The War of the Jewels (18 page)

$308. Her will strove with him for a while, but he put forth his power, and having learned who she was (as indeed he guessed full well) he constrained her to gaze into his eyes, and laid a spell of utter darkness and forgetfulness, so that she could remember nothing that had ever befallen her, nor her own name, nor the name of any other thing; and for many days indeed she could neither hear, nor see, nor stir by her own will.

Then Glaurung left her standing alone upon Amon Ethir, and he went back to Nargothrond.

$309. Now Mablung, who greatly daring had explored the halls of Felagund when Glaurung left them, fled from them at the approach of the dragon, and returned to Amon Ethir. The sun sank and night fell as he climbed the hill, and to his dismay he found none there, save Nienor standing alone under the stars as an image of stone. No word she spoke or heard, but would follow, if he took up her hand. Therefore in great grief he led her away, though it seemed to him vain; for they were both like to perish, succourless, in the wild.

$310. But they were found by three of Mablung's companions, and slowly they journeyed northward and eastward to the fences of Doriath where, nigh to the inflowing of Esgalduin, there was the secret gate by which those of its folk that returned from without were wont to enter. Slowly the strength of Nienor returned as they drew nearer to Doriath and further from Glaurung, but as yet she could not speak or hear, and walked blindly as she was led.

$311. But even as they drew near the fences at last she closed her wild staring eyes, and would sleep; and they laid her down and she slept; and they rested also, for they were utterly outworn. Being thus less heedful than was wise, they were there assailed by an Orc-band, such as now roamed often as nigh the fences of Doriath as they dared. But Nienor in that hour recovered hearing and sight, and being awakened by the cries of the Orcs, sprang up in terror as a wild thing, and fled ere they could come to her.

$312. Then the Orcs gave chase, and the Elves after; but though they overtook the Orcs indeed and slew them ere they could harm her, Nienor escaped them. For she fled as in a madness of fear, swifter than a deer, and tore off all her raiment as she ran, until she was naked [bracketed later:] but for a short kirtle. And she passed out of their sight, running northward, and though they sought her long they found her not, nor any trace of her. And at last Mablung in despair returned to Menegroth and told all his tidings. [Added: Greatly grieved were Thingol and Melian; but Mablung went forth and for three years sought in vain for tidings of Morwen and Nienor.]

$313. But Nienor ran on into the woods, until she was spent, and then fell and slept, and awoke; and behold it was a bright morning, and she rejoiced in light as it were a new thing, and all things else that she saw seemed new and strange, for she had no names for them. Nothing did she remember save a darkness that lay behind her, and a shadow of fear; therefore warily she went as a hunted beast, and became famished, for she had no food and knew not how to seek it. But coming at last to the Crossings of Taiglin she went over, seeking the shelter of the great trees of Brethil, for she was afraid, and it seemed to her that the darkness was overtaking her again from which she had fled.

$314. But it was a great storm of thunder that came up from the South, and in terror she cast herself down by the mound, Haud-en-Ellas [pencilled in margin: Elleth], stopping her ears from the thunder, but the rain smote her and drenched her, and she lay like a wild beast that is dying.

$315. There Turambar found her, as he came to the Crossings of Taiglin, having heard a rumour of Orcs that roamed near. And seeing in a flare of lightning the body of a slain maiden (as it seemed) lying upon the mound of Finduilas, he was stricken [suddenly with fear o] to the heart. But the woodmen lifted her up, and Turambar cast his cloak about her, and they took her to a lodge nearby, and bathed her and warmed her and gave her food. And as soon as she looked upon Turambar she was comforted; for it seemed to her that she had found something at last that she long sought in her darkness; and she laid her hand in his and would not be parted from him.

$316. But when he asked her concerning her name and her kin and her misadventure, then she became troubled as a child that perceives that something is demanded but cannot understand what it be. And she burst into tears. Therefore Turambar said: 'Be not troubled! Doubtless thy tale is too sad yet to tell. It shall wait. But a name thou must have, and I will call thee Niniel (tear-maiden).' And at that name she shook her head, but said Niniel. That was the first word she spoke after her darkness, and it remained her name among the woodmen ever after.

