and thus his limping gait he gained;
but afterward profound he reigned
darkling upon his hidden throne;
1400and thunderous paced his halls of stone, slow building there his vast design
the world in thraldom to confine.
Wielder of armies, lord of woe,
no rest now gave he slave or foe;
1405his watch and ward he thrice increased, his spies were sent from West to East
and tidings brought from all the North, who fought, who fell; who ventured forth, who wrought in secret; who had hoard;
1410if maid were fair or proud were lord; well nigh all things he knew, all hearts well nigh enmeshed in evil arts.
Doriath only, beyond the veil
woven by Melian, no assail
1415could hurt or enter; only rumour dim of things there passing came to him.
A rumour loud and tidings clear
of other movements far and near
among his foes, and threat of war
1420from the seven sons of F?anor, from Nargothrond, from Fingon still
gathering his armies under hill
and under tree in Hithlum’s shade,
these daily came. He grew afraid
1425amidst his power once more; renown of Beren vexed his ears, and down
the aisléd forests there was heard
great Huan baying.
Then came word
most passing strange of Lúthien
1430wild-wandering by wood and glen, and Thingol’s purpose long he weighed, and wondered, thinking of that maid
so fair, so frail. A captain dire,
Boldog, he sent with sword and fire
1435to Doriath’s march; but battle fell sudden upon him; news to tell
never one returned of Boldog’s host,
and Thingol humbled Morgoth’s boast.
Then his heart with doubt and wrath was burned: 1440new tidings of dismay he learned, how Th? was o’erthrown and his strong isle broken and plundered, how with guile
his foes now guile beset; and spies
he feared, till each Orc to his eyes
1445was half suspect. Still ever down the aisléd forests came renown
of Huan baying, hound of war
that Gods unleashed in Valinor.
Then Morgoth of Huan’s fate bethought
1450long-rumoured, and in dark he wrought.
Fierce hunger-haunted packs he had
that in wolvish form and flesh were clad, but demon spirits dire did hold;
and ever wild their voices rolled
1455in cave and mountain where they housed and endless snarling echoes roused.
From these a whelp he chose and fed
with his own hand on bodies dead,
on fairest flesh of Elves and Men,
1460till huge he grew and in his den no more could creep, but by the chair
of Morgoth’s self would lie and glare, nor suffer Balrog, Orc, nor beast
to touch him. Many a ghastly feast
1465he held beneath that awful throne rending flesh and gnawing bone.
There deep enchantment on him fell,
the anguish and the power of hell;
more great and terrible he became
1470with fire-red eyes and jaws aflame, with breath like vapours of the grave, than any beast of wood or cave,
than any beast of earth or hell
that ever in any time befell,
1475surpassing all his race and kin, the ghastly tribe of Draugluin.
Him Carcharoth, the Red Maw, name
the songs of Elves. Not yet he came
disastrous, ravening, from the gates
1480of Angband. There he sleepless waits; where those great portals threatening loom his red eyes smoulder in the gloom,
his teeth are bare, his jaws are wide; and none may walk, nor creep, nor glide, 1485nor thrust with power his menace past to enter Morgoth’s dungeon vast.
Now, lo! before his watchful eyes
a slinking shape he far descries
that crawls into the frowning plain
1490and halts at gaze, then on again comes stalking near, a wolvish shape
haggard, wayworn, with jaws agape;
and o’er it batlike in wide rings
a reeling shadow slowly wings.
1495Such shapes there oft were seen to roam, this land their native haunt and home; and yet his mood with strange unease
is filled, and boding thoughts him seize.
‘What grievous terror, what dread guard
1500hath Morgoth set to wait, and barred his doors against all entering feet?
Long ways we have come at last to meet the very maw of death that opes
between us and our quest! Yet hopes
1505we never had. No turning back!’
Thus Beren speaks, as in his track
he halts and sees with werewolf eyes
afar the horror that there lies.
Then onward desperate he passed,
1510skirting the black pits yawning vast, where King Fingolfin ruinous fell
alone before the gates of hell.
Before those gates alone they stood,
while Carcharoth in doubtful mood
1515glowered upon them, and snarling spoke, and echoes in the arches woke:
‘Hail! Draugluin, my kindred’s lord!
’Tis very long since hitherward
thou camest. Yea, ’tis passing strange 1520to see thee now: a grievous change is on thee, lord, who once so dire
so dauntless, and as fleet as fire,
ran over wild and waste, but now
with weariness must bend and bow!
1525’Tis hard to find the struggling breath when Huan’s teeth as sharp as death
have rent the throat? What fortune rare brings thee back living here to fare— if Draugluin thou art? come near!
1530I would know more, and see thee clear!’
‘Who art thou, hungry upstart whelp,
to bar my ways whom thou shouldst help?
I fare with hasty tidings new
to Morgoth from forest-haunting Th?.
1535Aside! for I must in; or go and swift my coming tell below!’
Then up that doorward slowly stood,
eyes shining grim with evil mood,
uneasy growling: ‘Draugluin,
1540if such thou be, now enter in!
But what is this that crawls beside
slinking as if ’twould neath thee hide?
Though wingéd creatures to and fro
unnumbered pass here, all I know.
1545I know not this. Stay, vampire, stay!
I like not thy kin nor thee. Come, say what sneaking errand thee doth bring,
thou wingéd vermin, to the king!
Small matter, I doubt not, if thou stay 1550or enter, or if in my play I crush thee like a fly on wall,
or bite thy wings and let thee crawl.’
Huge-stalking, noisome, close he came.
In Beren’s eyes there gleamed a flame; 1555the hair upon his neck uprose.
Nought may the fragrance fair enclose, the odour of immortal flowers
in everlasting spring neath showers
that glitter silver in the grass
1560in Valinor. Where’er did pass Tinúviel, such air there went.
From that foul devil-sharpened scent
its sudden sweetness no disguise
enchanted dark to cheat the eyes
1565could keep, if near those nostrils drew snuffling in doubt. This Beren knew
upon the brink of hell prepared
for battle and death. There threatening stared those dreadful shapes, in hatred both, 1570false Draugluin and Carcharoth when, lo! a marvel to behold:
some power, descended from of old,
from race divine beyond the West,
sudden Tinúviel possessed
1575like inner fire. The vampire dark she flung aside, and like a lark
cleaving through night to dawn she sprang, while sheer, heart-piercing silver, rang her voice, as those long trumpets keen 1580thrilling, unbearable, unseen in the cold aisles of morn. Her cloak