but forth a mighty host he led;
and Huan leaped at the glad sounds,
the chief and captain of his hounds.
105Three days they ride by holt and hill the wolves of Th? to hunt and kill,
and many a head and fell of grey
they take, and many drive away,
till nigh to the borders in the West
110of Doriath a while they rest.
There were dim cries and horns blowing,
and barking dogs through the woods going.
The hunt was up. The woods were stirred, and one there fled like a startled bird, 115and fear was in her dancing feet.
She knew not who the woods did beat.
Far from her home, forwandered, pale,
she flitted ghostlike through the vale; ever her heart bade her up and on
120but her limbs were worn, her eyes were wan.
The eyes of Huan saw a shade
wavering, darting down a glade
like a mist of evening snared by day
and hasting fearfully away.
125He bayed, and sprang with sinewy limb to chase the shy thing strange and dim.
On terror’s wings, like a butterfly
pursued by a sweeping bird on high,
she fluttered hither, darted there,
130now poised, now flying through the air— in vain. At last against a tree
she leaned and panted. Up leaped he.
No word of magic gasped with woe,
no elvish mystery she did know
135or had entwined in raiment dark availed against that hunter stark,
whose old immortal race and kind
no spells could ever turn or bind.
Huan alone that she ever met
140she never in enchantment set nor bound with spells. But loveliness
and gentle voice and pale distress
and eyes like starlight dimmed with tears tamed him that death nor monster fears.
145Lightly he lifted her, light he bore his trembling burden. Never before
had Celegorm beheld such prey:
‘What hast thou brought, good Huan say!
Dark-elvish maid, or wraith, or fay?
150Not such to hunt we came today.’
‘’Tis Lúthien of Doriath,’
the maiden spake. ‘A wandering path
far from the Wood-elves’ sunny glades
she sadly winds, where courage fades
155and hope grows faint.’ And as she spoke down she let slip her shadowy cloak,
and there she stood in silver and white.
Her starry jewels twinkled bright
in the risen sun like morning dew;
160the lilies gold on mantle blue gleamed and glistened. Who could gaze
on that fair face without amaze?
Long did Curufin look and stare.
The perfume of her flower-twined hair
165her lissom limbs, her elvish face, smote to his heart, and in that place
enchained he stood. ‘O maiden royal,
O lady fair, wherefore in toil
and lonely journey dost thou go?
170What tidings dread of war and woe in Doriath have betid? Come tell!
For fortune thee hath guided well;
friends thou hast found,’ said Celegorm, and gazed upon her elvish form.
175In his heart him thought her tale unsaid he knew in part, but nought she read
of guile upon his smiling face.
‘Who are ye then, the lordly chase
that follow in this perilous wood?’
180she asked; and answer seeming-good they gave. ‘Thy servants, lady sweet,
lords of Nargothrond thee greet,
and beg that thou wouldst with them go back to their hills, forgetting woe
185a season, seeking hope and rest.
And now to hear thy tale were best.’
So Lúthien tells of Beren’s deeds
in northern lands, how fate him leads
to Doriath, of Thingol’s ire,
190the dreadful errand that her sire decreed for Beren. Sign nor word
the brothers gave that aught they heard that touched them near. Of her escape
and the marvellous mantle she did shape 195she lightly tells, but words her fail recalling sunlight in the vale,
moonlight, starlight in Doriath,
ere Beren took the perilous path.
‘Need, too, my lords, there is of haste!
200No time in ease and rest to waste.
For days are gone now since the queen
Melian whose heart hath vision keen,
looking afar me said in fear
that Beren lived in bondage drear.
205The Lord of Wolves hath prisons dark, chains and enchantments cruel and stark, and there entrapped and languishing
doth Beren lie—if direr thing
hath not brought death or wish for death’: 210then gasping woe bereft her breath.
To Celegorm said Curufin
apart and low: ‘Now news we win
of Felagund, and now we know
wherefore Th?’s creatures prowling go’, 215and other whispered counsels spake, and showed him what answer he should make.
‘Lady,’ said Celegorm, ‘thou seest
we go a-hunting roaming beast,
and though our host is great and bold, 220’tis ill prepared the wizard’s hold and island fortress to assault.
Deem not our hearts and wills at fault.
Lo! here our chase we now forsake
and home our swiftest road we take,
225counsel and aid there to devise for Beren that in anguish lies.’
To Nargothrond they with them bore Lúthien, whose heart misgave her sore.
Delay she feared; each moment pressed
230upon her spirit, yet she guessed they rode not as swiftly as they might.
Ahead leaped Huan day and night,
and ever looking back his thought
was troubled. What his master sought,
235and why he rode not like the fire, why Curufin looked with hot desire
on Lúthien, he pondered deep,
and felt some evil shadow creep
of ancient curse o’er Elfinesse.
240His heart was torn for the distress of Beren bold, and Lúthien dear,
and Felagund who knew no fear.
In Nargothrond the torches flared
and feast and music were prepared.
245Lúthien feasted not but wept.
Her ways were trammelled; closely kept she might not fly. Her magic cloak
was hidden, and no prayer she spoke
was heeded, nor did answer find
250her eager questions. Out of mind, it seemed, were those afar that pined
in anguish and in dungeons blind
in prison and in misery.
Too late she knew their treachery.
255It was not hid in Nargothrond that F?anor’s sons her held in bond,
who Beren heeded not, and who
had little cause to wrest from Th?
the king they loved not and whose quest 260old vows of hatred in their breast had roused from sleep. Orodreth knew
the purpose dark they would pursue:
King Felagund to leave to die,
and with King Thingol’s blood ally
265the house of F?anor by force or treaty. But to stay their course
he had no power, for all his folk
the brothers had yet beneath their yoke, and all yet listened to their word.
270Orodreth’s counsel no man heard; their shame they crushed, and would not heed the tale of Felagund’s dire need.
At Lúthien’s feet there day by day
and at night beside her couch would stay 275Huan the hound of Nargothrond; and words she spoke to him soft and fond: ‘O Huan, Huan, swiftest hound
that ever ran on mortal ground,
what evil doth thy lords possess
280to heed no tears nor my distress?
Once Barahir all men above
good hounds did cherish and did love;
once Beren in the friendless North, when outlaw wild he wandered forth,
285had friends unfailing among things with fur and fell and feathered wings, and among the spirits that in stone