The War of the Ring Read Free Page A

driven back over the bend of the Isen with great loss yesterday; many perished at the crossing.
    Then at night fresh forces came over the river against our camp.
    All Isengard must be emptied; and the Wizard has armed the wild hill-men and the scattered folk of Westfold,(4) and these also he loosed upon us. We were overmastered. The shieldwall was broken. Trumbold [> Herulf > Heorulf](5) the Westmarcher has drawn off those he could gather towards his fastness under Tindtorras. Others are scattered. Where is Eomer? Tell him there is no hope ahead: he should return to Eodoras, before the wolves of Saruman come there!'
    Theoden rode up. 'Come, stand before me, Ceorl!' he said. 'I am here. The last host of the Eorlingas has ridden forth. It will not return unfought.'
    The man's face lightened with wonder and joy. He drew himself up. Then he knelt offering his notched sword to the King. 'Command me, lord,' he cried, 'and pardon me! I did not know, I thought - '
    'You though". I remained in Eodoras, bent like an old tree under winter snow. So it was when you went. But a wind has shaken off somewhat the cold burden,' said Theoden. 'Give this man a fresh horse. Let us ride to the aid of Trumbold [> Heorulf]! '
    Forward they rode again, urging on their horses. Suddenly Gandalf spoke to Shadowfax, and like an arrow from the bow the great horse sprang away. Even as they looked, he was gone: a Hash of silver in the sunset, a wind in the grass, a shadow that fled and faded from sight. For a while Snowmane and the horses of the King's guard strained in pursuit, but if they had walked they would have had as much chance of overtaking him.
    'What does that mean?' said Hama to a comrade. 'Ever he comes and goes unlooked-for.'
    'Wormtongue, were he here, would not find it hard to explain,' said the other.
    'True,' said Hama, 'but for myself I will wait till we see him again.'
    'If ever we do,' said the other.

    It was night and the host was still riding swiftly, when cries and hornblasts were heard from the scouts that rode ahead.
    Arrows whistled overhead. They were crossing a wide vale, a bay in the mountains. On the further side the Tindtorras were hidden in darkness. Some miles ahead still lay the opening of the great cleft in the hills which men of that land called Heorulf's Clough:(6) steep and narrow it wound inward under the Tindtorras, and where it issued in the vale, upon an outjutting heel of rock, was built the fastness of Heorulf's Hold.(7)

    The scouts rode back and reported that wolfriders were abroad in the vale, and that a host of orcs and wild men, very great indeed, was hastening southward over the plain to gain the gates of the Nerwet.(8)
    'We have found some of our men slain as they fled,' said one of the scouts; 'and scattered companies we have met, going this way and that, leaderless; but many are making for Herulf's Hold, and say that Herulf is already there.'
    'We had best not give battle in the dark, nor await the day here in the open, not knowing the number of the coming host,'
    said Eomer, who had ridden up to the King's side. 'What is your counsel, Aragorn?'
    'To drive through such enemies as are before us, and encamp before the Nerwet Gate to defend if may be, while the men who have fought rest behind our shield.'
    'Let it be so!' said Theoden. 'We will go thither in many
    [separate comp]anies: let a man who is nightsighted and knows
    [well the land] go at the head of each.'(9)

    At this point my father stopped, and returned to 'It was night and the host was still riding swiftly...' In the passage just given is the first appearance of Helm's Deep ('Heorulf's Clough') and the Hornburg ('Heorulf's Hold') on its 'outjutting heel of rock'; Heorulf being the precursor of Erkenbrand of Westfold.

    Night had fallen, and still the host was riding swiftly on. They had turned northward, and were bearing towards the fords of the Isen, when cries and hornblasts were heard from their scouts that went in front. Arrows whistled