"Among the tales of sorrow and of ruin tat come down to us from the darkness of those days there are yet some in which amid weeping there is joy and under the shadow of death light that endures. And of those histories most fair still in the ears of the Elves is the tale of Beren ad Lúthien."

It has been told that Barahir would not forsake Dorthonion and there Morgoth pursued him to death until at last there remained to him only twelve companions. These companions fled to the lake Tarn Aeluin in an empty region where none had ever dwelt before. There Morgoth could not discover them but the rumour of the deeds of Barahir and his companions went far and wide and Morgoth commanded Sauron to find them and destroy them.

Among the companions was Gorlim son of Angrim. Returning from the war upon the marches he had found his house plundered and forsaken and his wife Eilinel gone, wether slain or taken he knew not. He joined Barahir but from time to time he left the group to search for his wife and that became known to the servants of Morgoth. One day Gorlim was caputered by them and brought before Sauron. Promising Gorlim that he would see his wife again Sauron made Gorlim tell him everything he knew and thus Sauron learned the secret of Barahir. Gorlim, though, he put cruelly to death.

Orcs now attacked the Men of Dorthonion and slew them all, save Beren, son of Barahir who had been sent by his father on a perilous enand to spy upon the ways of the Enemy. Beren buried his father's bones and swore an oath of vengeance. He pursued the Orcs that had slain his father and slew them all.

"Thereafter for four years more Beren wandered still upon Dorthonion, a solitary outlaw; but he became the friend of birds and beasts and they aided him and did not betray him, and from that time forth he ate no flesh nor slew any living that was not in the service of Morgoth."

Morgoth set a price upon Beren's head and though Sauron sent armies and wolves after him, Beren could not be captured. But still Beren left Dorthonion and decided to go to Doriath.

Terrible was his southward journey. He spoke of it to no one after and none know how he found a way but finally he reached Doriath. And he passed through the mazes that Melian wove about the kingdom of Thingol, even as she had foretold; for a great doom lay upon him.

In Doriath Beren met Lúthien, daughter of Thingol and Melian, and fell in love with her. Lúthien also fell in love with Beren and they went in secret through the woods together from spring to summer and no other children of Ilúvatar have had joy so great.

But Daeron also loved Lúthien and he espied her meetings with Beren and betrayed them to Thingol. The King was filled with anger and he said to Beren :

"I see the ring, son of Barahir, and I percieve that you are proud, and deem yourself mighty. But a father's deeds, even had his service been rendered to me, avail not to win the daughter of Thingol and Melian. See now! I too desire a treasure that is withheld. For rock and steel and the fire of Morgoth keep that jewel that I would possess against all the power of the Elf-kingdoms. Yet I hear you say that bonds such as these do not daunt you. Go your way therefore ! Bring to me in your hand a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown, and then , if she will, Lúthien may set her hand in yours. Then you shall have my jewel, and though the fate of Arda lie within the Silmarils, yet you shall hold me generous."

Beren laughed because he thought that it's a low price Thingol asked for his daughter and saying farewell to Lúthien he left Doriath.

He came to Finrod Felagund who listened to the story of Beren in wonder and disquiet; and he knew that the oath he had sworn was come upon him for his death, as long before he had foretold to Galadriel.

Then Finrod spoke to his people and declared that it was upon him to aid the son of Barahir and he sought the help of the chieftains. But Celegorm arose and said that only the sons of Fëanor could claim the Silmaril because to them they belong. And Curufin agreed with Celegorm and dark thoughts arose in their heads, thinking to send forth Finrod alone to his death and to usurp the throne of Nargothrond. Thus Finrod and Beren set out from Nargothrond with only a few companions.

But soon they were captured by Sauron and though their kinds were revealed, Sauron could not discover their names or their purposes. He cast them therefore into a deep pit, dark and silent.

Through the counsel of Melian Lúthien learned that Beren lay in the dungeons of Tol-in-Gauroth. Lúthien planned to rescue him and sought the help of Daeron who betrayed her once again. Thingol commanded to build a wooden house in the highest tree of Doriath and there he captured Lúthien. But by a trick Lúthien was able to flee and vanish from Doriath.

It came to pass that Celegorm and Curifin went on a hunt through the Guarded Plain. The chief of the wolfhounds that followed Celegorm was called Huan. He was born in Valinor but he followed Celegorm into exile. Huan it was that found Lúthien and brought her to Celegorm. Celegorm spoke her fair and promised that she would find help in her need if she returned with them to Nargothrond. He did not show that he already knew about Beren and his quest.

Thus they returned to Nargothrond and there Lúthien was captured, for the brothers wanted to force Thingol to give her hand to Celegorm.

But Haun was true at heart and he often came to the chamber of Lúthien and lay before her door for he felt that evil had come to Nargothrond. Huan helped Lúthien to flee from Nargothrond and they went north together.

In the pits of Sauron, Beren and Finrod lay and Sauron purposed to keep Finrod to the last for he was a Noldo of great might and wisdom. But when Sauron sent a werewolf to slay Beren, Finrod burst his bonds and slew the beast with his hands, though he was badly injured. Thus Finrod redeemed his oath.

In that hours Lúthien came. Sauron sent many wolfes at her, but Huan killed them all and after a long fight Sauron took upon himself the form of a werewolf. The fight was long and terrible and though Huan was not able to kill Sauron, Sauron took the form of a vampire and fled to Taur-nu-Fuin.

