madly,
like a deer driven by dogs baying
from his hiding in the hills and hollow places; and Flinding followed fearful after him
neath the yawning gate, þ through yew-thickets, through bogs and bents and bushes shrunken,
till they reached the rocks and the riven moorlands and friendless fells falling darkly
to the dusty dunes of Dor-na-Fauglith.
In a cup outcarven on the cold hillside,
whose broken brink was bleakly fringed
with bended bushes bowed in anguish
from the North-wind's knife, beneath them far the feasting camp of their foes was laid;
the fiery flare of fuming torches,
and black bodies in the blaze they saw
crossing countlessly, and cries they heard
and the hollow howling of hungry wolves.
1025
1030
1035
1040
Then a moon mounted o'er the mists riding,
and the keen radiance of the cold moonshine
the shadows sharpened in the sheer hollows,
and slashed the slopes with slanting blackness; in wreaths uprising the reek of fires
was touched to tremulous trails of silver.
Then the fires faded, and their foemen slumbered in a sleep of surfeit. No sentinel watched,
nor guards them girdled -- what good were it
to watch wakeful in those withered regions
neath Eiglir Engrin, whence the eyes of Bauglir gazed unclosing from the gates of Hell?
1045
1050
1055
Did not werewolves' eyes unwinking gleam
in the wan moonlight -- the wolves that sleep not, that sit in circles with slavering tongues
round camp or clearing of the cruel Glamhoth?
Then was Beleg a-shudder, and the unblinking eyes nigh chilled his marrow and chained his flesh in fear unfathomed, as' flat to earth
by a boulder he lay. Lo! black cloud-drifts
surged up like smoke from the sable North,
and the sheen was shrouded of the shivering moon; the wind came wailing from the woeful mountains, and the heath unhappy hissed and whispered;
and the moans came faint of men in torment
in the camp accursed. His quiver rattled
as he found his feet and felt his bow,
hard horn-pointed, by hands of cunning
of black yew wrought; with bears' sinews
it was stoutly strung; strength to bend it
had nor Man nor Elf save the magic helped him that Beleg the bowman now bore alone.
No arrows of the Orcs so unerring winged
as his shaven shafts that could shoot to a mark that was seen but in glance ere gloom seized it.
Then Dailir he drew, his dart beloved;
howso far fared it, or fell unnoted,
unsought he found it with sound feathers
and barbs unbroken (till it broke at last);
and fleet bade he fly that feather-pinioned
snaketongued shaft, as he snicked the string
in the notch nimbly, and with naked arm
to his ear drew it. The air whistled,
and the tingling string twanged behind it,
soundless a sentinel sank before it --
there was one of the wolves that awaked no more.
Now arrows after he aimed swiftly
that missed not their mark and meted silent
death in the darkness dreadly stinging,
till three of the wolves with throats pierced, and four had fallen with fleet-winged
arrows a-quivering in their quenched eyes.
Then great was the gap in the guard opened,
and Beleg his bow unbent, and said:
1060
1065
1070
1075
1080
1085
1090
1095
Wilt come to the camp, comrade Flinding,
or await me watchful? If woe betide
thou might win with word through the woods homeward to Thingol the king how throve my quest,
how Turin the tall was trapped by fate,
how Beleg the bowman to his bane hasted.'
-: Then Flinding fiercely, though fear shook him:
-'- 'I have followed thee far, 0 forest-walker, nor will leave thee now our league denying! '
' Then both bow and sword Beleg left there
: with his belt unbound in the bushes tangled of a dark thicket in a dell nigh them,
-' and Flinding there laid his flickering lamp
= and his nailed shoes, and his knife only
. he kept, that uncumbered he might creep silent.
1100
1105
1110
Thus those brave in dread down the bare hillside wards the camp clambered creeping wary,
', and dared that deed in days
like a deer driven by dogs baying
from his hiding in the hills and hollow places; and Flinding followed fearful after him
neath the yawning gate, þ through yew-thickets, through bogs and bents and bushes shrunken,
till they reached the rocks and the riven moorlands and friendless fells falling darkly
to the dusty dunes of Dor-na-Fauglith.
In a cup outcarven on the cold hillside,
whose broken brink was bleakly fringed
with bended bushes bowed in anguish
from the North-wind's knife, beneath them far the feasting camp of their foes was laid;
the fiery flare of fuming torches,
and black bodies in the blaze they saw
crossing countlessly, and cries they heard
and the hollow howling of hungry wolves.
1025
1030
1035
1040
Then a moon mounted o'er the mists riding,
and the keen radiance of the cold moonshine
the shadows sharpened in the sheer hollows,
and slashed the slopes with slanting blackness; in wreaths uprising the reek of fires
was touched to tremulous trails of silver.
Then the fires faded, and their foemen slumbered in a sleep of surfeit. No sentinel watched,
nor guards them girdled -- what good were it
to watch wakeful in those withered regions
neath Eiglir Engrin, whence the eyes of Bauglir gazed unclosing from the gates of Hell?
1045
1050
1055
Did not werewolves' eyes unwinking gleam
in the wan moonlight -- the wolves that sleep not, that sit in circles with slavering tongues
round camp or clearing of the cruel Glamhoth?
Then was Beleg a-shudder, and the unblinking eyes nigh chilled his marrow and chained his flesh in fear unfathomed, as' flat to earth
by a boulder he lay. Lo! black cloud-drifts
surged up like smoke from the sable North,
and the sheen was shrouded of the shivering moon; the wind came wailing from the woeful mountains, and the heath unhappy hissed and whispered;
and the moans came faint of men in torment
in the camp accursed. His quiver rattled
as he found his feet and felt his bow,
hard horn-pointed, by hands of cunning
of black yew wrought; with bears' sinews
it was stoutly strung; strength to bend it
had nor Man nor Elf save the magic helped him that Beleg the bowman now bore alone.
No arrows of the Orcs so unerring winged
as his shaven shafts that could shoot to a mark that was seen but in glance ere gloom seized it.
Then Dailir he drew, his dart beloved;
howso far fared it, or fell unnoted,
unsought he found it with sound feathers
and barbs unbroken (till it broke at last);
and fleet bade he fly that feather-pinioned
snaketongued shaft, as he snicked the string
in the notch nimbly, and with naked arm
to his ear drew it. The air whistled,
and the tingling string twanged behind it,
soundless a sentinel sank before it --
there was one of the wolves that awaked no more.
Now arrows after he aimed swiftly
that missed not their mark and meted silent
death in the darkness dreadly stinging,
till three of the wolves with throats pierced, and four had fallen with fleet-winged
arrows a-quivering in their quenched eyes.
Then great was the gap in the guard opened,
and Beleg his bow unbent, and said:
1060
1065
1070
1075
1080
1085
1090
1095
Wilt come to the camp, comrade Flinding,
or await me watchful? If woe betide
thou might win with word through the woods homeward to Thingol the king how throve my quest,
how Turin the tall was trapped by fate,
how Beleg the bowman to his bane hasted.'
-: Then Flinding fiercely, though fear shook him:
-'- 'I have followed thee far, 0 forest-walker, nor will leave thee now our league denying! '
' Then both bow and sword Beleg left there
: with his belt unbound in the bushes tangled of a dark thicket in a dell nigh them,
-' and Flinding there laid his flickering lamp
= and his nailed shoes, and his knife only
. he kept, that uncumbered he might creep silent.
1100
1105
1110
Thus those brave in dread down the bare hillside wards the camp clambered creeping wary,
', and dared that deed in days
Similar Books
