Blind Read Through: J.R.R. Tolkien; The Silmarillion, Of Beren and Lúthien part 3

“Then Celegorm turned his horse, and spurned it upon Beren, purposing to ride him down; but Curufin swerving stooped and lifted Lúthien to his saddle, for he was a strong and cunning horseman. Then Beren sprang before Celegorm full upon the speeding horse of Curufin that had passed him; and the Leap of Beren is renowned among Men and Elves. He took Curufin by the throat from behind, and hurled him backward, and they fell to the ground together.“

Welcome back to another Blind Read! This week we continue the tale of Beren and Lúthien while highlighting the betrayal of the Noldor and the heroics of our two protagonists.

Last week we saw Beren take off on his quest to gather a Silmaril through Felagund’s realm. Weary of the duplicitous nature of his kin (Curifin and Celegorm), Felagund joins Beren on his quest to ensure the Silmaril doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.

They traveled towards Angband, and “Beneath the Shadowy Mountains, they came upon a company of Orcs.” Felagund used his magic to make the two of them look like Orcs so they could join the Orcish gang to travel to Taur-Nu-Fain. But Sauron knew of their disguises and sent his servants to intercept them. He succeeded in capturing them, “But though their kinds were revealed, Sauron could not discover their names or purposes,” so he threw them into a pit to imprison them.

Lúthien sensed something was wrong and went to Melian for assistance, to which she found none. Instead, she was sent to her room, a “mighty beech (was) named Hírilorn” like a naughty twelve year old. She used her Elven arts and disguised herself to escape from the home in the tree and go after Beren.

At this time, Curufin and Celegorm were out hunting the wolves of Sauron, and with them, we have introduced to possibly the most essential tertiary character of this tale: Huan.

“Now chief of the wolfhounds that followed Celegorm was named Huan. He was not born in Middle-earth, but he came from the Blessed Realm; for Oromë had given him to Celegorm long ago in Valinor, and there he had followed the horn of his master, before evil came. So Huan followed Celegorm into exile, and was faithful; and thus he too came under the doom of woe set upon the Noldor, and it was decreed that he should meet death, but not until he encountered the mightiest wolf that would ever walk the world.”

Remember the last line. It will be crucial next week!

Huan found Lúthien and brought her to Celegorm, who “promised that she would find help in her need if she returned with him now to Nargothrond,” but he betrayed her Lúthien. He imprisoned her, “believing that Beren and Felagund were prisoners beyond hope of aid, they purposed to let the king perish, and to keep Lúthien, and force Thingol to give her hand to Celegorm.” The two brothers thought only of power and didn’t care whom they hurt to get it.

But it was Huan who came to the rescue. He was true of heart and hated to see Lúthien caged, so he “led her by secret ways out of Nargothrond, and they fled north together.”

Little did she know that in the north, Sauron sent one of his wolves into the prison to kill Beren, “But when the wolf came for Beren, Felagund put forth all his power, and burst his bonds; and he wrestled with the werewolf, and slew it with his hands and teeth; yet he himself was wounded to the death.” and because of his heroics in saving Beren he “redeemed his oath.” and was able to take his long rest “in the timeless halls beyond the seas and the Mountains of Aman.“

Then “In that hour Lúthien came, and standing upon the bridge that led to Sauron’s isle she sang a song that no walls of stone could hinder.“

Sauron heard this song and knew it for Lúthien, Melian’s daughter, and sent his wolves to capture her but Sauron didn’t know that the Huan accompanied her; “and Huan one by one Huan took them by the throat and slew them.” Sauron even sent Draugluin, “a dread beast, old in evil, lord and sire of the werewolves of Angband.” Yet Huan even slew him.

Sauron probably said that old phrase, “if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” he turned himself into a werewolf, “…the mightiest that had yet walked the world.” So he sprang upon them, and Huan battled him in a skirmish for the ages, and Huan came out the victor. Sauron yielded and pleaded release, and Huan let released him. “And immediately he took the form of a vampire, great as a dark cloud across the moon, and he fled, dripping blood from his throat upon the trees, and came to Taur-Nu-Fain, and dwelt there, filling it with horror.”

If you recall, from a few weeks ago, I contended that Taur-Nu-Fain (then called Dorthianian) was, in fact, Mordor of the Third Age. I believe this passage confirms that, because we have an area surrounded by mountains, Ungoliant’s children (Shelob) live in those mountains, and are just across from Minas Tirith. Sauron filled Taur-Nu-Fain with horror and turned it into the land where he forged the One Ring.

After Sauron fled, Lúthien and Huan head down into the pits, past the cowering thralls of Sauron, and find Beren “mourning by Felagund.” They brought the king’s body out and buried him in a proper ceremony so that “Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.“

Beren and Lúthien decide to hide in the forest and enjoy their love together. Huan returned to Celegorm out of only faithfulness because the Noldor prince’s actions destroyed his trust and honor in Celegorm.

Celegorm and Curufin’s plans came to fruition. They waited around and let Felagund die, thinking they would take the throne. Still, the subjects of Nargothrond “lamented bitterly the fall of Felagund their king, saying that a maiden had dared that which the sons of Fëanor had not dared to do; but many perceived that it was treachery rather than fear that had guided Celegorm and Curufin. Therefore the hearts of the people of Nargothrond were released from their dominion, and turned again to the house of Finarfin; and obeyed Orodreth (Finrod Felagund’s son).”

They fled to Himring to hide with their brother Maedhros and Huan went with them out of duty.

But Beren, living with his love Lúthien “near the borders of Doriath,” could not forget his oath and the possibility to live with Lúthien honorably. Lúthien, however, is not a passive princess from some other tale. She is a warrior queen, and though this is a love story, she has agency all of her own. She tells Beren:

“You must choose, Beren, between these two: to reliquish the quest and your oath and seek a life of wandering upon the face of the earth; or to hold to your word and challenege the power of darkness upon it’s throne. But on either road I shall go with you, and our doom shall be alike.“

It wouldn’t be much of a story if they didn’t charge once more into the breach, so join me next week as we conclude the story of Beren and Lúthien!