A Beleriand Treasury of Childish Tales by Clodia

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The Eagle's Gossip

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"The Eagle's Gossip"

taken from

A Beleriand Treasury of Childish Tales

as told to

Erestor and Melinna of Ered Luin

(laud now Lord Dunsany, who has illumined many mysteries of Time and the Gods)

 

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One day the King went out of Vinyamar in the land of Nevrast. And with him went the people of Nevrast and whither they went none knew, but the abandoned halls of Vinyamar upon the shore lay desolate and weeds grew tall through the marble streets.

 

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Two travellers once came to Vinyamar upon the shore and from afar they saw the marble pillars gleaming and all the steps of chalcedony and onyx that led to the sea. But drawing nearer they found that the gates were rusted and Time coming with his dripping hands from battle had cast down the high pinnacles and broken the shining domes with his red sword. And in the streets grew weeds that had not or the King and all the people went out of Vinyamar in the land of Nevrast.

Then wondering at the abandonment of Vinyamar upon the shore, the travellers sought wherefore the King had left the marble halls and steps of chalcedony and onyx and the shining domes. And one said that the Pestilence who lay curled asleep in the marshes beyond had awoken and bared his dripping teeth and come to prowl about the streets of Vinyamar. But there were no bones. And the other said that the Famine who meets with Námo thrice in every hour in some dark chamber to speak two words together,* finding that it was fair and pleasant upon the shore, had crept over the hills and come to nibble the corn and chase the cattle of the people of Nevrast. But in the fields the grass grew green and of that Famine with his dry grey fur there was no sign. And all the while the warriors of Ulmo lay peaceful beyond the steps of chalcedony and onyx and sang their songs of old outrageous wars and battles yet to come while Ulmo, playing with the nautilus that sailed up and down, smiled and nodded his foam-crested head above the marble streets of abandoned Vinyamar.

Then said the travellers:

"Wherefore the King and all the people have gone out of Vinyamar may not in Vinyamar be found. Let us ask elsewhere."

So leaving abandoned Vinyamar in the land of Nevrast, the travellers set out upon the path that climbing eastward brought them after many days and nights into the dusty foothills beneath the dark crags all capped with snow. Then clambering upward through the narrow valleys towards the mountain peaks, they came at last to the great pillar of asdarinth heaped round with great black rocks on which an Eagle called the Windlord had his high eyrie. Young was the Windlord then, for those were the days of olden time.

Then said the travellers:

"O Windlord, who on great wings hath covered all the earth, wherefore went out of Vinyamar in the land of Nevrast the King and all the people?"

Then answered the Windlord:

"That is a Secret that I may not tell."

Then said the travellers:

"O Windlord, who drives the beasts of Bauglir from the peaks with talons merciless, whither went out of Vinyamar in the land of Nevrast the King and all the people?"

Then answered the Windlord:

"That also is a Secret."

Then said the travellers:

"O Windlord, who may one day be Lord of all that wings the sky, be there aught of the abandonment of Vinyamar in the land of Nevrast that is not a Secret?"

Then answered the Windlord:

"This may I tell: there is amid the snow-capped crags a lake that holds no water, being dry. And in this lake that is no lake there is an island that is not an isle, for at its shores no waters lap, and yet smiling above nods the foam-crested head of Ulmo and on its slopes his soldiers sing their songs of idleness and peace. And on this island that is not an isle there is an Elven eyrie whence may come or go no Elves, for that is Law. Therefore shall be forever abandoned Vinyamar in the land of Nevrast until the world shall change."

Then said the travellers:

"Eastward amid the snow-capped crags there was once a lake and in that lake there was once an island and the blue waters once lapped its shores. O Windlord, may there an Elven eyrie now be found?"

Then answered the Windlord:

"That is a Secret."

Thereat the travellers left the Windlord's eyrie on the asdarinthine pillar, and climbing through the narrow valleys and up the snow-capped crags they came at last to one high peak that stood above the black mountains as the Valar stand above the Elves when They walk benignant in the world. And from that peak could be seen a deep green valley where once had been a blue lake far below. Then looking down, the travellers saw that where once had been a stony isle stood now a hill amid the green and from the hill rose gleaming marble pillars and pinnacles and a high citadel adorned with shining domes. And far below they saw the nodding head of Ulmo smiling as the fountains danced and beckoning to heaven rose up the towers and all the steps of chalcedony and onyx beneath the setting Sun. But as the Sun was sinking low behind the peaks, they saw a swart figure striding behind the mountains to the north who furtively peered down upon that hidden city, and dangling idly from his dripping fingers was a red sword.

Then the travellers turned away and whither they went only they know, but of the fate of that city are many histories writ.

 

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* "The End."

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Chapter End Notes

This draws on Dunsany's short story collection Time and the Gods. See especially 'Time and the Gods', 'The Coming of the Sea' and 'The Men of Yarnith'. Read Dunsany as well! You may be surprised to see who's been influenced by his work.