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

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Chapter 19 Of Their Return to the Land of the Living

Mandos releases Beren; and someone else also returns to the land of the living.

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When Lúthien escaped from her house in Hirilorn to rescue Beren and King Felagund and his soldiers, the colorful caverns of Menegroth that resembled the radiant hues, shadows and tints of the Blessed Realm had seemingly turned grey in the eyes of the Elves when they learned that their princess was no longer there. They grieved believing that she might even be running toward her own doom. Thingol and Melian seldom sat on their thrones. Thingol often seated himself in his chair of their royal bedroom to gaze blankly out the window, while Melian walked continuously to and fro along the Esgalduin River’s banks between Hirilorn and the bridge constantly looking for Lúthien’s unguarded mind to gain the knowledge of her daughter’s whereabouts. Thingol would rarely meet with anyone except his two captains, Mablung and Beleg; and they were grieved seeing their king in this mood and not knowing what to do. Melian didn’t sing and neither did her nightingales, and the land became deathly silent.

Upon Lúthien’s return, the colors of the Thousand Caves seemed to again become vivid. The grey was washed away by song and laughter that were heard once more, and the king and queen were happily seated again on their thrones. It appeared as life itself had returned to Menegroth.

But now Lúthien lay lifeless on a bed prepared in her former room with decorations as if for a funeral. It was now going on the eighth day since she had given up her life and journeyed to the Halls of Mandos. Mourners had come in flocks to pay their respects; not just from Doriath but also as far west as the sea and east as Ered Luin and beyond.

Beren’s body they laid in a grave two days previously next to Hirilorn on the opposing side of the bridge. Thingol gave a beautiful speech that included the admitting of how wrong he was in not sooner cherishing Beren as a friend and not allowing Lúthien’s hand to be placed in his; and how he wished he had never sent Beren on the Quest of the Silmaril, which Thingol now keeps in a locked box in their royal bedroom.

At this moment Thingol sat alone next to his daughter’s body; Melian was lying asleep on their bed. His eyes hadn’t been dry since her body had been brought back from the hillside where she took her last breath. He wanted his daughter back. Melian was actually taking her death better than her previous departure to Nargothrond; for at least she believed now that they would meet someday in Valinor.

Thingol sits on the edge of a chair with his head down and eyes closed on Lúthien’s mattress next to her arm that lies by her side. Suddenly he hears his name quietly spoken. But since he heard no footsteps enter the room, he didn’t raise his head and thought he was hearing things by reason of being so distraught; especially since the voice sounded much like Beren’s.

“It’s not everyday that your son-in-law returns from the dead,” Beren said with a chuckle.

Thingol, however, didn’t laugh. Instead, he raised his head and looked at Beren standing across from him on the other side of Lúthien’s bed. Startled, he abruptly stood up and stepped backwards knocking his chair over and doing everything he could to keep his balance while keeping his eyes on Beren. Once he found his balance, he tried shouting for Melian, but for several seconds nothing would come out of his mouth. Finally, he got out the shout of “Mel… Melian!”

“Fear not,” Beren said, “for I am real; no wraith am I, for Mandos has returned us as per your daughter’s request.”

Then to his astonishment he hears Lúthien deeply inhale her first breath as she begins returning to life. Her eyes open and begin fluttering. Thingol again shouts for his queen. Beleg and Mablung, who heard Thingol’s first cry for Melian, came running to the funeral room. They enter just in time to see Lúthien rising to an upright seated position on her bed.

And that’s when Melian entered the room, stepping in between and in front of the two captains. Being directly in front of Lúthien, Melian is the first person upon whom her eyes focused.

“Hello again, mother,” Lúthien said. In disbelief, Melian’s body goes limp as she nearly faints, though she remains conscious and is caught by Beleg and Mablung.

Beren gives a merry laugh as Thingol runs to Melian to hold her. “You should see all your faces,” Beren said with a laugh.

“Do not be afraid, mother and father,” said Lúthien. “It is really us.”

“How can this be?” asked Thingol.

Using her divine enchantments, Melian discovers the truth and says, “I do not believe it, but it is true: Mandos has returned them to us. I read both their minds.”

Melian then closes her eyes and turns her head, and Thingol feels something is wrong.

“If this is true and Mandos has done this, then why are you, Melian, not showing joy?” asked Thingol.

Melian, however, does not speak to Thingol, but to Lúthien, who is now being helped from her bed by Beren. “My only daughter, how could you; my only child?” Melian inquired.

“I knew you’d be disappointed, mother,” Lúthien answered, “but this was my decision. I would rather spend one life with Beren than a thousand without him.”

“What’s going on? What does she mean by that?” asked Thingol.

“Our daughter has chosen to become as a mortal,” Melian responded. “Therefore, when she dies she will go not to Eldamar, where all Elves go after their deaths on Middle-earth. Instead, she will go to wherever it is Men go when they die. Therefore, after her death, we shall see her never again.”

“Lúthien, you didn’t?” Thingol asked.

“I’m sorry, mother and father, but I had to,” Lúthien replied. “Please, do not be angered or sorrowed by my choice. Be happy for me; for us.”

The couple walked to the other four, who looked a little frightened. Nevertheless, Lúthien went to embraced Melian and Beren stuck his right hand out to Thingol. When the father-in-law saw that all was well with Melian and his daughter, he looked at Beren, grabbed his arm, pulled him to him and gave him one of the biggest hugs he had ever given anyone. Thereafter, they all got in their hugs.

*****

That night Thingol threw another celebration in honor of the two’s return. Many of the Elves, although skeptical, welcomed them home. Some, however, kept their distance. It took a little Elven-girl to erase nearly everyone’s doubts.

At that time Lúthien was talking to another Elven-maid when the girl approached her.

