Lo! the bonds were burst that had bound his hands:
his cry of battle calling hoarsely
he flung him fiercely on the foe he dreamed,
1250
and Beleg falling breathless earthward
was crushed beneath him. Crazed with anguish
then seized that sword the son of Húrin,
to his hand lying by the help of doom;
at the throat he thrust; through he pierced it,
1255
that the blood was buried in the blood-wet mould;
ere Flinding knew what fared that night,
all was over. With oath and curse
he bade the goblins now guard them well,
or sup on his sword: ‘Lo! the son of Húrin
1260
is freed from his fetters.’ His fancy wandered
in the camps and clearings of the cruel Glamhoth.
Flight he sought not at Flinding leaping
with his last laughter, his life to sell
amid foes imagined; but Fuilin’s son
1265
there stricken with amaze, starting backward,
cried: ‘Magic of Morgoth! A! madness damned!
with friends thou fightest!’ – then falling suddenly
the lamp o’erturned in the leaves shrouded
that its light released illumined pale
1270
with its flickering flame the face of Beleg.
Than the boles of the trees more breathless rooted
stone-faced he stood staring frozen
on that dreadful death, and his deed knowing
wildeyed he gazed with waking horror,
1275
as in endless anguish an image carven.
So fearful his face that Flinding crouched
and watched him, wondering what webs of doom
dark, remorseless, dreadly meshed him
by the might of Morgoth; and he mourned for him,
1280
and for Beleg, who bow should bend no more,
his black yew-wood in battle twanging –
his life had winged to its long waiting
in the halls of the Moon o’er the hills of the sea.
Hark! he heard the horns hooting loudly,
1285
no ghostly laughter of grim phantom,
no wraithlike feet rustling dimly –
the Orcs were up; their ears had hearkened
the cries of Túrin; their camp was tumult,
their lust was alight ere the last shadows
1290
of night were lifted. Then numb with fear
in hoarse whisper to unhearing ears
he told his terror; for Túrin now
with limbs loosened leaden-eyed was bent
crouching crumpled by the corse moveless;
1295
nor sight nor sound his senses knew,
and wavering words he witless murmured,
‘A! Beleg,’ he whispered, ‘my brother-in-arms.’
Though Flinding shook him, he felt it not:
had he comprehended he had cared little.
1300
Then winds were wakened in wild dungeons
where thrumming thunders throbbed and rumbled;
storm came striding with streaming banners
from the four corners of the fainting world;
then the clouds were cloven with a crash of lightning,
1305
and slung like stones from slings uncounted
the hurtling hail came hissing earthward,
with a deluge dark of driving rain.
Now wafted high, now wavering far,
the cries of the Glamhoth called and hooted,
1310
and the howl of wolves in the heavens’ roaring
was mingled mournful: they missed their paths,
for swollen swept there swirling torrents
down the blackening slopes, and the slot was blind,
so that blundering back up the beaten road
1315
to the gates of gloom many goblins wildered
were drowned or drawn in Deadly Nightshade
to die in the dark; while dawn came not,
while the storm-riders strove and thundered
all the sunless day, and soaked and drenched
1320
Flinding go-Fuilin with fear speechless
there crouched aquake; cold and lifeless
lay Beleg the bowman; brooding dumbly
Túrin Thalion neath the tangled thorns
sat unseeing without sound or movement.
1325
The dusty dunes of Dor-na-Fauglith
hissed and spouted. Huge rose the spires
of smoking vapour swathed and reeking,
thick-billowing clouds from thirst unquenched,
and dawn was kindled dimly lurid
1330
when a day and night had dragged away.
The Orcs had gone, their anger baffled,
o’er the weltering ways weary faring
to their hopeless halls in Hell’s kingdom;
no thrall took they Túrin Thalion –
1335
a burden bore he than their bonds heavier,
in despair fettered with spirit empty
in mourning hopeless he remained behind.
NOTES
617
Blodrin: Bauglir A, and B as typed. See line 618.
618
Bauglir Ban’s son A, and B as typed (Bauglir > Blodrin carefully-made early change, Ban > Bor hasty and later). See lines 661, 696, 990.
631
Fangair A, Fangros B as typed.
636
Tengwethiel [sic] A, Tain-Gwethil B as typed. Cf. line 431.
653
Túrin Thaliodrin A, and B as typed. Cf. lines 115, 333, 720.
661, 696
As at line 618.
711
Aiglir-angrin A, Aiglir Angrin B as typed, emended roughly in pencil to Eiglir Engrin; cf. line 1055. In the Tale of Turambar occurs Angorodin (the Iron Mountains), II.77.
711–14
These lines read in A (and as typed in B, with of Hell is reared for of the Hells of Iron):
where Aiglir-angrin the Iron Hills lie
and Thangorodrim’s thunderous mountain
o’er the hopeless halls of the Hells of iron
wrought at the roots of the ruthless hills.
718
Cf. Bilbo’s second riddle to Gollum.
720
As at line 653.
780
Delimorgoth A, Delu-Morgoth B as typed, dark Morgoth a late pencilled emendation. At lines 11 and 51 Delu-Morgoth is an emendation of Delimorgoth in B.
816
Tûn also in A; see lines 50, 430.
818–20
Against these lines my father wrote in the margin of B: ‘Captured in battle at gates of Angband.’
826
o’er the black boulders of the Blasted Plain A (marked with query).
834
mercy: magic A, and B as typed; mercy in pencil and not quite certain.
946
Daideloth A emended at time of writing to Dor-na-Maiglos, Dor-na-Fauglith B as typed. In margin of A is written: ‘a plateau from Dai “high”, Deloth “plain”; contrast II. 337, entry Dor-na-Dhaideloth.
990
Blodrin Ban’s son A, and B as typed; Ban’s > Bor’s later in B. At lines 617–18, 661, 696 A, and B as typed, had Bauglir, changed to Blodrin in B.
