Thanks for your comment,
Aiwendil. When I first read the 1977
Silmarillion, I made a connection between the killing of Thingol by the Dwarves of Nogrod and that reference in
The Hobbit, so thought that including the latter in this thread would add to the debate.
King Naugladur, I was very interested in your last comment:
The dwarves did not delve Nargothrond for Finord Felagund. Before the Noldor came from over the Sea, the Petty-Dwarves had settled there and called the place Nulukkizdin. They were driven away by the Elves, who did not understand that the Petty-Dwarves were fellow incarnates. Thus, Mim is right in saying that the hoard belongs to him, since he is the last of the original owners of Nargothrond. Also, since Finrod was dead and the realm of Nargothrond was no more after Glaurung sacked it, the treasure did not belong to nobody, but to the one who established claim over it and he was Mim. Hurin slew the Dwarf and then took the Nauglamir (in older versions, Mim cursed the treasure before dying). Not even the Silmaril did not belong to Thingol. Since it was crafted by Feanor and Feanor was dead, it belonged to his sons.
In answer to it, while Mîm had an arguable claim to ownership of the halls of Nargothrond, he had none on the hoard it contained, which consisted of treasure Finrod brought out of Valinor, or manufactured for him for which he paid, such as the Nauglamír. It was inherited by his brother Orodreth on his death, and when the latter and his daughter Finduilas died, any claim of inheritance would go to other relatives, including Thingol. Húrin did not keep the Nauglamír for himself, but gave it to Thingol, who had an arguable claim to it.
Regarding the Silmaril, I agree that it belonged to the sons of Fëanor, and also agree with Melian's suggestion to her husband to return it to them.
I also understand his refusal to do so, not just on the grounds of the sacrifices his daughter and son-in-law made to obtain it, but his refusal to give anything to the sons of Fëanor, who massacred his relatives and stole their property, and two of whom kidnapped his daughter.
Such considerations, understandably and sadly, took precedence over
realpolitik.
