the Dark-elves, both those of the Western Havens (Brithombar and Eldorest)(8) and the scat- tered Wood-elves of the West, and ambassadors of Thingol. A time of peace followed.(9) 50. Morgoth's might begins to move once more. Earthquakes in the North. Orc-raids begin. Turgon son of Fingolfin is great in friendship with Felagund son of Finrod; but Orodreth, Angrod, and Egnor, sons of Finrod, are friends of the sons of Feanor, especially Celegorm and Curufin. 50. Turgon and Felagund are troubled by dreams and forebodings. Felagund finds the caves of Narog and established his armouries there.(10) Turgon alone discovers the hidden vale of Gondolin. Being still troubled in heart he gath- ers folk about him and departs from Hithlum, the Land of Mist about Mithrim, where his brother Fingon remains. 51 The Gnomes drive back the Orcs again, and the Siege of Angband is laid. The North has great peace and quiet again. Fingolfin holds the North-west and all Hithlum, and is overlord of the Dark-elves west of Narog. His might is gath- ered on the slopes of Erydlomin(11) the Shadowy Mountains and thence watches and traverses the great plains of Bladorion up to the walls of Morgoth's mountains in the North. Felagund holds the vale of Sirion save Doriath, and has his seat" beside Narog in the South, but his might is gathered in the North guarding the ac- cess to Sirion's vale between Erydlomin and the mountainous region of Taur-na-Danion, the for- est of pines. He has a fortress on a rocky isle in the midst of Sirion, Tolsirion. His brothers dwell in the centre about Taur-na-Danion and scour Bladorion thence, and join in the East with the sons of Feanor. The fortress of the sons of Feanor is upon Himling, but they roam and hunt all the woods of East Beleriand even up to the Blue Mountains. Thither at times many of the Elf-lords go for hunting. But none get tidings of Turgon and his folk. 70. Beor born in the East. 88. 90. Haleth, and Hador the Goldenhaired, born in the East. 100. Felagund hunting in the East comes upon Beor the mortal and his Men who have wandered into Beleriand. Beor becomes a vassal of Felagund and goes west with him. Bregolas son of Beor born. 102. Barahir son of Beor born. 120. Haleth comes into Beleriand; also Hador the Goldenhaired and his great companies of Men. Haleth remains in Sirion*s vale, but Hador be- comes a vassal of Fingolfin and strengthens his armies and is given lands in Hithlum. 113 Hundor son of Haleth born. 117 Gundor son of Hador born. 119 Gumlin son of Hador born.'-' 122. The strength of Men being added to the Gnomes, Morgoth is straitly enclosed. The Gnomes deem the siege of Angband cannot be broken, but Morgoth ponders new devices, and bethinks him of Dragons. The Men of the three houses grow and multiply, and are gladly subject to the Elf-lords, and learn many crafts of the Gnomes. The Men of Beor were dark or brown of hair but fair of face, with grey eyes; of shapely form, of great courage and endurance, but little greater than the Elves of that day. The folk of Hador were yellow-haired and blue-eyed and of great stature and strength. Like unto them but somewhat shorter and more broad were the folk of Haleth. 124. 128. Baragund and Belegund, sons of Bregolas son of Beor, born. 132. Beren, after named the Ermabwed (14) or One- handed," son of Barahir, born. 141. Hurin the Steadfast, son of Gumlin, born, Handir son of Hundor son of Haleth born. 144. Huor Hurin's brother born. 145. Morwen Elfsheen, daughter of Baragund, born. 150. Rian daughter of Belegund, mother of Tuor, born. Beor the Old, Father of Men, dies of old age in Beleriand. The Elves see for the first time the death of weariness, and sorrow over the short span allotted to Men. Bregolas rules the house of Beor. * 155. Morgoth unlooses his might, and seeks to break into Beleriand. The Battle begins on a sudden on a night of mid-winter and falls first most heavily on the sons of Finrod and their folk. This is the Battle of Sudden Fire. Rivers of fire flow from Thangorodrim. Glomund the golden, Father of Dragons, appears." The plains of Bladorion are turned into a great desert without green, and called after Dor-na-Fauglith, Land of Gasping Thirst. Here were Bregolas slain, and the greater part of the warriors of Beor's house. Angrod and Egnor sons of Finrod fell. Barahir and his cho- sen champions saved Felagund and Orodreth, and Felagund swore a great oath of friendship to his kin and seed. Barahir rules the remnant of the house of Beor. 155 Fingolfin and Fingon marched to the aid of their kin, but were driven back with great loss. Hador, now aged, fell defending his lord Fingolfin, and with him Gundor his son. Gumlin took the lord- ship of Hador's house. The sons of Feanor were not slain, but Celegorm and Curufin were defeated and fled with Orodreth son of Finrod. Maidros the left- handed did deeds of great prowess, and Morgoth did not take Himling as yet, but he broke into the passes east of Himling and ravaged into East Beleriand and scattered the Gnomes of Feanor's house. Turgon was not at