Glîr Thingol ar Ardh în

(a song of Thingol and his kingdom)

by Tal
February 23, 2002

There was a king, a king of old
Lord of green trees and leaves of gold
Most tall of the fair Elven race
His hair as silver, grim of face.
Before the sun and moon shone high
Beneath the stars of endless sky
He went amid the forest's trees
His thoughts were far beyond the seas
Of light that he had seen in mirth
In holy land upon the earth
The light of two trees bright and great
Of Vala's power and of mighty fate.

As he went to seek his friend
By wild paths in northern land
Suddenly he heard a beautiful song
Of voice as fountain, of enchantment strong
Coming from the forest deep
Where owls are hunting and shadows creep
Forgetting all his thoughts at ease
Beneath the branches of the trees
He followed the birds with great desire
With wonder like an inner fire
Thus lost he was in Nan Elmoth
Yet Thingol by the singing sought
And came at last to an open glade
By gleaming stars there was no shade
From the dark he came with weary feet
And there Melian fair and sweet
He beheld her beauty and shining face
The light of Aman, the Valar's grace.

While silence fell upon the land
Filled with love he took her hand
And on him was laid a mighty spell
Yet on Melian so as well
No words they spoke in each other's ears
Until there passed uncounted years
The trees of Nan Elmoth grew tall
And dark they were as dwarven hall
Then out they came to an open land
The fair and green Beleriand.

In that wide land dwelt by shore and sea
Beneath the trees and the mountain lee
On grassy hill and chilly plain
The elves, which long have sought in vain
Their lord that led them far away
From east to west to live and stay
Beyond the sea in land of gold
In Aman amid the bliss of old
Yet by the searching for their lord
Of the departure, there came no word
The departure of Olwe beyond the seas
To the great light of the Two Trees
Thus divided from their kind they were
By tree and river, singing fair.

From the shadows Thingol came as light
At his side Melian, shining bright
Delighted the elves, as the harpers sing
Took the two as queen and king
From east to sea in northern land
By dawn and dusk in Beleriand.
Much lore and skill Melian taught
And light and singing birds she brought
The elves grew wise and the land grew fair
Beneath the sky by power rare.

Amid the trees of Neldoreth
Where lies no shade and leafless path
Was born into the world a maid
Of her the whispers ever said
To be the fairest child of all
From birth until the sky will fall
Luthien, the daughter of the king
Whose beauty was as the noon of spring.

There came a time on starlit night
Upon the queen Melian, fell foresight
After the manner of her mighty folk
And then to Thingol swift she spoke:
"O lord of wood and hill and vale
Foresights by my eyes never fail
And darkness I forecast in fear
Of ruin, evil, and malice, hear!
The peace of Arda is doomed by fate
And he will fail by power great
Alas! In danger shall be thy realm
And thou shall go to sword and helm
In these fair days yet born and made
For fighting off the evil shade
This I see but don’t know more
Much knowledge is beyond my lore
Yet to my counsel do pay heed
And think to where the path shall lead
To be prepared thou then must be
For darkness as my eyes foresee"

Then Thingol long have sat in thought
And others counsels so he sought
Of elves, and dwarves in carven hall
From eastern land in mountain tall
And those advised him wise to build
A kingdom fair to live and shield
His throne, his people, and treasures bright
Of shining pearls and gems of light
And by the counsel of their thought
The king established Menegroth
And to its building came a host
Of the skillful dwarves of Belegost
And with the elves on rocky hill
Each using his own lore and skill
In the woven woods where Neldoreth
Parted the forest Region by river path
They built the fairest kingdom that shall ever be
At the east side of the great sea.

Thus Thingol set his mighty throne
In kingdom white of carven stone
And to its feet Esgalduin long
Flowed as words of Elven song
Above him fair a bridge there stood
In its end the gates of oaken wood
Upon them runes of power bright
And guards with shining spears of height.
Golden lanterns, lighted up the halls
Carven figures ran, upon the walls
Of birds which flew beneath the sky
And beasts that on the grass had lie.
There silver fountains, brightly shone
The floors of many colored stones
Axes, spears and swords of might
Were laid in hoard as glorious sight.
Woven hangings of Arda told
Of her creation in the days of old
When the world was young and yet prepared
For singing voices to be heard.
Thus beautiful were the halls, of Menegroth,
For by the visions of Melian, they were wrought.
Visions of Valinor beyond the western sea,
In the lands where all walk fair and free.

At these great times in Beleriand
The stars gleamed bright upon the land
The trees grew tall and the leaves were long
Upon the boughs the birds with song
The rivers flowed and fountains played
White clouds sailed high and never fade
The elves walked fair on hill and dale
While flowers bloomed in wood and vale
The beasts ran free amid the trees
White foam shone upon the seas.

Under Thingol's kingship all lived in delight
Melian fair as the stars of night
Luthien beyond the beauty thought
Great light surrounded Menegroth
Forever in story and in song
The king and realm that stood for long
When the world was young, amid the trees
Ere upon them came, the mighty seas