 | |
| Sinda | |
| Mablung | |
|---|---|
| Biographical Information | |
| Other names | "Mablung of the Heavy Hand" |
| Position | Chief captain of Thingol |
| Location | Doriath |
| Affiliation | Iathrim |
| Language | Sindarin (Doriathrin) |
| Notable for | Hunting of the Wolf |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender | Male |
| Weaponry | Spear and knife[1] |
| Gallery | Images of Mablung |
Mablung was an Elf of Doriath and the chief captain of Thingol.[1]
He was chiefly remembered in legend for his role in the the hunt for Carcharoth, where he retrieved the Silmaril from the Wolf's belly. He also played a tragic role in many events related to Túrin such as the altercations between Túrin and Saeros, led the guard of Morwen and Nienor before they were lost, and confirmed the identity of Nienor to Túrin before his suicide.
History
Early history
Mablung is first mentioned at his attendance of the Mereth Aderthad in F.A. 20, with he and Daeron being the only two messengers bringing the greetings of Thingol.[2]
Hunting of the Wolf
In F.A. 466,[3] during the Quest for the Silmaril, Thingol learned that his daughter, Lúthien, was being held in Nargothrond after receiving an embassy sent by Celegorm declaring that he would wed her. Thinking to make war on Nargothrond to retrieve her, Thingol sent out spies and further learned that Celegorm and Curufin had since been driven from Nargothrond, but Lúthien had fled and was now missing. Thingol then sent messengers, including Mablung, to Himring to summon the aid of the House of Fëanor in seeking for her, since it was by their doing she had become lost. These messengers did not complete their task however, as they unexpectedly encountered Carcharoth; the wolf had consumed a Silmaril and, maddened with pain, burst into Doriath unhindered by the Girdle of Melian. Alone of the messengers Mablung escaped and brought the dread tidings to Thingol.[1]
At nearly the same time Beren and Lúthien returned, and shared their story, including how Carcharoth came to consume the Silmaril after biting off Beren's hand. Shortly after, with Carcharoth continuing to rampage and daily drawing closer to Menegroth, Thingol organized a great Hunting of the Wolf, accompanied by Mablung, Beren, Beleg, and Huan. During the hunt Carcharoth came upon Thingol and Beren, and was slain, but slew Huan and mortally wounded Beren in turn.[1]
Mablung and Beleg then hastened to the King's aid, but in seeing what had been done cast aside their spears and wept. Mablung then cut open the Wolf's belly and found that while Carcharoth's innards had been consumed as though by fire, the hand of Beren still held the Silmaril and remained incorrupt.[1] Mablung attempted to retrieve them, but so great seemed their weight that Mablung's own hand was dragged downward and forced open, letting Beren's hand fall to the ground.[4] Beren's hand was then no more, leaving the Silmaril unveiled and filing the forest with its light. Quickly, and in fear, Mablung placed the Silmaril in Beren's remaining hand, with its touch rousing him enough to bid Thingol to receive it.[1]
Mablung then helped bear the bodies of Beren and Huan back to Menegroth.[1]
Battle of Unnumbered Tears
Unwilling to have no part in the battle, Thingol gave leave to Mablung to join the great assault on Morgoth so long as he did not serve the House of the Fëanor; as such he joined himself to the host of Fingon.[5] At this battle Mablung saved three of the Haladin who fought under Haldir, and healed them of their wounds.[6]
The death of Saeros
Mablung became entwined in the Doom of Húrin's children when he interceded in a confrontation between Túrin and Saeros (a counselor to the King) in Thingol's hall. Mablung's wise warning to Saeros to stay clear of him after he was injured and almost run through for his taunting of Túrin fell on deaf and prideful ears. The following day Saeros waylaid Túrin as he traveled through the woods back to the marches to continue his personal war against the Shadow. Mablung was not privy to the sneak attack Saeros executed, nor to his swift defeat at the hands of Túrin.
Mablung was among a group that was alerted by Saeros' frantic calls as Túrin pursued the now disarmed and stripped elf through the woods (revenge for the taunting Saeros had delivered the night before). Such was Saeros' fear, as he meant to kill Túrin and was certain this was to be returned in kind, that he fled wildly through the woods with Túrin ever behind him.
Only the swiftest could keep up with Túrin, and Mablung was at the forefront of these. Mablung called at Túrin to stop the "Orc-work," but Túrin called back it was only "Orc-play" and was spurned on in his pursuit by Mablung's discourse. Soon after, Saeros attempted to escape his relentless pursuer by leaping across a stream, but instead lost his footing and fell to his death. Turin, who had meant to stop his pursuit at the river, turned and faced his pursuers and, in his pride, refused to defend his actions. Instead, he rejected the King's justice and gave the witnesses the choice of letting him go or slaying him. As their number were too few to take Túrin alive, Mablung let the young man go with a warning that if he were to leave this way a shadow would be over him.
At Túrin's hearing before the King, Mablung defended Túrin for the confrontation in the hall but could give no reason for his hounding of the King's councilor to his death. Beleg, Túrin's greatest friend and brother-in-arms, brought forward a witness who saw Saeros' treacherous attack and thus saved Túrin from the King's doom. Mablung, having heard the full story, expressed his sorrow at his parting words to Túrin.
The guarding of Morwen and hunt for Nienor
Mablung was in charge to guard Morwen Eledhwen, who had dwelt in Doriath at the time, when she set out to Nargothrond in search of her son Túrin Turambar. Unknown to both Mablung and Morwen, Nienor daughter of Morwen, had joined them.
