32852985

any who could capture her. Each wolf that Thû sent Huan slew silently, till Draugluin the greatest of
his wolves came. Then there was fierce battle, and Thû knew that Lúthien was not alone. But he
remembered the fate of Huan, and he made himself the greatest wolf that had yet walked the world,
and came forth. But Huan overthrew him, and won from him the keys and the spells that held together
his enchanted walls and towers. So the stronghold was broken and the towers thrown down and the
dungeons opened. Many captives were released, but Thû flew in bat’s form to Taur-na-Fuin. There
Lúthien found Beren mourning beside Felagund. She healed his sorrow and the wasting of his
imprisonment, but Felagund they buried on the top of his own island hill, and Thû came there no
more.
Then Huan returned to his master, and less was the love between them after. Beren and Lúthien
wandered careless in happiness until they came nigh to the borders of Doriath once more. There
Beren remembered his vow, and bade Lúthien farewell, but she would not be sundered from him. In
Nargothrond there was tumult. For Huan and many of the captives of Thû brought back the tidings of
the deeds of Lúthien, and the death of Felagund, and the treachery of Celegorm and Curufin was laid
bare. It is said they had sent a secret embassy to Thingol ere Lúthien escaped, but Thingol in wrath
had sent their letters back by his own servants to Orodreth. Wherefore now the hearts of the people of
Narog turned back to the house of Finrod, and they mourned their king Felagund whom they had
forsaken, and they did the bidding of Orodreth.
But he would not suffer them to slay the sons of Fëanor as they wished. Instead he banished them
from Nargothrond, and swore that little love should there be between Narog and any of the sons of
Fëanor thereafter. And so it was.
Celegorm and Curufin were riding in haste and wrath through the woods to find their way to
Himling when they came upon Beren and Lúthien, even as Beren sought to part from his love. They
rode down on them, and recognizing them tried to trample Beren under their hooves.
But Curufin lifted Lúthien to his saddle. Then befell the leap of Beren, the greatest leap of mortal
Men. For he sprang like a lion right upon the speeding horse of Curufin, and grasped him about the
throat, and horse and rider fell in confusion upon the earth, but Lúthien was flung far off and lay dazed
upon the ground. There Beren choked Curufin, but his death was very nigh from Celegorm, who rode
back with his spear. In that hour Huan forsook the service of Celegorm, and sprang upon him so that
his horse swerved aside, and no man for fear of the terror of the great hound dared go nigh. Lúthien
forbade the death of Curufin, but Beren despoiled him of his horse and weapons, chief of which was
his famous knife, made by the Dwarves. It would cut iron like wood. Then the brothers rode off, but
shot back at Huan treacherously and at Lúthien. Huan they did not hurt, but Beren sprang before
Lúthien and was wounded, and Men remembered that wound against the sons of Fëanor, when it
became known.
Huan stayed with Lúthien, and hearing of their perplexity and the purpose Beren had still to go to
Angband, he went and fetched them from the ruined halls of Thû a werewolf’s coat and a bat’s. Three
times only did Huan speak with the tongue of Elves or Men. The first was when he came to Lúthien in
Nargothrond. This was the second, when he devised the desperate counsel for their quest. So they
rode North, till they could no longer go on horse in safety. Then they put on the garments as of wolf
and bat, and Lúthien in guise of evil fay rode upon the werewolf.
In The Lay of Leithian is all told how they came to Angband’s gate, and found it newly guarded,
for rumour of he knew not what design abroad among the Elves had come to Morgoth. Wherefore he
fashioned the mightiest of all wolves, Carcharas Knife-fang, to sit at the gates. But Lúthien set him in
spells, and they won their way to the presence of Morgoth, and Beren slunk beneath his chair. Then