The Lays of Beleriand Read Free Page A

traitor's stain.'
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    'If torment be sweet, treasure is liever.
    The hoards of a hundred hundred ages,
    the gems and jewels of the jealous Gods,
    are mine, and a meed shall I mete thee thence, yea, wealth to glut the Worm of Greed.'
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    'Canst not learn of thy lore when thou look'st on a foe, O Bauglir unblest? Bray no longer
    of the things thou hast thieved from the Three Kindreds. 85
    In hate I hold thee, and thy hests in scorn.'
    'Boldly thou bravest me. Be thy boast rewarded,'
    in mirth quod Morgoth, 'to me now the deeds,
    and thy aid I ask not; but anger thee nought
    if little they like thee. Yea, look thereon
    helpless to hinder, or thy hand to raise.'
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    Then Thalion was thrust to Thangorodrim,
    that mountain that meets the misty skies
    on high o'er the hills that Hithlum sees
    blackly brooding on the borders of the north.
    To a stool of stone on its steepest peak
    they bound him in bonds, an unbreakable chain, and the Lord of Woe there laughing stood,
    then cursed him for ever and his kin and seed with a doom of dread, of death and horror.
    There the mighty man unmoved sat;
    but unveiled was his vision, that he viewed afar all earthly things with eyes enchanted
    that fell on his folk -- a fiend's torment.
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    I.

    TURIN'S FOSTERING.
    Lo! the lady Morwin in the Land of Shadows
    waited in the woodland for her well-beloved;
    but he came never from the combat home.
    No tidings told her whether taken or dead,
    or lost in flight he lingered yet.
    Laid waste his lands, and his lieges slain,
    and men unmindful of his mighty lordship
    dwelt in Dorlomin and dealt unkindly
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    with his widowed wife; and she went with child, who a son must succour now sadly orphaned,
    Turin Thaliodrin of tender years.
    Then in days of blackness was her daughter born, and was named Nienor, a name of tears
    that in language of eld is Lamentation.
    Then her thoughts turned to Thingol the Elf-king, and the dancer of Doriath, his daughter Tinuviel, whom the boldest of the brave, Beren Ermabwed, had won to wife. He once had known
    firmest friendship to his fellow in arms,
    Thalion Erithamrod -- so thought she now,
    and said to her son, 'My sweetest child,
    our friends are few, and thy father comes not.
    Thou must fare afar to the folk of the wood,
    where Thingol is throned in the Thousand Caves.
    If he remember Morwin and thy mighty sire
    he will fain foster thee, and feats of arms
    he will teach thee, the trade of targe and sword, and Thalion's son no thrall shall be --
    but remember thy mother when thy manhood nears.'
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    Heavy boded the heart of Hurin's son,
    yet he weened her words were wild with grief, and he denied her not, for no need him seemed.
    Lo! henchmen had Morwin, Halog and Gumlin,
    who were young of yore ere the youth of Thalion, who alone of the lieges of that lord of Men
    steadfast in service staid beside her:
    now she bade them brave the black mountains,
    and the woods whose ways wander to evil;
    though Turin be tender and to travail unused, they must gird them and go; but glad they were not, and Morwin mourned when men saw not.
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    Came a summer day when sun filtered
    warm through the woodland's waving branches.
    Then Morwin stood her mourning hiding
    by the gate of her garth in a glade of the woods.
    At the breast she mothered her babe unweaned, and the doorpost held lest she droop for anguish.
    There Gumlin guided her gallant boy,
    and a heavy burden was borne by Halog;
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    but the heart of Turin was heavy as stone
    uncomprehending its coming anguish.
    He sought for comfort, with courage saying:
    'Quickly will I come from the courts of Thingol; long ere manhood I will lead to Morwin
    great tale of treasure, and true comrades' --
    for he wist not the weird woven by Bauglir,
    nor the sundering sorrow that swept between.
    The farewells are taken: their footsteps are turned to the dark forest: the dwelling fadeth
    in the tangled trees. Then in Turin leapt
    his awakened heart, and he wept