The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post

Findegil · 03-26-2003, 04:59 PM

I will try to give a short overview:
The wanderings of Húrin after his realise where somewhat different. But only for the first part we have a full narrative.
Húrin first went to Hithlum and when he could not stir any rebellion against Lorgan the Easterling he abandoned the Land to him and left with a small following. They went to the dale of Sirion and Húrin left his companions and tried to find the entrance to Gondolin.
His companions went to Brethil, because Húrin had said he had an errand there, and they hoped to find him again. But their coming and the thought of Húrin coming there stirred some slumbering disquiet of the Haladin and Húrins companions were band from the Land and lingered around the Taiglin crossing. But they missed Húrin when he went to Brethil and found Morwen at the Stone. After her death Húrin was embittered and went to the Amon Obel. The result of his coming was disastrous. A bitter feud between two branches of the Haladin broke out and all remaining heirs of Haleth were killed in a civil war. The last one died only after he arranged the burial of Morwen with Húrin and he died in Húrins arms begging him to leave Brethil.
With Húrin crossing the Taiglin the full narrative stops. We only get the information that the meet his companies from Hithlum again and the may be gathered some people from Brethil, in addition, that wouldn't be ruled by lesser men and remembered that Húrin was also of Haleth blood.
Obviously he went with that band to Nargothrond and there killed Mîm the Petty-dwarf. When JRR Tolkien wrote his last version about that episode Mîm hadn't occurred as the traitor of Túrin, so that we didn't know how he imagined that encounter.
Húrin and his Man took then the complete treasure of Nargothrond to Doriath. (The Nauglamir were not jet fashioned, the making of the Necklace for Felagund was an editorial addition.) Húrin laid the treasure before Thingol and blamed him for his dealings with his family. In none of JRR Tolkiens version was he realised from Morgoth spell by his talk to Melian. He left the hall and it is told that he killed him self in the end in the western see.
Here it becomes very difficult. In the earliest Version Húrins companies were not willing to get nothing of the treasure and the parley ended in a bloody fight in which they were killed. In the later versions the man died on the road and Húrin went to Doriath and got there some help for the transport. But that last idea was clearly rejected. So we do not know how JRR Tolkien would have deal with that situation.
But the result is clear: The greatest part of the treasure remained in Doriath. Melian advised Thingol to throw the treasure into the Esgalduin. But he was obviously under the spell of the dragon-gold (seen also in The Hobbit in the case of Thorin) and could not bring him self to do it. Since much of the treasure was unwrought gold and silver and lose gemmes he invited the Dwarves of Nogrod to practise their craft on it. Beneath many other beautiful things the Dwarves made for Thingol the Nauglamir including the Silmaril. But when it came to the payment Thingol quarrelled with them about that an in the end drove them of with out or with very little reward.
There upon the Dwarves of Nogrod attacked Doriath. How they were able to cross the Griddle of Melian is one of unsolved problems. JRR Tolkien only mentioned that the Dwarves had to lure Thingol to a fight outside his realm, and kill him. Then Melian departed and the Girdle was removed. Then the Dwarves sacked Menegroth.
From that point on the last ideas of JRR Tolkien were more or less followed by the storyline in The Silamrillion.

I hope that helps to stir some interest in The History of Middle-Earth.

Respectfully
Findegil

P.S.: For all how participate in the “The translation of the Elvish”-projekt: I am locking forward with excitement for your discussion about that special Chapter!

03-26-2003, 04:59 PM	#9
Findegil King's Writer Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,721	I will try to give a short overview: The wanderings of Húrin after his realise where somewhat different. But only for the first part we have a full narrative. Húrin first went to Hithlum and when he could not stir any rebellion against Lorgan the Easterling he abandoned the Land to him and left with a small following. They went to the dale of Sirion and Húrin left his companions and tried to find the entrance to Gondolin. His companions went to Brethil, because Húrin had said he had an errand there, and they hoped to find him again. But their coming and the thought of Húrin coming there stirred some slumbering disquiet of the Haladin and Húrins companions were band from the Land and lingered around the Taiglin crossing. But they missed Húrin when he went to Brethil and found Morwen at the Stone. After her death Húrin was embittered and went to the Amon Obel. The result of his coming was disastrous. A bitter feud between two branches of the Haladin broke out and all remaining heirs of Haleth were killed in a civil war. The last one died only after he arranged the burial of Morwen with Húrin and he died in Húrins arms begging him to leave Brethil. With Húrin crossing the Taiglin the full narrative stops. We only get the information that the meet his companies from Hithlum again and the may be gathered some people from Brethil, in addition, that wouldn't be ruled by lesser men and remembered that Húrin was also of Haleth blood. Obviously he went with that band to Nargothrond and there killed Mîm the Petty-dwarf. When JRR Tolkien wrote his last version about that episode Mîm hadn't occurred as the traitor of Túrin, so that we didn't know how he imagined that encounter. Húrin and his Man took then the complete treasure of Nargothrond to Doriath. (The Nauglamir were not jet fashioned, the making of the Necklace for Felagund was an editorial addition.) Húrin laid the treasure before Thingol and blamed him for his dealings with his family. In none of JRR Tolkiens version was he realised from Morgoth spell by his talk to Melian. He left the hall and it is told that he killed him self in the end in the western see. Here it becomes very difficult. In the earliest Version Húrins companies were not willing to get nothing of the treasure and the parley ended in a bloody fight in which they were killed. In the later versions the man died on the road and Húrin went to Doriath and got there some help for the transport. But that last idea was clearly rejected. So we do not know how JRR Tolkien would have deal with that situation. But the result is clear: The greatest part of the treasure remained in Doriath. Melian advised Thingol to throw the treasure into the Esgalduin. But he was obviously under the spell of the dragon-gold (seen also in The Hobbit in the case of Thorin) and could not bring him self to do it. Since much of the treasure was unwrought gold and silver and lose gemmes he invited the Dwarves of Nogrod to practise their craft on it. Beneath many other beautiful things the Dwarves made for Thingol the Nauglamir including the Silmaril. But when it came to the payment Thingol quarrelled with them about that an in the end drove them of with out or with very little reward. There upon the Dwarves of Nogrod attacked Doriath. How they were able to cross the Griddle of Melian is one of unsolved problems. JRR Tolkien only mentioned that the Dwarves had to lure Thingol to a fight outside his realm, and kill him. Then Melian departed and the Girdle was removed. Then the Dwarves sacked Menegroth. From that point on the last ideas of JRR Tolkien were more or less followed by the storyline in The Silamrillion. I hope that helps to stir some interest in The History of Middle-Earth. Respectfully Findegil P.S.: For all how participate in the “The translation of the Elvish”-projekt: I am locking forward with excitement for your discussion about that special Chapter!