"Under the mountain dark and tall" is the first line of a poem sung by the dwarves after the arrival of the host of Wood-elves and Men in the valley of Dale before the Front Gate of Erebor (in T.A. 2941[1]). As evening drew on Thorin's party could hear elven-harps and sweet music wafting up from the valley. In response and to lighten Thorin's mood, the dwarves took harps and other instruments from Smaug's hoard and sang this song. The song did please Thorin and made him merry but Bilbo Baggins grew depressed at the warlike tone of the poem.[2]
Poem excerpt
Under the Mountain dark and tall
The King has come unto his hall!
His foe is dead, the Worm of Dread,
And ever so his foes shall fall.
The sword is sharp, the spear is long,
The arrow swift, the Gate is strong;
The heart is bold that looks on gold;
The dwarves no more shall suffer wrong.
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,
While hammers fell like ringing bells
In places deep, where dark things sleep,
In hollow halls beneath the fells.
On silver necklaces they strung
The light of stars, on crowns they hung
The dragon-fire, from twisted wire
The melody of harps they wrung.
The mountain throne once more is freed!
O! wandering folk, the summons heed!
Come haste! Come haste! across the waste!
The king of friend and kin has need.
Now call we over mountains cold,
'Come back unto the caverns old'!
Here at the Gates the king awaits,
His hands are rich with gems and gold.
The king is come unto his hall
Under the Mountain dark and tall.
The Worm of Dread is slain and dead,
And ever so our foes shall fall!
See also
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "The Gathering of the Clouds"