House of Ransom

From Tolkien Gateway
Revision as of 20:32, 5 September 2010 by Ederchil (talk | contribs)
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

The House of Ransom was the hilltop of Amon Rûdh had long been the home of a colony of Petty-dwarves, who lived in an underground complex originally known as Bar-en-Nibin-noeg, the "House of the Petty-dwarves". As the First Age wore on, these people dwindled, until at last only three survived: Mîm and his two sons Khîm and Ibun. To their misfortune, the Petty-dwarves encountered Túrin at the time he led a desperate band of outlaws. Mîm's sons fled, but Mîm himself was caught, and agreed to house the outlaws in exchange of his own life. So the Dwarf-delvings of Amon Rûdh became known as Bar-en-Danwedh, meaning 'House of Ransom'. The ransom, in fact, was a double one: when they returned to Amon Rûdh, it was learned that Khîm had been shot by an arrow as he fled, and was dead. In recompense, Túrin promised to pay Mîm a ransom of his own, if ever he was able.

Túrin and the outlaws stayed for more than a year in Bar-en-Danwedh, where they were joined by Beleg Strongbow out of Doriath. They defended the lands around against Melkor's forces, and became so famous in that region that they gained a following, with Túrin and Beleg coming to be known as the Two Captains. In the end, though, disaster struck: Mîm betrayed them to the Orcs, who slew the outlaws and captured Túrin in a net. Beleg survived, and Mîm fled from him, never to return to his old House of Ransom on Amon Rûdh.