Of Beren and Lúthien: The Complete Tale of “The Lay of Leithian” by LuthienHuan

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Chapter 14 Of Joy and True Friendship

Beren and Lúthien finally get to enjoy each other, until they're attacked by two foes.

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After Felagund’s burial, Beren and Lúthien did not rush to return to the Quest. Instead, they made it more of a priority to enjoy the calm spring weather, as well as each other’s company. Little by little, Beren steered their course toward Doriath. They stopped for a while near its border in the Forest of Brethil. Throughout this journey their days and nights were filled with love, laughter and joy, more than any of the children of Ilúvatar had ever shared, although their time was very short.

On an afternoon just before Beren was planning to return to the Quest, he was lying on a large rock and smiling while watching Lúthien dance. Six nightingales danced around her, and the flower Niphredil sprang up from the ground wherever her feet stepped. She happened to look at him just as he stopped smiling. Lúthien then came to him and asked, “What’s wrong, my love?”

“The last couple months have been a dream,” he answered, “and I wish this time together would end never. But it is time that I continue the Quest, and you need to return to your family. It breaks my heart to leave you again, but the sooner the Quest is complete, the sooner we can be together forever.”

Lúthien said, “Hear me, my dear. You must choose between these two: to relinquish the Quest and your oath and seek a life of wandering upon the face of the earth; or to hold to your word and challenge the power of darkness on its throne. But on either road I shall go with you, and our doom shall be alike.”

At this time, Celegorm and Curufin are sneaking through the trees on their horses. Beren and Lúthien, however, don’t see them as they are somewhat hidden by the trees as they creep closer.

“Lúthien,” Beren said, “I cannot allow you to go with me on this dangerous Quest. I have already decided that, and that is why I have brought you here; so you won’t have very far to travel to your home.”

“Was I not the one who defeated Sauron?” asked Lúthien.

Celegorm and Curufin are still moving quietly closer. Huan is behind his two friends and is unaware of the brothers’ plans, or that Celegorm and Curufin are nearby.

“Yes, you were. But Sauron is not Morgoth, and low am I to take the one I love into hell and before him upon his thrown. He is ten times more clever, stronger and evil. You, my dear, are powerful, but you are no match for the Dark Lord.”

Celegorm and Curufin ride into the glade. Celegorm spurs his horse at Beren and shouts, “Let’s see if the two of you are a match against two of Fëanor’s sons!”

Curufin, a strong and cunning horseman, rides directly to Lúthien, stoops and lifts her onto his horse before him. Thereafter, he also turns his horse toward Beren, coming at him from the opposite direction as Celegorm; not to stoop, but to maim or kill. Finally arriving at the edge of the glade, Huan stands there wondering why the brothers are riding their horses directly at Beren and why Lúthien is on Curufin’s horse screaming at him and struggling to get off.

The brothers arrive at Beren about the same time. That’s when Beren leaps before Celegorm and his horse (a second more and Beren would have been trampled) and lands behind Curufin on his; and the Leap of Beren is renown by nearly all Men and Elves of Middle-earth. Beren then takes Curufin by the throat with both hands and pulls him back causing Curufin to pull back on the reins and the horse to rear and fall backward. They fall clear of the horse, which rises and stands nearby shaking its head. But Beren held fast his hold around Curufin’s neck, and he began gagging. Lúthien had managed to jump from the horse just in time. She landed unharmed on a soft patch of heavy grass.

Death, however, was near Beren; for Celegorm rode toward him and his brother with spear in hand. Just as Celegorm reared back his arm to throw his spear through Beren, Huan bayed loudly and sprang in front of Celegorm’s horse. He then planted his feet and again loudly bayed and growled and showed his long white teeth. The horse swerved and Celegorm dropped his spear and nearly fell but maintained control of the horse.

“Huan, you stupid hound!” Celegorm shouted. “Curse you! So, you betray your master for a worthless Man and an Elven-maid! Curse you, you baseborn dog, daring to bare your teeth against your master! Go hence, for I never cared for you anyhow, you good-for-nothing mutt! You’ve been nothing but a nuisance to me, and I curse you and the day Oromë give me such a cur!”

Lúthien ran to Beren’s side. He was still choking Curufin. “Beren, forbear your anger,” she cried. “Do not do the unholy work of Orcs. Release him! His doom lies far beyond you, my love.”

As Huan continues growling at Celegorm, Beren reaches to Curufin’s side and unsnaps his knife and holds it momentarily to his throat.

“Fine! But I’m taking this,” Beren said.

Beren releases him. Curufin gasps, holds his neck and laboriously speaks, “That’s Angrist, given to me by Telchar.”

“I know all about Angrist and Telchar of Belegost,” Beren said. “That’s why I’m taking it. I’ll have better use of it than you. And you can ride out of here with your brother on his horse.”

Beren, placing the unsheathed Angrist at his side, walks to Curufin’s horse and says, “Your horse I keep for the service of Lúthien, and it may be accounted happy to be free of such a master. Both of you should now go back to your noble kinfolk, who might teach you to turn your valor to worthier use.”

“And you can go hence unto a swift and bitter death!” Curufin yelled.

