[Aiwendil]

With the sincerest apologies for my long absence, I offer some comments on the proposed changes. Overall, I think you've done a very nice job of integrating the new information from CoH.

NA-TI-02b <CoH But now the tale returns to Húrin and Huor in the days of their youth. It is said that for a while the sons of Galdor dwelt in Brethil as foster-sons of Haldir their uncle, according to the custom of Men in that time. They often went to battle with the Men of Brethil against the Orcs, who now harried the northern borders of their land; for Húrin, though only seventeen years of age, was strong, and Huor the younger was already as tall as most full-grown men of that people.
On a time Húrin and Huor went with a company of scouts, but they were ambushed by the Orcs and scattered, and the brother were pursued to the ford of Brithiach. There ...

First of all, I must ask you to refresh my memory about something - have we decided to include Hurin's and Huor's sojourn in Gondolin in the 'Childhood of Turin' chapter rather than the 'Ruin of Beleriand' chapter? Apparently we are, but I can't find where we discussed it.

I take it, though, that we decided to keep the account of the Orc attack on Brethil, when Beleg comes to their aid (s. 160 in GA) in the 'Ruin of Beleriand' chapter, thus separating it from the account of Hurin and Huor (is that right?). I now wonder whether this is advisable. Of course, this is done in the 'Narn', but that is in the context of a stand-alone tale, not a chapter in a longer Silmarillion.

The impression I get from the texts, at any rate, is that the attack in which Hurin and Huor were lost always remained identified with the attack GA section 160 - in other words that it remained this 'special' battle with the Orcs - and that the more generalized reference in CoH is made simply to compress this early portion of the work.

NA-EX-25.02: I'm very hesitant to use the alliterative lay here (and subsequently), though I appreciate that you have done a lot of nice work with the verse. This is, after all, one of the relatively few places where we have a late, complete 'long version' by Tolkien, and in such cases I think that generally the policy should be (and has been) not to insert earlier material for the sole purpose of elaboration.

It remains only to mention that in CoH also the paragraph marked here as NA-EX-27.25 is omited. It seems that this paragraph in Sil77 was composed by Christopher Tolkien as an appropirate answer to Thingols question 'What more would Túrin have me do?' For me tha passage look a bit strange without that answer. Do you agree to add this paragraph even so we know now nearly for sure that it is composed by Christopher Tolkien?

Reading the text in CoH, I actually think it works fine without NA-EX-27.25.

NA-TI-15.7 {And because}{Because Beleg}<CoH Moreover Beleg the Archer was great among the people of Doriath; he> was strong and enduring, <CoH and> far-sighted in mind as in eye, <CoH and at need he was valiant in battle, relying not only upon the swift arrows of his long bow, but also upon his great sword Anglachel.> {he}He came to be held in honour among the outlaws{; but the hatred of Mîm}<CoH And ever the more did hatred grow> for the Elf that had come into {Bar-en-Danwedh}[Bar-en-Danweð] {grew ever greater,} <CoH in the heart of Mîm, who hated all Elves, as has been told, and who looked with a jealous eye on the love that Túrin bore to Beleg.> {and}And he sat with Ibun his son in the deepest shadows of his house, speaking to none.

I can't find a source for 'He came to be held in honour among the outlaws' other than QS77 - is this perhaps an editorial addition by CT? I think we must either remove it or reword things slightly:

NA-TI-15.7 {And because}{Because Beleg}<CoH Moreover Beleg the Archer was great among the people of Doriath; he> was strong and enduring, <CoH and> far-sighted in mind as in eye, <CoH and at need he was valiant in battle, relying not only upon the swift arrows of his long bow, but also upon his great sword Anglachel.> , and he came to be held in honour among the outlaws{; but the hatred of Mîm}<CoH {And} But ever the more did hatred grow> for the Elf that had come into {Bar-en-Danwedh}[Bar-en-Danweð] {grew ever greater,} <CoH in the heart of Mîm, who hated all Elves, as has been told, and who looked with a jealous eye on the love that Túrin bore to Beleg.> {and}And he sat with Ibun his son in the deepest shadows of his house, speaking to none.

NA-TI-16 <Sil77 Who knows now the counsels of Morgoth? Who can measure the reach of his thought, who had been Melkor, mighty among the Ainur of the Great Song, and sat now, a dark lord upon a dark throne in the North, weighing in his malice all the tidings that came to him, <CoH whether by spy or by traitor, seeing in the eyes of his mind and understanding> {and perceiving} more of the deeds and purposes of his enemies than even the wisest of them feared, save only Melian the Queen{?}.

If Tolkien used a period rather than a question mark there, surely it was a mere mistake. I think we should use the question mark.

I must give the whole matter of Androg some thought before I comment on the changes and proposals relating to him.