“Excuse me, Princess Lúthien,” she courteously said.

“Yes, little lass?” Lúthien answered. “What is your name?”

“I am Hollen.”

“What a pretty Elven name for a pretty little Elven-girl.”

“Thank you.”

“What can I do for you?”

“I was wondering, would you allow me to touch you?”

“Touch me?”

“Yes, please. I mean, it’s not so much me asking as it is my parents,” Hollen said. She then pointed to her parents a couple tables away. Lúthien looked at them and saw that they were trying their best to smile and not act uncomfortable. Hollen explained, “They believe that if I’m able to touch you, then you would truly not be a ghost.”

“A ghost?” Lúthien laughed. “A ghost. Well, would a ghost do this?” She then reached down, picked up Hollen and twirled her as if they were dancing. Hollen loudly laughed. Lúthien then whispered in Hollen’s ear, “Do you think we’re convincing them that I am real and not just a hollow vision?”

Lúthien then tickled Hollen, and she again laughed merrily but said nothing. However, all present saw them dancing and spinning about. Beren, who had been talking with Thingol, joined Lúthien and Hollen in the dance. He lifted Hollen up, threw her high into the air and caught her as she giggled her way down. That was enough to convince all eyes in Thingol’s Hall that Beren and Lúthien were in fact real.

Then Hollen asked, “If you are still the Lúthien we all know and love, can you do something about what’s going on outside the caverns? I would love to go outside again.”

Thingol heard Hollen ask Lúthien that question. He walked to them from around the royal table.

“What’s happening outside?” Lúthien asked.

Thingol replied, “It’s a fell winter that literally blew in the night you died; nor has it let up. Deep snowfall with blowing winds causing drifts as high as some trees, as well as freezing temperatures that even has Esgalduin solid. It’s like winter returned to cry for you.”

Lúthien turned to Beren and said, “I’ll return soon, dear.” Beren smiled at her as she walked away.

Lúthien exited the banquet hall and walked alone through the main corridor leading to the gates. When she arrived there, the two gate guards greeted her and opened the gates. A gust of wind rushed in immediately. Lúthien told the guards to open the gates just enough for her to squeeze through them. With wind blowing her hair in every direction, Lúthien squinted in attempt to survey the landscape. But because of the blowing snow, she could barely see more than twenty to thirty feet in front of her, even with the farsightedness of her Elf-eyes. Therefore, she bent down where she was and stuck her finger down into the snow until she felt the cold hard ground; the snow where she knelt was just a little deeper than her elbow. She then closed her eyes and meditated.

Suddenly, the snow around her arm dissolved into water, and the melting grew continuously as did the temperature. Within minutes the snow thawed into a flood. Esgalduin flowed with a vigor it never had since its creation. After five minutes the temperature had risen from subzero to a balmy, Spring-like seventy-five degrees. Snow could be heard falling from the tops of the trees into the water and slush below. It only took about fifteen minutes for it all to flow away leaving behind only puddles.

Satisfied with her accomplishment, she began to turn around and return to the party. That’s when she heard a low howl in the distance. Lúthien knew she had heard that baritone sound before. She heard it again; closer this time, and louder. After that she had no doubt to whom the howl belonged, and she waited in joyful anticipation to see its owner – Huan.

When Huan first saw Lúthien standing and smiling in the distance, he was already at his top speed. Her Elf-eyes had spotted him miles away; miles that were eaten up in no time by his powerful legs.

Lúthien met him at the beginning of the bridge. He stopped in front of her, and they looked at each other for a second with big smiles. Huan, whose tears began welling up, leaped into her arms. She kissed his furry face, and he licked hers as she embraced him.

“Oh, my lovable friend,” Lúthien said, “I’m so glad to see you again.”

“Mandos told me that I have you and Beren to thank for my return to the living,” Huan said. “Thank you.”

“It’s so good to hear you speak again, too.”

“You’ll be hearing me speak much more often, for the Valar has given me no limit this time.”

“Then sometime you’ll have to tell me the story about how you made it back here, but not now. There’s a celebration going on inside in behalf of our return.”

“Great! You two should be together; to have a life together. You have no idea how happy that makes me.”

“And I know there will be many happy people to see you, especially Beren.”

“I can’t wait to see his expression when he sees me. Let’s go.”

Lúthien and Huan walk back to the gate, and she then knocks. It opens, as do the gasping mouths of the guards. Lúthien wondered what opened their mouths more: the disappearance of the snow along with the warm breeze that now entered the gateway, or the Great Hound of Valinor who now accompanied their Lady Lúthien. Upon opening the door to Thingol’s Hall, it took the hound three quick bounds and one little leap to reach Beren and knock him to the ground where Huan commenced to licking his face.

“Alright, my friend,” Beren finally said. “You can stop anytime now. It’s great to see you as well.”

“I already told Lúthien, and now I’m telling you: thank you ever so much for asking Mandos to return me to Middle-earth, and to you both,” Huan said. “I love you two so much.”

“Well, you should know: we love you very much, my friend,” Beren said.

Huan smiled at Beren and Lúthien and then turned to Thingol and Melian, who were sitting in their royal chairs at their table. Huan walked closer to them, bowed his head and said, “Well met, my King and Queen. The Hound of Valinor Huan is honored to again be at your serv…”

Interrupting, Melian stood and said, “Huan, you adorable and admirable Hound: you bow to no one.” Thingol then arose to stand beside his queen and said, “It is we who are honored to have your service.” Then they both bowed their heads to Huan. Seeing their king and queen do this, all present became silent and did likewise, including Beren and Lúthien. Huan was overwhelmed. His eyes filled with tears, and no matter how hard he tried to hold them back, one rolled out of each eye and down his furry cheeks.