The War of the Jewels Read Online Free PDF Page B

off and surrounded upon the hill of Amon Ereb; and there he fell and all his nearest kin about him, ere the host of Thingol could come to his aid. Bitterly though his fall was avenged, when Thingol came upon the rear of the Orcs and slew them aheaps, the Green-elves lamented him ever after and took no king again.
    After the battle some returned to Ossiriand, and their tidings filled the remnant of their folk with great fear, so that thereafter they came never forth in open war, but kept themselves by wariness and secrecy. And many went north and entered the guarded realm of Thingol and were merged with his folk.
    $40. And when Thingol came again to Menegroth he learned that the Orc-host in the west was victorious and had driven Cirdan to the rim of the Sea. Therefore he withdrew all his folk that his summons could reach within the fastness of Neldoreth and Region, and Melian put forth her power and fenced all that dominion round about with an unseen wall of shadow and bewilderment: the Girdle of Melian, that none thereafter could pass against her will or the will of King Thingol (unless one should come with a power greater than that of Melian the Maia). Therefore this inner land which was long named Eglador was after called Doriath, the guarded kingdom, Land of the Girdle. Within it there was yet a watchful peace; but without there was peril and great fear, and the servants of Morgoth roamed at will, save in the walled havens of the Falas.

    Of the Coming of the Noldor.

    $41. But new tidings were at hand, which none in Middle-earth had foreseen, neither Morgoth in his pits nor Melian in Menegroth; for no news came out of Aman, whether by messenger, or by spirit, or by vision in dream, after the death of the Trees and the hiding of Valinor. In this same year of the Valar (but some seven years after in the later reckoning of time) Feanor came over Sea in the white ships of the Teleri, and landed in the Firth of Drengist, and there burned the ships at Losgar.

    $42. Now the flames of that burning were seen not only by Fingolfin, whom Feanor had deserted, but also by the Orcs and the watchers of Morgoth. No tale hath told what Morgoth thought in his heart at the tidings that Feanor his bitterest foe had brought a host out of the West. Maybe he feared him little, for he had not yet had proof of the swords of the Noldor, and soon it was seen that he purposed to drive them back into the Sea.
    $43. Drengist is a long firth which pierces the Echoing Hills of Eryd Lomin that are the west-fence of the great country of Hithlum. Thus the host of Feanor passed from the shores into the inner regions of Hithlum, and marching about the northern end of the Mountains of Mithrim they encamped in that part which was named Mithrim and lay about the great lake amid the mountains that bore the same name.
    $44 But the host of Melkor, orcs and werewolves, came through the passes of Eryd-wethrin and assailed Feanor on a sudden, ere his camp was fullwrought or put in defence. There now on the grey fields of Mithrim was fought the second battle of the Wars of Beleriand, and the first meeting of the might of Morgoth with the valour of the Noldor. Dagor-nuin-Giliath it is named, the Battle under the Stars, for the Moon had not yet risen. In that battle, albeit outnumbered and taken at unawares, the Noldor were swiftly victorious. Strong and fair were they yet, for the light of Aman was not yet dimmed in their eyes; swift they were, and deadly in wrath, and long and terrible were their swords. The Orcs fled before them, and they were driven forth from Mithrim with great slaughter, and hunted over that great plain that lay north of Dorthonion, and was then called Ardgalen. There the armies that had passed south into the vales of Sirion and had beleagured Cirdan came up to their succour, and were caught in their ruin. For Celegorn Feanor's son, having news of them, waylaid them with a part of the Elven-host, and coming down upon them out of the hills nigh