The women were left back upon Amon Ethir and Mablung set out with a small company to scout Nargothrond as were his orders by Thingol. Yet Glaurung left Nargothrond and Mablung was unable to prevent them both from getting ensnared in the traps of the Dragon. He hid from Glaurung and then searched the sacked Nargothrond, finding no sign of Túrin. Glaurung when returning mocked Mablung, sparing his life, and informing him that he had now lost also Morwen and Nienor.
Eventually Mablung did find Nienor, enchanted by Glaurung, only to lose her again during an attack by Orc-hunters. Defeated, Mablung returned to Doriath and due to his failure at Nargothrond he asked Thingol to dismiss him. Thingol judged that the failure hardly was Mablung's fault and that Glaurung was too mighty an enemy for him and kept Mablung in his position. Nevertheless, he spent years afterwards searching for Morwen and Nienor.[7]
Learning that Glaurung was in the Forest of Brethil, Mablung went there, and met Túrin who had just slain the dragon. By admitting Nienor was lost he caused Túrin to realize that Níniel his wife had actually been his sister Nienor. As a consequence, Túrin ran off and Mablung found him shortly after fallen upon his own sword.[8]
Later deeds
In F.A. 503, during the attack on Doriath by the Dwarves of Nogrod, Mablung fell[note 1] in front of the treasury where the Nauglamír was kept.[9][note 2]
Sometime later, Mablung was cited as being one of the chief sources of information for the poet Dírhaval who lived in the Havens of Sirion in the days of Eärendil.[10]
Etymology
The Sindarin name Mablung is translated as "with weighted hand". The name might either have been prophetic or given as a title after the cutting of the Silmaril.[11][4] The name is analyzed as Doriathrin, with mab "hand" and lung "heavy".[12] He is also referred as "Mablung of the Heavy Hand", with his epithet being the translation of his name.[13]
The Quenya equivalent of Mablung appears to have been Lungumá or Lungumaqua ("Heavyhand"), containing the element má ("hand").[11]
Other names and titles
He is variously referred to as Thingol's chief warrior[14], "Mablung the Hunter"[15], and the chief huntsman of Thingol.[16]
Other versions of the legendarium
The Book of Lost Tales
Mablung is first introduced in The Tale of Tinúviel as the chief of the king’s thanes during the Hunting of the Wolf. Armed with a spear previously captured in battle with the Orcs, he joined King Tinwelint (Thingol), Beren, and Huan. After Karkaras was slain, Mablung retrieved the Silmaril and offered it to Tinwelint, but the King refused it, stating he would not handle it unless given by Beren. As Beren had been sorely wounded by Karkaras, Mablung and Tinwelint bore him back to Tinwelint's halls where Beren briefly awoke. Beren received the Silmaril from Mablung and gave it to Tinwelint.[17]
The character of Mablung was an emendation from Tingfang (son of Tinwelint), who was originally a member of the hunt. As this passage was written after Tinfang was already stated as becoming lost, Christopher Tolkien speculated that his father, noticing the contradiction, then created Mablung as Tingfang's replacement.[18]:note 12
In one version of The History of the Exiled Gnomes "Mablon the Ilkorin" perished serving in the rearguard of Turgon during his retreat from the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, standing against a "host of Balrogs".[19]
Mablung next appears in The Nauglafring where he and Huan joined Tinwelint on a commemorative hunt celebrating the anniversary of the slaying of Karkaras. Initially Tinwelint did not recognize Mablung for the wild growth of his hair, but was soon glad to have him, and Mablung rode beside the king in honour of his deeds at the original great hunt. While Tinwelint's company was resting in mirth and laughter, they were suddenly and unexpectedly encircled by armed Dwarves. They fought bitterly, but eventually Tinwelint and his folks were all slain, with Mablung and the King falling side by side. The Dwarf King, Naugladur, then took Tinwelint's head, only daring to do so after they were dead, as he would not otherwise be so near Tinwelint's sword or Mablung's axe.[20]
Other
In the essay "Eldarin Hands, Fingers & Numerals and Related Writings", Mablung is said to have been the one to slay Carcharoth after Beren was mortally wounded.[21]
Notes
- ↑ Note that Tolkien has used "fell" in meaning of "brought down suddenly or violently". Cf. "And Finrod fell before the throne".
- ↑ Mablung's involvement in the battle against the Dwarves is not attested in the History of Middle-earth beyond that provided in the Book of Lost Tales. In Arda Reconstructed: The Creation of the Published Silmarillion, Douglas Charles Kane states that the invasion of Menegroth including this detail was "the version created by Christopher for the published Silmarillion".
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beren and Lúthien"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §72
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §186
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "III. The Quenta: [Section] 13"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Three. The Wanderings of Húrin and Other Writings not forming part of the Quenta Silmarillion: I. The Wanderings of Húrin"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Children of Húrin, "The Journey of Morwen and Niënor to Nargothrond"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Children of Húrin, "The Death of Túrin"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Doriath"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Three. The Wanderings of Húrin and Other Writings not forming part of the Quenta Silmarillion: II. Ælfwine and Dírhaval"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Eldarin Hands, Fingers & Numerals and Related Writings — Part One" (edited by Patrick H. Wynne), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 47, February 2005, pp. 8, 19 (note 11)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beren and Lúthien"; J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Doriath"; J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lays of Beleriand, "III. The Lay of Leithian: Unwritten Cantos"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Narn i Hîn Húrin (The Tale of the Children of Húrin)", "Túrin in Doriath"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Narn i Hîn Húrin (The Tale of the Children of Húrin)", "The Death of Túrin"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "I. The Tale of Tinúviel"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "I. The Tale of Tinúviel": "Notes and Commentary"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "X. Gilfanon's Tale: The Travail of the Noldoli and the Coming of Mankind"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "IV. The Nauglafring"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Eldarin Hands, Fingers & Numerals and Related Writings — Part One" (edited by Patrick H. Wynne), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 47, February 2005