that battle, nor Haleth or any but few of his folk. It is said that Hurin was at foster with Haleth, and that Haleth and Hurin hunting in Sirion's vale came upon some of Turgon's folk, and were brought into the secret vale of Gondolin, whereof of those outside none yet knew save Thorndor King of Eagles; for Turgon had messages and dreams sent by the God Ulmo, Lord of Waters, up Sirion warning him that help of Men was necessary for him. But Haleth and Hurin swore oaths of secrecy and never revealed Gondolin, but Haleth learned something of the counsels of Turgon, and told them after to Hurin. Great liking had Turgon for the boy Hurin and would keep him in Gondolin, but the grievous tidings of the great battle came and they departed. Turgon sends secret messen- gers to Sirion's mouths and begins a building of ships. Many set sail for Valinor, but none re- turn.'" Fingolfin seeing the ruin of [the] Gnomes and the defeat of all their houses was filled with wrath and despair, and rode alone to the gates of Angband and challenged Morgoth to single con;bat. Fingolfin was slain, but Thorndor res- cued his body, and set it in a cairn on the moun- tains north of Gondolin to guard that valley, and so came the tidings thither. Fingon ruled the royal house of [the] Gnomes. 157. Morgoth took Tolsirion and pierced the passes into West Beleriand. There he set Thu the wiz- ard, and Tolsirion became a place of evil.(20) Felagund and Orodreth, together with Celegorm and Curufin, retreated to Nargothrond, and made there a great hidden palace after the fashion of Thingol in" the Thousand Caves in Doriath. Barahir will not retreat and holds out still in Taur-na-Danion. Morgoth hunts them down and turns Taur-na-Danion into a region of great dread, so that it was after called Taur-na-Fuin, the Forest of Night, or Math-Fuin-delos (22) Deadly Nightshade. Only Barahir and his son Beren, and his nephews Baragund and Belegund sons of Bregolas and a few men remain.(23) The wives of Baragund and Belegund and their young daughters Morwen and Rian were sent (24) into Hithlum to the keeping of Gumlin. 158. Haleth and his folk lead a woodland life in woods about Sirion on the west marches o Doriath and harry the Orc-bands.(25) 160. Barahir was betrayed by Gorlim, and all his company is slain by the Orcs save Beren who was hunting alone. Beren pursues the Orcs and slays his father's slayer and retakes the ring which Felagund gave to Barahir. Beren becomes a solitary outlaw. 162. Renewed assaults of Morgoth. The Orc-raids en- compass Doriath, protected by the magic of Me- lian the divine, west down Sirion and eas beyond Himling. Beren is driven south and comes hardly into Doriath. Gumlin slain in an assault upon the fortress of Fingon at Sirion's Well in the west of Erydlomin.(27) Hurin his son is mighty in strength. He is summoned to Hithlum and comes there hardly. He rules the house of Hador and serves Fingon. 163 The Swarthy Men first come into East Be- leriand. They were short, broad, long and strong in the arm, growing much hair on face and breast, and this was dark as were their eyes; their skins were sallow or dark, but most were not uncomely. Their houses were many, and many had liking rather for the (28) Dwarves of the mountains, of Nogrod and Belegost, than for the Elves. Of the Dwarves the Elves first learned in these days, and their friendship was small. It is not known whence they are, save that they are not of Elf-kin, nor of mortal, nor of Morgoth, But Maidros seeing the weakness of the Gnomes and the waxing power of the armies of Morgoth made alliance with the new-come Men, and with the houses of Bor and of Ulfand.(30) The sons of Ulfand were Uldor, after called the Accursed, and Ulfast, and Ulwar; and by Cranthir son of Feanor were they most beloved, and they swore fealty to him. 163-4 The great geste of Beren and Luthien.(31) King Felagund of Nargothrond dies in Tolsirion (32 in the dungeons of Thu. Orodreth rules Nargo- thrond and breaks friendship with Celgorm and Curufin who are expelled.(33) Luthien and Huan overthrow Thu. Beren and Luthien go to Angband and recover a Silmaril. Carcharoth the great wolf of Angband with the Silmaril in his belly bursts into Doriath. Beren md the hound Huan are slain by Carcharoth, but Huan slays Carcharoth and the Silmaril is regained. Beren was recalled from the dead by Luthien and dwelt with her (34) in the Land of Seven Riv- ers, Ossiriand, out of the knowledge of Men end Elves.(35) 164. Hurin weds Morwen. 165. Turin son of Hurin born in winter with sad, omens.(35) 165-70. The Union of Maidros. Maidros enheartened by the deeds of Beren and Luthien plans a reuniting of forces for the driving back of Morgoth. But because of the deeds of Celegorm and Curufin he receives no help from Thingol, and only small support from Nargothrond, where the Gnomes attempt to guard themselves by stealth and secrecy. He gathers and arms all the Gnomes of Feanor's house, and multitudes of the Dark-elves, and of Men, in East Beleriand. He gets help in smithying of the Dwarves, and sun