$317. The next day they bore her towards Ephel Brandir, but at the falls of Celebros a great shuddering came upon her (wherefore afterwards that place was called Nen Girith), and ere she came to the home of the woodmen she was sick of a fever. She lay long in her sickness, but was healed by the skill of Brandir and the care of the leech-women of Brethil; and the women taught her language as to an infant. Ere autumn came she was hale again, and could speak, but remembered nothing before she was found by Turambar. Brandir loved her dearly, but all her heart was given to Turambar. All that year since the coming of Niniel there was peace in Brethil, and the Orcs did not trouble the woodmen.

497.

$318. Turambar still remained at peace and went not to war.

His heart turned to Niniel, and he asked her in marriage; but for that time she delayed in spite of her love. For Brandir foreboded he knew not what, and sought to restrain her, rather for her sake than his own or rivalry with Turambar; and he revealed to her that Turambar was Turin son of Hurin, and though she knew not the name a shadow fell on her heart. This Turambar learned and was ill pleased with Brandir.

498.

$319. In the spring of this year Turambar asked Niniel again, and vowed that he would now wed her, or go back to war in the wild. And Niniel took him with joy, and they were wedded at the mid-summer, and the Woodmen of Brethil made a great feast. But ere the end of the year Glaurung sent Orcs of his dominion against Brethil; and Turambar sat at home deedless, for he had promised Niniel that he would go to battle only if their home was assailed. But the woodmen were worsted, and Dorlas upbraided him that he would not aid the folk that he had taken for his own. Then Turambar arose and brought forth again his black sword, and he gathered a great force of the Men of Brethil, and they defeated the Orcs utterly. But Glaurung heard tidings that the Black Sword was in Brethil, and he pondered what he had heard, devising new evil.

499.

$320. Niniel conceived in the spring of this year, and became wan and sad. At the same time there came to Ephel Brandir the first rumours that Glaurung had issued from Nargothrond. And Turambar sent out scouts far afield, for he now ordered things as he would, and few gave heed to Brandir.

$321. And as it drew near to summer Glaurung came to the borders of Brethil, and lay near the west-shore of Taiglin, and then there was great fear among the wood-folk, for it was now plain that the Great Worm would assail them and ravage their land, and not pass by, returning to Angband, as they had hoped.

They sought therefore the counsel of Turambar. And he counselled them that it was vain to go against the Worm with all their force. Only by cunning and good fortune could they defeat him. He offered therefore himself to seek Glaurung on the borders of the land, and bade the rest of the people to remain at Ephel Brandir, but to prepare for flight. For if Glaurung had the victory, he would come first to the woodmen's homes to destroy them, and they could not hope to withstand him; but if they then scattered far and wide, then many might escape, for Glaurung would not take up his dwelling in Brethil and would return soon to Nargothrond.

$322. Then Turambar asked for companions willing to aid him in his peril, and Dorlas stood forth, but no others. Then Dorlas upbraided the people, and spoke scorn of Brandir who could not play the part of the heir of Haleth; and Brandir was shamed before his people, and was bitter at heart. But Torbarth

[pencilled above: Gwerin] kinsman of Brandir asked his leave to go in his stead. Then Turambar said farewell to Niniel and she was filled with fear and foreboding, and their parting was sorrowful; but Turambar set out with his two companions and went to Nen Girith.

$323. Then Niniel being unable to endure her fear, and unwilling to wait in the Ephel tidings of Turambar's fortune, set forth after him, and a great company went with her. At this Brandir was filled more than ever before with dread, [struck out: but she heeded not his counsels] and he sought to dissuade her and the folk that would go with her from this rashness, but they heeded him not. Therefore he renounced his lordship, and all love for the people that had scorned him, and having naught left but his love for Niniel, he girt himself with a sword, and went after her; but being lame he fell far behind.