"Then Lúthien stood upon the bridge and declared her power : and the spell was loosed that bound stone to stone and the gates were thrown down and the walls openend and the pits laid bare and many thralls and captives came forth."

But Beren came not and they found him mourning by Finrod who had died.

"Now Beren and Lúthien Tinúviel went free again and together walked through the woods reneweing for a time their joy; and though winter came it hurt them not, for flowers lingered where Lúthien went, and the birds sang beneath the snowclad hills."

Huan went back to Celegorm but in Nargothrond there was a tumult. Many former prisoners of Sauron now returned home and they were angry that a maiden had dared that which the sons of Fëanor had not dared to do. Therefore the hearts of the people of Nargothrond turned to Orodreth who swore that there should be little love between the sons of Fëanor and Nargothrond. Thus Celegorm and Curufin left Nargothrond alone and went northwards.

Meanwhile, Beren and Lúthien came in their wandering near to the borders of Doriath. There Beren took thought of his vow and when he just waned to leave Lúthien again, Celegorm and Curufin rode up. A great fight began and though Beren besieged the brothers with the help of Huan a dart shoot by Curufin smote him in the breast. Huan pursued the brothers and rhey fled in fear. Returning to Lúthien, Huan brought her a herb out of the forest. With that leaf Beren was healed and thus at last they returned to Doriath. There one morning Beren committed Lúthien to the care of Huan and left her while she was still asleep.

Northward he rode but he was followed secretly by Huan and Lúthien and they finally met again in Taur-nu-Fuin. By the counsel of Huan and the arts of Lúhtien Beren now took the look of a werewolf while Lúthien herself took the look of a bat and thus they reached the Gate of Angband.

They went through it and down the labyrinthine stairs and together they wrought the greatest deed that has been dared by Elves or Men. For they came to the seat of Morgoth and there Beren slunk in wolf's form beneath his throne. But Lúthien was stripped of her disguise by the will of Morgoth and he bent his gaze upon her. She offered her service to sing before him and she began a song of such surpassing loveliness and blinding power that blindness came upon him. All his court were cast down in slumber and Lúthien set a dream on Morgoth, dark as the Outer Void, where he once walked alone. Suddenly he fell and hurled like thunder from his throne lay prone upon the floors of hell. The Iron Crown rolled from his head. All things were still.

Lúthien now aroused Beren who cutted off a Silmaril of Morgoth's crown. They fled but at the gate a big wolf was waiting for them who had arisen from sleep. Beren thrust the Silmaril before the eyes of the wolf but the wolf bit off the hand of Beren at it's wrist. Swiftly all his wands were filled with a flame of anguish and the Silmaril seared his accursed flest. Howling he fled before them.

The hosts of Morgoth were awakened now and thus the quest of the Silmaril was like to have ended in ruin and despair but in that hour above the walls of the valley three mighty birds appeared. High above the realm of Morgoth Thorondor and his vasals soared and they lifted up Beren and Lúthien and brought them to Doriath, to the same dell whence Beren had stolen in despair and left Lúthien asleep. Huan was there, too, and slowly Beren was healed again. Then he passed into Doriath, leaving Lúthien home.

Upon Doriath evil days had fallen. Grief and silence had come upon all ist people when Lúthien was lost. Thingol, not knowing what to do, sent messengers to Himring to summon their aid in seeking for Lúthien. One day in the north of his realm his messengers met the wolf that had biten off Beren´s hand with the Silmaril in it. Even in that dark hour Beren and Lúthien returned and when Thingol heared all about her quest his mood was softened and Beren took the hand of Lúthien before the throne of her father.

But Beren knew that his quest was not yet forfilled and he and some others left to hunt the wolf. When they found him a great fight began in which Huan slew the wolf but he and Beren were both deadly wounded. Thus Huan and Beren died, side by side. The Silmaril was cutted out of the belly of the wolf and Beren and Huan were brought back to Lúthien. She kissed Beren, bidding him to await her beyond the Western Sea and he looked upon her eyes, ere the spirit left him.

Now the spirit of Beren tarried in the Halls of Mandos, unwilling to leave the world and the spirit of Lúhtien fell down into darkness and at the last it fled. Thus she came to the Halls of Mandos, too, and her song before him was the song most fair and sorrowfull that ever the world shall hear. Mandos was now moved to pity, who never before so moved, nor has been since. He went to Manwë and asked for advise.

"These were the choices that he gave to Lúthien. Because of her labours and her sorrows, she should be released from Mandos and go to Valimar; there to dwell until the world's end among the Valar, forgetting all griefs that her life had known. Thither Beren could not come. For it was not permitted to the Valar to withhold Death from him, which is the gift of Ilúvatar to Men. But the other choice was this : that she might return to Middle-Earth and take with her Beren, there to dwell again, but without certitude of life or joy. Then she would become mortal and subject to a second death, even as he; and ere long she would leave the world for ever, and her beauty become only a memory in song.

This doom she chose, forsaking the Blessed Realm, and putting aside all claim to kinship with those that dwell there; that thus whatever grief might lay in wait, the fates of Beren and Lúthien might be joined, and their paths lead together beyond the confines of the world. So it was that alone of the Eldalië she has died indeed, and left the world long ago. Yet in her choice the Two Kindreds have been joined, and she is the forerunner of many in whom the Eldar see yet, though all the world is changed, the likeness of Lúthien the beloved, whom they have lost."