Fragment of an alliterative Lay of Eärendel

The Lays of Beleriand chapters
The Lay of the Children of Húrin Poems Early Abandoned The Lay of Leithian The Lay of Leithian Recommenced

J.R.R. Tolkien attempted to write a Lay of Eärendel, resulting in a mere fragment included in the chapter "Poems Early Abandoned" in The Lays of Beleriand. It was written and left unfinished during his time at the University of Leeds, probably in 1925. It has no title and does not extend far enough to make clear what could be its subject, but at the end of the text Tolkien wrote in different scripts 'Earendel', 'Earendel son of Fengel', 'Earendel Fengelsson'; so Christopher Tolkien states that this poem was the beginning of a Lay of Eärendel.

Analysis

Along with The Flight of the Noldoli and The Lay of the Children of Húrin, this was other piece of alliterative verse concerned with the matter of the Lost Tales, but this is in the first stage of composition and is exceedingly rough. It narrates quickly the Fall of Gondolin, the escape of the fugitives down the secret tunnel and the flight at Cristhorn, ending with the long wandering in the wilds thereafter. These deeds would serve as the introduction to the Lay. The only differences respect to "The Fall of Gondolin" are: Cristhorn is not in the south of Gondolin, but in the north, and the exiles sought for the Sirion during thirty moons.

Poem excerpt

Lo! the flame of fire and fierce hatred
engulfed Gondolin and its glory fell,
its tapering towers and its tall rooftops
were laid all low, and its leaping fountains
made no music more on the mount of Gwareth,
and its whitehewn walls were whispering ash.

See also

• Eärendillinwë
• Poems by J.R.R. Tolkien