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ade Beren and Tinúviel relate to him all that had befallen either of them, and he was eager to
hearken, for he did not fully comprehend the meaning of Beren’s words. When however he had heard
all yet more was his heart turned to Beren, and he marvelled at the love that had awakened in the
heart of Tinúviel so that she had done greater deeds and more daring than any of the warriors of his
folk.
‘Never again,’ said he, ‘O Beren I beg of thee, leave this court nor the side of Tinúviel, for thou art
a great Elf and thy name will ever be great among the kindreds.’ Yet Beren answered him proudly,
and said: ‘Nay, O King, I hold to my word and thine, and I will get thee that Silmaril or ever I dwell
in peace in thy halls.’ And the king entreated him to journey no more into the dark and unknown
realms, but Beren said: ‘No need is there thereof, for behold that jewel is even now nigh to thy
caverns,’ and he made clear to Tinwelint that that beast that ravaged his land was none other than
Karkaras, the wolfward of Melko’s gates—and this was not known to all, but Beren knew it taught by
Huan, whose cunning in the reading of track and slot was greatest among all the hounds, and therein
are none of them unskilled. Huan indeed was with Beren now in the halls, and when those twain
spoke of a chase and a great hunt he begged to be in that deed; and it was granted gladly. Now do
those three prepare themselves to harry that beast, that all the folk be rid of the terror of the wolf, and
Beren keep his word, bringing a Silmaril to shine once more in Elfinesse. King Tinwelint himself led
that chase, and Beren was beside him, and Mablung the heavyhanded, chief of the king’s thanes,
leaped up and grasped a spear—a mighty weapon captured in battle with the distant Orcs—and with
those three stalked Huan mightiest of dogs, but others they would not take according to the desire of
the king, who said: ‘Four is enough for the slaying even of the Hell-wolf’—but only those who had
seen knew how fearsome was that beast, nigh as large as a horse among Men, and so great was the
ardour of his breath that it scorched whatsoever it touched. About the hour of sunrise they set forth,
and soon after Huan espied a new slot beside the stream, not far from the king’s doors, ‘and,’ quoth
he, ‘this is the print of Karkaras.’ Thereafter they followed that stream all day, and at many places its
banks were new-trampled and torn and the water of the pools that lay about it was fouled as though
some beasts possessed of madness had rolled and fought there not long before.
Now sinks the sun and fades beyond the western trees and darkness is creeping down from
Hisilómë so that the light of the forest dies. Even so they come to a place where the spoor swerves
from the stream or perchance is lost in its waters and Huan may no longer follow it; and here
therefore they encamp, sleeping in turns beside the stream, and the early night wears away.
Suddenly in Beren’s watch a sound of great terror leaped up from far away—a howling as of
seventy maddened wolves—then lo! the brushwood cracks and saplings snap as the terror draweth
near, and Beren knows that Karkaras is upon them. Scarce had he time to rouse the others, and they
were but just sprung up and half-awake, when a great form loomed in the wavering moonlight filtering
there, and it was fleeing like one mad, and its course was bent towards the water. Thereat Huan gave
tongue, and straightway the beast swerved aside towards them, and foam was dripping from his jaws
and a red light shining from his eyes, and his face was marred with mingled terror and with wrath. No
sooner did he leave the trees than Huan rushed upon him fearless of heart, but he with a mighty leap
sprang right over that great dog, for all his fury was kindled suddenly against Beren whom he
recognized as he stood behind, and to his dark mind it seemed that there was the cause of all his
agony. Then Beren thrust swiftly upward with a spear into his throat, and Huan leapt again and had
him by a hind leg, and Karkaras fell like a stone, for at that same moment the king’s spear found his
heart, and his evil spirit gushed forth and sped howling faintly as it fared over the dark hills to
Mandos; but Beren lay under him crushed beneath his weight. Now they roll back that carcase and fall