Turning his back to and ignoring Curufin, Beren goes to the horse and leads it toward Lúthien. Huan watches the brothers closely. Curufin mounts behind Celegorm and then immediately grabs Celegorm’s bow and an arrow. As he turns and aims the fitted arrow at Lúthien, Huan bays loudly, and Beren turns to see Curufin shoot the arrow at her. Then they all in amazement see Huan leap and catch the arrow in his mouth just before it would have struck Lúthien in the heart. Beren looks again and sees Curufin preparing to shoot another arrow at her. As he releases the arrow, Beren leaps in front of Lúthien. The point goes in Beren’s upper left breast and out his back. Lúthien shouts, “Beren!” and catches him as he falls. Huan in anger snaps with his teeth the arrow in his mouth and runs after the brothers, who in fear speed away.

Lúthien continues to rouse Beren by calling his name. For a moment his eyes open and he says, “You don’t have to shout; I’m right here – for the moment.” Beren then falls into unconsciousness. After a few minutes, Huan returned carrying a bundle of weeds in his mouth.

“Kingsfoil,” said Lúthien, who is now crying. “I can’t believe you found Athelas here. Thank you, my friend.”

Lúthien puts a handful of the healing plant in her mouth and chews to moisten it. She then takes Angrist from Beren’s side and cuts the arrow’s point off with very little effort. She then pulls the arrow out through the front as fast as she can. Beren awakens briefly and screams of pain. He immediately falls back into unconscious. She spits the chewed wad into her hand, splits it in half and pastes the wads over the entry and exit wounds. She then holds Beren tightly in her arms and looks at Huan.

“All we can do is hope and pray, my friend,” she tells Huan, who looks on in dire concern for his friend. For the first time in his life, he is also in tears.

*****

Nearly a month later, Beren begins to come out of unconsciousness. He sees black, white and then blue as his eyes attempt to focus. He hears Lúthien singing lowly nearby. He begins to see the leaves on the limbs above him shaking in the breeze. There are also many birds, including Mr. and Mrs. Dove, sitting on limbs in the closest trees to him. On the ground with Lúthien’s nightingales are a couple rabbits, raccoons and two deer. Mr. and Mrs. Otter have also come to wait for their friend to awaken. The horse, like nearly all good beasts, has come to love Lúthien and Beren, as well as Huan. If he wasn’t grazing nearby, he was standing guard over Beren; which he was now doing.

Beren now sees the horse over him. He then turned his head to the side. There, barely an inch from him, is Huan’s huge head with large eyes looking at him, along with his long tongue hanging out. Huan, who has been beside Beren nearly every minute, barks and licks his face. Lúthien turns to see Beren conscious and smiling as Huan continues slobbering all over his face. Beren begins laughing.

“All right, my friend,” Beren said. “It’s good to see you, too. I know I need to bathe, but I’d rather use water than your slobbers.”

Lúthien kneels down at Beren’s side, kisses him and asks, “How are you feeling?”

“Weak. Very weak,” he answered.

“There were times you were on fire and others when you felt frozen. There were also times we knew not if you were going to survive.”

“There were times I wasn’t sure either. All I could see was something that looked black, but it was not like the color. I would also hear, as if calling me, music from birds, viols and harps.”

“The Void is what you saw, and you indeed heard its calling. It beckons those near death. Many who feel they have nothing more to live for follow it to their doom and to the Halls of Mandos. Sometimes the Void is just too strong and it takes them whether they protest or not.”

“Whatever it was it seems I was drawn to it. Then I would hear your voice calling me, and I would even hear Huan baying in the distance. Thank you both for bringing me back.”

“We want you not to go anywhere without us.” Huan barks and wags his tail in agreement as Lúthien and Beren smile at him.

“How long have I been out?” asked Beren.

“Four weeks and one day,” Lúthien replied.

“So, autumn is nearly over. I’ve been out too long. I’ve got to get back to the Quest.” He attempts to rise, but moans and sits back down.

“You mean: we have to get back to the Quest,” Lúthien said. “Right now, however, you’re still too weak to do anything.”

*****

Meanwhile, Thingol and Melian were sitting on their thrones when Mablung and Beleg return to them and bow.

“I’m sorry, my King and Queen,” Mablung said, “but we could find no trace of Lúthien or Beren.”

Beleg added, “While searching we thought several times we heard her voice; but when we followed it, we found nothing.”

“If my daughter wishes not to be found,” Thingol said, “found she will not be.”

“We are very sorry,” said Mablung.

Mablung and Beleg again bow and take their leave. Thingol looks at Melian and asks, “Do you not know where our daughter is? Or is it that you know and will tell me not?”

Melian answered, “If I knew where she was, I would tell you, my love, but that would help little. What you set in motion must reach its destiny. Neither you nor I may interfere with its outcome.”

“I just want my daughter home. I miss her so.”

“You never told me you sent your two top captains to search for her. When did you do that, and what did you want them to do if they found her?”

“I sent them shortly after Lúthien had escaped from Hirilorn. I asked them to try to persuade her to return home. Moreover, I just wanted news of her to know she was unharmed.”

*****

On the fifth morning since Beren arose from unconsciousness, he awoke earlier than Lúthien and stood next to her for a while admiring her as she slept. Huan was sleeping beside her. Beren quietly walked to the horse. Just as he was preparing to mount him, he saw that Huan had quietly followed him.

“Be very quiet, my friend,” Beren said, while patting his head. “I return now to the Quest and leave Lúthien in your care. If I wait longer, Huan, she will awaken and wish to go with me, and I can’t have that. Take good care of her. Guard her from wind and foes. Keep her hidden from hands that would seize or harm her. If you can, persuade her and escort her home. Farewell, my friend.”

Beren mounts and turns the horse and rides away. Huan gives a small whine and then returns to lay down again by Lúthien.