Lay of Leithian Canto VIII

From Tolkien Gateway
Lúthien escapes upon Huan by Ted Nasmith
Lay of Leithian cantos
  1. Canto I
  2. Canto II
  3. Canto III
  4. Canto IV
  5. Canto V
  6. Canto VI
  7. Canto VII
  8. Canto VIII
  9. Canto IX
  10. Canto X
  11. Canto XI
  12. Canto XII
  13. Canto XIII
  14. Canto XIV

This Canto of the Lay of Leithian begins with the story of Huan the charméd Wolfhound of Valinor, a gift to Celegorm. Then it speaks of Celegorm and Curufin with Huan hunting the wolves of Thû. It tells of how Huan spotted Lúthien Tinúviel on her quest to rescue Beren. He captured her and brought her before Celegorm, where she, assuming that they were her friends, dropped her raiment of shadow and stood before them in her silver and white dress. They offered her their help, but did not know that they were the reason that Beren and Finrod Felagund had gone without more aid. Curufin, who had fallen in love with her, brought her to Nargothrond and took her cloak so that she could not escape. They did not intend to help her, but to let Felagund die in the prisons of Thû and them take over Nargothrond. The people would not listen to Orodreth, whom Felagund had appointed lord in his absence, and heeded not the fate of Felagund. But Huan had developed a love for her, and bringing her her raiment of slumber spoke for the first time, and she escaped on his back.