The Lays of Beleriand by J. R. R. Tolkien

and bleeding, and broken in spirit
    they laughing led me, my lagging footsteps
    with their spears speeding. Their spoils were piled, and countless captives in that camp were chained, and Elfin maids their anguish mourning.
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    put one they watched, warded sleepless,
    was stern-visaged, strong, and in stature tall as are Hithlum's men of the misty hills.
    Full length he lay and lashed to pickets
    in baleful bonds, yet bold-hearted
    his mouth no mercy of Morgoth sued,
    but defied his foes. Foully they smote him.
    Then he called, as clear as cry of hunter
    that hails his hounds in hollow places,
    on the name renowned of that noblest king --
    but men unmindful remember him little --
    Hurin Thalion, who Erithamrod hight,
    the Unbending, for Orc and Balrog
    and Morgoth's might on the mountain yet
    he defies fearless, on a fanged peak
    of thunder-riven Thangorodrim.'
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    In eager anger then up sprang Beleg,
    crying and calling, careless of Flinding:
    '0 Turin, Turin, my troth-brother,
    to the brazen bonds shall I abandon thee,
    and the darkling doors of the Deeps of Hell?'
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    'Thou wilt join his journey to the jaws of sorrow, 0 bowman crazed, if thy bellowing cry

    to the Orcs should come; their ears than cats'
    :are keener whetted, and though the camp from here be a day distant where those deeds I saw,
    who knows if the Gnome they now pursue
    that crept from their clutches, as a crawling worm on belly cowering, whom they bleeding cast
    in deathly swoon on the dung and slough
    of their loathsome lair. 0 Light of Valinor!
    and ye glorious Gods! How gleam their eyes,
    and their tongues are red! ' 'Yet I Turin will wrest from their hungry hands, or to Hell be dragged, or sleep with the slain in the slades of Death.
    Thy lamp shall lead us, and my lore rekindle
    and wise wood-craft! ' '0 witless hunter,
    thy words are wild -- wolves unsleeping
    and wizardry ward their woeful captives;
    unerring their arrows; the icy steel
    of their curved blades cleaves unblunted
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    the meshes of mail; the mirk to pierce
    those eyes are able; their awful laughter
    the flesh freezes! I fare not thither,
    for fear fetters me in the Forest of Night:
    better die in the dark dazed, forwandered,
    than wilfully woo that woe and anguish!
    I know not the way.' 'Are the knees then weak of Flinding go-Fuilin? Shall free-born Gnome
    thus show himself a shrinking slave,
    who twice entrapped has twice escaped?
    Remember the might and the mirth of yore,
    the renown of the Gnomes of Nargothrond! '
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    Thus Beleg the bowman quoth bold-hearted,
    but Flinding fought the fear of his heart,
    and loosed the light of his lamp of blue,
    now brighter burning. In the black mazes
    enwound they wandered, weary searching;
    by the tall tree-boles towering silent

    oft barred and baffled; blindly stumbling
    over rock-fast roots writhing coiled;
    and drowsed with dreams by the dark odours,
    till hope was hidden. 'Hark thee, Flinding;
    viewless voices vague and distant,
    a muffled murmur of marching feet
    that are shod with stealth shakes the stillness.'
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    'No noise I hear', the Gnome answered,
    'thy hope cheats thee.' 'I hear the chains
    clinking, creaking, the cords straining,
    and wolves padding on worn pathways.
    I smell the blood that is smeared on blades
    that are cruel and crooked; the croaking laughter --
    now, listen! louder and louder comes,'
    the hunter said. 'I hear no sound',
    quoth Flinding fearful. 'Then follow after! '
    with bended bow then Beleg answered,
    'my cunning rekindles, my craft needs not
    thy lamp's leading.' Leaping swiftly
    he shrank in the shadows; with shrouded lantern Flinding followed him, and the forest-darkness and drowsy dimness drifted slowly
    unfolding from them in fleeing shadows,
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    and its magic was minished, till they marvelling saw they were brought to its borders. There black-gaping an archway opened. By ancient trunks
    it was framed