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But in Dorthonion the lordship of the people of B?or and the country of Ladros was given to Boromir; son of Boron;
who was the grandson of B?or the Old。
The sons of Hador were Galdor and Gundor; and the sons of Galdor were Húrin and Huor; and the son of Húrin
was Túrin the Bane of Glaurung; and the son of Huor was Tuor; father of E?rendil the Blessed。 The son of Boromir was
Bregor; whose sons were Bregolas and Barahir; and the sons of Bregolas were Baragund and Belegund。 The daughter of
Baragund was Morwen; the mother of Túrin; and the daughter of Belegund was Rían; the mother of Tuor。 But the son of
Barahir was Beren One…hand; who won the love of Lúthien Thingol's daughter; and returned from the Dead; from them
came Elwing the wife of E?rendil; and all the Kings of Númenor after。
All these were caught in the net of the Doom of the Noldor; and they did great deeds which the Eldar remember
still among the histories of the Kings of old。 And in those days the strength of Men was added to the power of the
Noldor; and their hope was high; and Morgoth was straitly enclosed; for the people of Hador; being hardy to endure cold
and long wandering; feared sot at times to go far into the north and there keep watch upon the movements of the Enemy。
The Men of the Three Houses throve and multiplied; but greatest among them was the house of Hador Goldenhead; peer
of Elven…lords。 His people were of great strength and stature; ready in mind; bold and steadfast; quick to anger and to
laughter; mighty among the Children of Ilúvatar in the youth of Mankind。 Yellow…haired they were for the most part; and
blue…eyed; but not so was Túrin; whose mother was Morwen of the house of B?or。 The Men of that house were dark or
brown of hair; with grey eyes; and of all Men they were most like to the Noldor and most loved by them; for they were
eager of mind; cunning…handed; swift in understanding; long in memory; and they were moved sooner to pity than to
laughter。 Like to them were the woodland folk of Haleth; but they were of lesser stature; and less eager for lore。 They
used few words; and did not love great concourse of men; and many among them delighted in solitude; wandering free in
the greenwoods while the wonder of the lands of the Eldar was new upon them。 But in the realms of the West their time
was brief and their days unhappy。
The years of the Edain were lengthened; according to the reckoning of Men; after their ing to Beleriand; but
at last B?or the Old died when he had lived three and ninety years; for four and forty of which he had served King
Felagund。 And when he lay dead; of no wound or grief; but stricken by age; the Eldar saw for the first time the swift
waning of the life of Men; and the death of weariness which they knew not in themselves; and they grieved greatly for
the loss of their friends。 But B?or at the last had relinquished his life willingly and passed in peace; and the Eldar
wondered much at the strange fate of Men; for in all their lore there was no account of it; and its end was hidden from
them。
Nonetheless the Edain of old learned swiftly of the Eldar all such art and knowledge as they could receive; and
their sons increased in wisdom and skill; until they far surpassed all others of Mankind; who dwelt still east of the
mountains and had not seen the Eldar; nor looked upon the faces that had beheld the Light of Valinor。
Chapter 18
Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin
Now Fingolfin; King of the North; and High King of the Noldor; seeing that his people were bee numerous and
strong; and that the Men allied to them were many and valiant; pondered once more an assault upon Angband; for he
knew that they lived in danger while the circle of the siege was inplete; and Morgoth was free to labour in his deep
mines; devising what evils none could foretell ere he should reveal them。 This counsel was wise according to the
measure of his knowledge; for the Noldor did not yet prehend the fullness of the power of Morgoth; nor understand
that their unaided war upon him was without final hope; whether they hasted or delayed。 But because the land was fair
and their kingdoms wide; most of the Noldor were content with things as they were; trusting them to last; and slow to
begin an assault in which many must surely perish were it in victory or in defeat Therefore they were little disposed to
hearken to Fingolfin; and the sons of F?anor at that time least of all。 Among the chieftains of the Noldor Angrod and
Aegnor alone were of like mind with the King; for they dwelt in regions whence Thangorodrim could be descried; and
the threat of Morgoth was present to their thought。 Thus the designs of Fingolfin came to naught; and the land had peace
yet for a while。
But when the sixth generation of Men after B?or and Marach were not yet e to full manhood; it being then
four hundred years and five and fifty since the ing of Fingolfin; the evil befell that he had long dreaded; and yet
more dire and sudden than his darkest fear。 For Morgoth had long prepared his force in secret; while ever the malice of
his heart grew greater; and his hatred of the Noldor more bitter; and he desired not only to end his foes but to destroy
also and defile the lands that they had taken and made fair。 And it is said that his hate overcame his counsel; so that if he
had but endured to wait longer; until his designs were full; then the Noldor would have perished utterly。 But on his part
he esteemed too lightly the valour of the Elves; and of Men he took yet no account。
There came a time of winter; when night was dark and without moon; and the wide plain of Ard…galen stretched
dim beneath the cold stars; from the hill…forts of the Noldor to the feet of Thangorodrim。 The watch…fires burned low;
and the guards were few; on the plain few were waking in the camps of the horsemen of Hithlum。 Then suddenly
Morgoth sent forth great rivers of flame that ran down swifter than Balrogs from Thangorodrim; and poured over all the
plain; and the Mountains of Iron belched forth fires of many poisonous hues; and the fume of them stank upon the air;
and was deadly。 Thus Ard…galen perished; and fire devoured its grasses; and it became a burned and desolate waste; full
of a choking dust; barren and lifeless。 Thereafter its name was changed; and it was called Anfauglith; the Gasping Dust
Many charred bones had there their roofless grave; for many of the Noldor perished in that burning; who were caught by
the running flame and could not fly to the hills。 The heights of Dorthonion and Ered Wethrin held back the fiery torrents;
but their woods upon the slopes that looked towards Angband were all kindled; and the smoke wrought confusion among
the defenders。 Thus began the fourth of the great battles; Dagor Bragollach; the Battle of Sudden Flame。
In the front of that fire came Glaurung the golden; father of dragons; in his full might; and in his train were
Balrogs; and behind them came the black armies of the Orcs in multitudes such as the Noldor had never before seen or
imagined。 And they as