Last time we witnessed the moving encounter of Men by Finrod Felagund and how by his advice, the Men of Bëor's House left the land of Ossiriand and removed to Estolad nigh to the borders of Nan Elmoth. Felagund himself departed and returned to Nargothrond, and thither went Bëor also.
After the departure of Finrod, the other Men of whom Bëor had spoken came into Beleriand over the Blue Mountains. First came the Haladin, the people later known as the Folk of Haleth, but they were waylaid by the Green Elves and went to dwell in Thargelion, the realm of Caranthir. Caranthir's people knew indeed of their presence, but paid little attention to them, and thus the Haladin had peace. Next came the people of Marach, but they came in great numbers and ordered companies and the Green Elves, who maintained themselves and their land by secrecy and poisoned darts from afar, hid themselves and did not withstand them. They joined Bëor's people in Estolad.
Finrod visited the Men of Estolad and other kindreds often, and so also did others of the Eldar, eager to see the fathers of Men, whose coming was long foretold in Valinor. In the lore of Valinor, they were named Atani, the Second People, but this was rendered Edain in the Sindarin tongue (from which we get Dúnedain, Men of the West), but this name was only used of the Three Houses of the Elf-friends, the House of Bëor, the House of Haleth and the House of Hador (the descendants of Marach). It is told, however, that Men did not dwell at ease in Estolad, and the lords of the Eldar, seeing hope in the new strength of Men, sent messengers to Men saying that if any would they had leave to come and dwell among the Eldar. And so, the migration of Men began, and many hundreds of thousands entered the realms of the Noldor. The people of Bëor's House dwelt in the highlands of Dorthonion. The people of Marach (although not the old chieftain himself, who went to his long home in Estolad) removed to dwell in Hithlum among Fingolfin's people. Others went to dwell in the vales south of Ered Wethrin.
It is said that none save Felagund took counsel with the Lord of Beleriand in these matters, and Thingol was displeased, for he had had nightmares concerning the coming of Men. And so, he commanded that only in the North did Men have leave to dwell, and that the lords of the Noldor should be answerable for their deeds, and he added: ''Into Doriath shall no Man come while my realm lasts, not even those of the house of Bëor who serve Finrod the beloved.'' Melian the Wise said nothing of Men to Thingol, but she turned to Galadriel and said: ''Now the world runs on swiftly to great tidings. And one of Men, even of Bëor's house, shall indeed come, and the Girdle of Melian shall not restrain him, for doom greater than my power shall send him; and the songs that shall spring from that coming shall endure when all Middle-earth is changed.'' Indeed, those of you who have read The Lord of the Rings will perhaps recall that wonderful pericope in which Aragorn sang to the Hobbits, under the fear of the Ringwraiths, the story of that coming, some 6,600 years after the events themselves.
As I mentioned in your earlier post, I love the chapters about the coming of men into the West. They are so full of hope, but they have no idea of the grief which is to come. However, always there are little stars of hope, especially in the two unions of men and elves. I was and still am moved when I read them.
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