More Lay of Leithian...

Forgive the lack of posts recently, but I have been unwell (violently sick in fact!) these past two days. I thought, since I wish to retain a steady readership, and readership does go down if there are no posts, that I'd continue with the wonderful Lay of Leithian. We had reached the stage of the departure of Beren from Doriath I believe. Tolkien goes on:

''A guileful oath

thou sworest, father! Thou hast both

to blade and chain his flesh now doomed

in Morgoth's dungeons deep entombed,''

said Lúthien, and welling tears

sprang in her eyes, and hideous fears

clutched at her heart. All looked away,

and later remembered the sad day

whereafter Lúthien no more sang.

Then clear in the silence the cold words rang

of Melian: ''Counsel cunning-wise,

O king!'' she said. ''Yet if mine eyes

lose not their power, 'twere well for thee

that Beren failed his errantry.

Well for thee, but for thy child

a dark doom and a wandering wild.''

''I sell not to Men those whom I love''

said Thingol, ''whom all things above

I cherish; and if hope there were

that Beren should ever living fare

to the Thousand Caves once more, I swear

he should not ever have seen the air

or light of heaven's stars again.''

But Melian smiled, and there was pain

as of far knowledge in her eyes;

for such is the sorrow of the wise.

(The History of Middle-earth, Volume III, Chapter III).