The Lays of Beleriand

[LúthienTinúviel]

Has anyone read this book? It's the 3rd in the HOMe series. It contains two epic ballads. One which tells the story Narn-i-Húrin, and the other is the Lay of Leithian, which tells the story of Beren and Lúthien. I haven't read Narn-i-Húrin yet, but the Lay of Leithian is amazing. It is really worth getting. :thumbs:

~Lúth

[Illuvatar]

WoW!!

Those are my two favourite stories!! :whoohoo:

I loved Of Beren and Luthien in the Sil and got through Narn-i-Húrin in Unfinished Tales last week!!

If these stories are done in full in the HoME series, then I know what I want for Christmas. lol

[LúthienTinúviel]

Not sure about Narn-i-Húrin, but the Lay of Leithian is sadly incomplete. :( It's 4200 lines though! (ends right as Beren gets his hand bitten off :() They're not stories, they're epic ballads, but they tell the stories. Here's the beginning of the Lay of Leithian:


Canto I

A king there was in days of old:
ere Men yet walked upon the mould
his power reared in cavern's shade,
his hadnwas over glen and glade.
His shields were shining as the moon,
his lances keen of steel were hewn,
of silver grey his crown was wrought,
the starlight in his banners caught;
and silver thrilled his trumpets long
beneath the stars in challenge strong;
enchantment did his realm enfold,
where might and glory, wealth untold,
he weilded from his ivory thron
in many pillared halls of stone.
There beryl, pearl and opal pale,
and metal wrought like fishes mail,
bucker and corset, axe and sword,
and gleaming spears were laid in haord--
all these he had and loved them less
than a maiden once in Elfinesse;
for fairer than are born to Men
a daughter had he, Lúthien.


Amazing isn't it? Imagine 4200 lines of that!! You must get this!

[Daughter of Finarfin]

That is awesome. So that is where you can find the Lay of Luthien! I have read the Book of Lost Tales Parts One and Two, but didn't really like them. Is Lays of Beleriend better?

[LúthienTinúviel]

Yeah it is great, isn't it!? :D I love it. Anywho..I tried Lost Tales as well, and I didn't like it nearly as much. I'm not sure what you're loves are literature wise, but I would venture to guess you'd like Lays of Beleriand better. The poems are in ballad form and they're only disturbed by notes from C Tolkien after each canto. And the cool thing is...you can skip the notes. I did my first time round. I just read the poem straight, to get the full effect, and then I went back and started reading about all the different versions Tolkien went through before the final draft. It's absolutely fascinating...not to mention beautifully written. :)

[Voroturiön]

This is my fav. HoME book!