"GL3" - читать интересную книгу автора (vol03)

In all the texts of the first Canto the King of the woodland Elves is
presented as possessing great wealth. This conception appears already in
The Children of Hurin (see p. 26), in the most marked contrast to all
that is told in the Lost Tales: cf. the Tale of Turambar (II. 95) 'the folk
of Tinwelint were of the woodlands and had scant wealth', 'his riches
were small', and the Tale of the Nauglafring (II. 227) 'A golden crown

(* On the earliest 'Silmarillion' map it is said that 'all the lands watered by Sirion south of
Gondolin are called in English "Broseliand" '.)

they [the Dwarves] made for Tinwelint, who yet had worn nought but a
wreath of scarlet leaves.'

II.

Far in the North neath hills of stone
in caverns black there was a throne 100
by fires illumined underground,
that winds of ice with moaning sound
made flare and flicker in dark smoke;
the wavering bitter coils did choke
the sunless airs of dungeons deep 105
where evil things did crouch and creep.
There sat a king: no Elfin race
nor mortal blood, nor kindly grace
of earth or heaven might he own,
far older, stronger than the stone 110
the world is built of, than the fire
that burns within more fierce and dire;
and thoughts profound were in his heart:
a gloomy power that dwelt apart.

Unconquerable spears of steel 115
were at his nod. No ruth did feel
the legions of his marshalled hate,
on whom did wolf and raven wait;
and black the ravens sat and cried
upon their banners black, and wide 120
was heard their hideous chanting dread
above the reek and trampled dead.
With fire and sword his ruin red
on all that would not bow the head
like lightning fell. The Northern land 125
lay groaning neath his ghastly hand.

But still there lived in hiding cold
undaunted, Barahir the bold,
of land bereaved, of lordship shorn,
who once a prince of Men was born 130