$324. Now Turambar came to Nen Girith at sundown and there learned that Glaurung lay on the brink of the high shores of the Taiglin, and was like to move when night fell. Then he called those tidings good; for the Worm lay at [Cabad-en-Aras >] Cabed-en-Aras, where the river ran in a deep and narrow gorge that a hunted deer might o'erleap, and Turambar deemed that he would seek no further, but would attempt to pass over the gorge. Therefore he purposed to creep down at dusk, and descend into the ravine under night, and cross over the wild water, and then climb up the further cliff (which was less sheer) and so come at the Worm beneath his guard.

$325 This counsel he then took, but the heart of Dorlas failed when they came to the races of Taiglin in the dark, and he dared not attempt the perilous crossing, but drew back and lurked in the woods burdened with shame. Turambar and Torbarth, nonetheless, crossed over in safety, for the loud roaring of the water drowned all other sounds, and Glaurung slept. But ere the middle-night the Worm roused, and with a great noise and blast cast his forward part across the chasm and began to draw his bulk after. Turambar and Torbarth were well-night overcome by the heat and the stench, as they sought in haste for a way up to come at Glaurung; and Torbarth was slain by a great stone that, dislodged from on high by the passage of the dragon, smote him upon the head and cast him into the River. So ended the last of the right kin of Haleth, and not the least valiant.

$326 Then Turambar summoned all his will and courage and climbed the cliff alone, and he thrust Gurthang into the soft belly of the Worm, even up to the hilts. But when Glaurung felt his death-pang he screamed, and in his dreadful throe he heaved up his bulk and hurled himself across the chasm, and there lay lashing and. coiling in his agony. And he set all in a blaze about him, and beat all to ruin, until at last his fires died, and he lay still.

$327. Now Gurthang had been wrested from Turambar's hand in the throe of Glaurung, and clave to the belly of the Worm. Turambar, therefore, crossed the water once more, desiring to recover his sword, and look on his foe. And he found him stretched at his length, and rolled upon one side; and the hilts of Gurthang stood in his belly. Then Turambar seized the hilts and set his foot upon the belly, and cried in mockery of the Worm and his words at Nargothrond: 'Hail, Worm of Morgoth! Well met again! Die now and the darkness have thee!

Thus is Turin son of Hurin avenged.'

$328. Then he wrenched out the sword, but a spout of black blood followed it, and fell on his hand, and the venom burned it. And thereupon Glaurung opened his eyes and looked upon Turambar with such malice, that it smote him as a blow; and by that stroke and the anguish of the venom he fell into a dark swoon, and lay as one dead, and his sword was beneath him.

$329. The yells of Glaurung rang in the woods and came to the folk that waited at Nen Girith; and when those that looked forth heard the scream of the Worm and saw from afar the ruin and burning that he made, they deemed that he had triumphed and was destroying those that assailed him. And Niniel sat and shuddered beside the falling water, and at the voice of Glaurung her darkness crept upon her again, so that she could not stir from that place of her own will.

$330. Even so Brandir found her, for he came to Nen Girith at last, limping wearily. And when he heard that the Worm had crossed the river and had beaten down his foes his heart yearned towards Niniel in pity. Yet he thought also: 'Turambar is dead, but Niniel lives. Now maybe she will come with me and I will lead her away and so we shall escape the Worm together.'

$331. After a while therefore he stood by Niniel and said:

'Come! It is time to go. If thou wilt, I will lead thee.' And he took her hand, and she arose silently, and followed him; and in the darkness none saw them go.

$332. But as they went down the path toward the Crossings the moon arose, and cast a grey light on the land, and Niniel said: 'Is this the way?' And Brandir answered that he knew no way, save to flee as they might from the Worm, and escape into the wild. But Niniel said: 'The Black Sword was my beloved and my husband. To seek him only do I go. What else couldst thou think?' And she sped on before him. Then she came towards the Crossings of Taiglin and beheld Haud-en-Ellas in the white moonlight, and great dread came on her. Then with a cry she turned away, casting off her cloak, and fled southward along the river, and her white raiment shone in the moon.