32852985

o’ershadowing hand and grinding foot,
beginning, end, and crown and root;
then turned to strike forth down the slope
abandoning fear, forsaking hope.
‘A, Beren, Beren!’ came a sound,
‘almost too late have I thee found!
O proud and fearless hand and heart,
not yet farewell, not yet we part!
Not thus do those of elven race
forsake the love that they embrace.
A love is mine, as great a power
as thine, to shake the gate and tower
of death with challenge weak and frail
that yet endures, and will not fail
nor yield, unvanquished were it hurled
beneath the foundations of the world.
Beloved fool! escape to seek
from such pursuit; in might so weak
to trust not, thinking it well to save
from love thy loved, who welcomes grave
and torment sooner than in guard
of kind intent to languish, barred,
wingless and helpless him to aid
for whose support her love was made!’
Thus back to him came Lúthien:
they met beyond the ways of Men;
upon the brink of terror stood
between the desert and the wood.
He looked on her, her lifted face
beneath his lips in sweet embrace:
‘Thrice now mine oath I curse,’ he said,
‘that under shadow thee hath led!
But where is Huan, where the hound
to whom I trusted, whom I bound
by love of thee to keep thee well
from deadly wandering into hell?’
‘I know not! But good Huan’s heart
is wiser, kinder, than thou art,
grim lord, more open unto prayer!
Yet long and long I pleaded there,
until he brought me, as I would,
upon thy trail—a palfrey good
1105
1110
1115
1120
1125
1130
1135
1140