We have now reached the last part of Chapter XVIII of The Silmarillion, which deals with the strange fortune of the brothers Húrin and Huor.
At this time (in aftermath of The Battle of Sudden Flame) Húrin and Huor, the sons of Galdor Lord of Dor-lómin, dwelt with the Haladin in the Forest of Brethil. These two Houses of Men were joined in the afterdays of the Bragollach, for Galdor and Glóredhel the children of Hador the Golden were wedded to Hareth and Haldir, the children of Halmir, Lord of the Haladin. And so, the sons of Galdor were treated well in Brethil, and dwelt with their uncle Haldir, and according to the custom of Men in those days, they went to do battle with the Orcs along the borders of the Forest, in spite of their tender years. It was in this way that, being sundered from their company, they were alone pursued to the Ford of Brithiach, and there they would have been taken or slain but for the power of Ulmo. He revealed his power, and a mist arose from Sirion and hid them from the sight of their foes, and they escaped into Dimbar, wandering hopelessly among the foothills of the Crissaegrim. It was in this way that Thorondor, King of the Eagles of the North, espied them, and he bethought him to bring them even to Gondolin, which no Mortal Man had yet seen.
In Gondolin they were well-received by Turgon the King, for he had received dreams concerning his own doom of woe, and Ulmo counselled him to treat kindly with the House of Hador. And so, Húrin and Huor dwelt as guests in the King's house for almost a year, and they learned much of the lore and purposes of the Eldar. But the brothers soon wearied of the Hidden City, desiring to return to their own kin beyond the Mountains, and they spoke earnestly to the King of their design. Turgon was clement at this time, though he grieved at their parting, but he foretold that they may yet meet again. But Maeglin, the King's nephew, was not grieved at all at their going, and he made this plain: ''The King's grace is greater than you know, and some might wonder wherefore the strict law is abated for two knave-children of Men. It would be safer if they had no choice but to abide here as our servants to their life's end.'' But Húrin answered that if their word was not enough then they would swear oaths to them. And the brothers swore never to reveal the counsels of the King or the location of his City, and Thorondor came to take them away by night and set them down in Dor-lómin before the dawn.
When they returned to their own people, they were questioned, but not even to their father would they reveal where they had been, for many thought that they were lost or slain. But many guessed at the strange fortune of the sons of Galdor, and this soon reached the ears of the servants of Morgoth.
When Turgon learned of the breaking of the Siege of Angband, he saw the first signs of the downfall of the Noldor, and thenceforth he would suffer none of his people to venture forth to war, for he deemed his City to be strong and trusted yet to the vigilance of Thorondor. But Turgon had companies of the Gondolindrim sent to the Mouths of Sirion, and there they built ships and set sail into the West seeking for Valinor. But the seas were wild and treacherous, and but few returned to the coastlands. Morgoth learned of these deeds, and it is said that he was unquiet amidst his triumph, and he greatly desired to learn all that he could of Turgon and Finrod Felagund. He knew of Nargothrond, but the name only, but of Gondolin he knew nothing, and so, seeing that he could not yet make a final and decisive victory against the Eldar, he sent ever more spies into Beleriand, but recalled the greater hosts of the Orcs. Great though his victory had been, his own loss had been grievous also, and though he held Taur-nu-Fuin and the Pass of Sirion, the Eldar had begun to recover their own lands against him. Thus there was a semblance of peace in the northern lands, but in the North the forges of Hell were full of labour.
The above painting is of course by Ted Nasmith and depicts the Great Sea. I couldn't find a painting that depicted the scenes from this part of the Chapter. It would be nice to see a painting of the Eagles setting down the brothers in their land before the Dawn.
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