Dir avosaith a gwaew hinar

Poems by J.R.R. Tolkien
"Dir avosaith a gwaew hinar"
Poem Information
Written	Autumn of 1931
Published	The Monsters and the Critics, and Other Essays, A Secret Vice: Tolkien on Invented Languages, The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien
Subject(s)	Tumledin, Nebrachar, Stonefaces, Damrod, Sirion, Lúthien

"Dir avosaith a gwaew hinar" is the first line of a poem that was written by J.R.R. Tolkien to be part of his lecture A Secret Vice.

Though Tolkien never gave the poem a name, it is referred to by some people as the Nebrachar poem, a term first used by Paul Nolan Hyde in 1992.

Poem

Noldorin	Translation
Dir avosaith a gwaew hinar engluid eryd argenaid, dir Tumledin hin Nebrachar Yrch methail maethon magradhaid. Damrod dir hanach dalath benn ven Sirion gar meilien, gail Luithien heb Eglavar dir avosaith han Nebrachar.	Like a wind, dark through gloomy places the Stonefaces searched the mountains, over Tumledin (the Smooth Valley) from Nebrachar, orcs snuffling smelt out footsteps. Damrod (a hunter) through the vale, down mountain slopes, towards (the river) Sirion went laughing. Lúthien he saw, as a star from Elfland shining over the gloomy places, above Nebrachar.

Background

Tolkien originally wrote a preliminary draft of the poem along with a modern English translation in the autumn of 1931, but sometime later revised the poem and its translation. Tolkien later used his revised poem and translation as an example of language invention in his lecture A Secret Vice. In 1983, the poem was posthumously published by Christopher Tolkien in The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays. "Damrod" is identified by Dimitra Fimi and Andrew Higgins as the son of the Fëanor later called Amrod. In The Book of Lost Tales, "Damrod" was a name given in passing to both the father and son of Beren. In 2024, the preliminary draft of the poem was published for the first time in The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien. Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull added line divisions to the translations that correspond with the poem.

Placement within the legendarium

Notably, in the 1930s Quenta Silmarillion, a potentially corresponding event occurs. Following Beren and Lúthien's retrieval of the Silmaril, they were assailed by Carcharoth at the threshold of Angband. The wolf consumed the Silmaril, and then fled in pain and madness. Morgoth's hosts then began to rally upon the pair, but they were rescued by the Eagles and carried away. As they flew, they passed over Gondolin where Lúthien, now "far above the earth", shed tears like "silver raindrops".

”

Now Beren lay in a swoon within the perilous Gate, and death drew nigh him, for there was venom on the fangs of the wolf. Lúthien with her lips drew out the venom, and she put forth her failing power to staunch the hideous wound. But behind her in the depths of Angband the rumour grew of great wrath aroused. The hosts of Morgoth were awakened.

Thus the quest of the Silmaril was like to have ended in ruin and despair; but in that hour above the wall of the valley three mighty birds appeared, flying northward with wings swifter than the wind. Among all birds and beasts the wandering and need of Beren had been noised, and Huan himself had bidden all things watch, that they might bring him aid. High above the realm of Morgoth Thorondor and his vassals soared, and seeing now the madness of the Wolf and Beren’s fall they came swiftly down, even as the powers of Angband were released from the toils of sleep.

Then they lifted up Lúthien and Beren from the earth, and bore them aloft into the clouds. Below them suddenly thunder rolled, lightnings leaped upward, and the mountains quaked. Fire and smoke belched forth from Thangorodrim, and flaming bolts were hurled far abroad, falling ruinous upon the lands; and the Noldor in Hithlum trembled. But Thorondor took his way far above the earth, seeking the high roads of heaven, where the sun daylong shines unveiled and the moon walks amid the cloudless stars. Thus they passed swiftly over Dor-nu-Fauglith, and over Taur-nu-Fuin, and came above the hidden valley of Tumladen. No cloud nor mist lay there, and looking down Lúthien saw far below, as a white light starting from a green jewel, the radiance of Gondolin the fair where Turgon dwelt. But it is said in song that her tears falling from on high as she passed came like silver raindrops on the plain, and there a fountain sprang to life: the Fountain of Tinúviel, Eithel Nínui, most healing water until it withered in the flame.

Quenta Silmarillion, Of Beren and Tinúviel