Lay of Leithian Canto I: Difference between revisions

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This first [[Cantos of the Lay of the Leithian|Canto]] of the [[Lay of Leithian]] tells of [[Elu Thingol]], and [[Lúthien Tinúviel]] and [[Doriath]]. It runs to 98 lines, one of the shorter cantos if not the shortest save the unfinished last one.
This first [[Cantos of the Lay of the Leithian|Canto]] of the [[Lay of Leithian]] tells of [[Thingol|Elu Thingol]], and [[Lúthien|Lúthien Tinúviel]] and [[Doriath]]. It runs to 98 lines, the shortest canto save the last, unfinished one.


== The Canto ==
== Concerning the Canto ==
This canto starts out with one of the more popular paragraphs, concerning Thingol.
{{blockquote|A king there was in days of old:<br />
ere [[Men]] yet walked upon the mould...|vv. 1-2}}


:A [[Thingol|king]] there was in days of old;
The descriptions of jewels is contrasted with the love of his daughter, whose description soon follows.
:ere [[Men]] yet walked upon the mould
{{blockquote|There beryl, pearl, and opal pale<br />
:his power was reared in cavern’s shad,
and metal wrought like fishes' mail<br />
:his hand was over glen and glade.
...<br />
:His shields were shining as the [[moon]]
all these he had and loved them less<br />
:his lances keen of steel were hewn,
than a maiden once in Elfinesse;<br />
:of silver grey his crown was wrought
for fairer than are born to Men<br />
:the starlight in his banners caught;
a daughter had he, Lúthien.|vv. 15-6, 19-22}}
:and silver thrilled his trumpets long
:beneath the stars in challenge strong;
:enchantment did his real enfold,
:where might and glory, wealth untold,
:he wielded from his ivory throne
:in many-pillared halls of stone.
:There beryl, pearl, and opal pale,
:and metal wrought like fishes’ mail
:buckler and corselet, ade and sword
:and gleaming spears were laid in hoard–
:all these he had and loved them less
:than a maiden once in [[Doriath|Elfinesse]];
:for fairer than are born to [[Men]]
:a daughter had he, [[Lúthien]]
::such lissom limbs no more shall run
:on the green earth beneath the sun;
:so fair a maid no more shall be
:from dawn to dusk, from sun to sea.
:Her robe was blue as summer skies
:but gray as evening were here eyes;
:‘twas sewn with golden lilies fair
:but dark as shadow was her hair.
:Her feet were light as bird on wing
:her laughter lighter than the spring;
:the slender willow, the bowing reed
:the fragrance of a flowering mead
:the light upon the leaves of trees
:the voice of water, more than these
:her beauty was and blissfulness
:her glory and her loveliness;
:and her the king more dear did prize
:than hand or heart or light of eyes.


::They dwelt amid [[Beleriand]]
Then it introduces [[Endor]] and orients the reader.
:while [[Elves|Elfin]] power yet held the land
{{blockquote|To North there lay the Land of Dread<br />
:in the woven woods of [[Doriath]];
whence only evil pathways led<br />
:few ever thither found the path;
...<br />
:few ever dared the forest-eaves
to South the wide earth unexplored<br />
:to pass, or stir the listening leaves
to West the ancient [[Belegaer|Ocean]] roared,<br />
:with tongue of hounds a-hunting fleet
unsailed and shoreless, wide and wild<br />
:with horse, or horn, or mortal feet.
to East in peaks of blue were piled...|vv. 49-50, 55-58}}
:To North there lay the [[Land of Dread]]
:whence only evil pathways led
:o’er hills of shadow bleak and cold
:or [[Taur-nu-Fuin (Dorthonion)|Taur-nu-Fuin]]’s haunted hold
:where Deadly [[Nightshade]] lurked and lay
:and never came or moon or day
:to South the wide earth unexplored;
:to West the ancient [[Belegaer|Ocean]] roared
:unsailed and shoreless, wide and wild;
:to East in [[Ered Luin|peaks of blue]] were piled
:in silence folded, mist-enfurled,
:the mountains of the [[Outer World]],
:beyond the tangled woodland shade
:thorn and thicket, grove and glade
:whose brooding boughs with magic hung
:were ancient when the world was young.


::There [[Thingol]] in the [[Menegroth|Thousand Caves]]
Note the reference below to fairies, not uncommon in older works.  One thing about the Lay is that it commonly connects Beleriand and Faërie.
:whose portals pale that river laves
{{blockquote|''[[Esgalduin]] that fairies call<br />
:[[Esgalduin]] that fairies call
in many a tall and torchlit hall|vv. 67-68}}
:in many a tall and torchlit hall
:a dark and hidden king did dwell
:lord of the forest and the fell;
:and sharp his sword and high his helm
:the king of beech and oak and elm.


::There Lúthien the lissom maid
Note also that the name of '''Dairon''' is spelt here with an "i", as opposed to '''[[Daeron]]''' of later works.
:would dance in dell and grassy glade
{{blockquote|When leaves were long and grass was green<br />
:and music merrily, thin and clear,
then Dairon with his fingers lean,<br />
:went down the ways, more fair than ear
as daylight melted into shade,<br />
:of mortal Men at feast hath heard
a wandering music sweetly made...|vv. 79-82}}
:and fairer than the song of bird.
:When leaves were long and grass was green
:then [[Dairon]] with fingers lean
:as daylight melted into shade
:a wandering music sweetly bade
:enchanted fluting, warbling wild
:for love of Thingol’s elfin child.


::There bow was bent and shaft was sped
It ends on a note of change, signifying the end of the introduction and the beginning of the tale.
:the fallow deer as phantoms fled
{{blockquote|...until a day beneath the [[sun]],<br />
:and horses proud with branded mane
when many marvels were begun.|vv. 97-98}}
:with shining bit and silver rein
:went fleeting by on moonlit night
:as swallows arrow-swift in flight;
:a blowing and a sound of bells
:a hidden hunt in hollow dells.
:There songs were made and things of gold
:and silver cups and jewels untold
:and the endless years of Faëry land
:rolled over far [[Beleriand]]
:until a day beneath the sun
:when many marvels were begun.
 
== Concerning the Canto ==
This canto starts out with one of the more popular paragraphs, concerning Thingol.  The descriptions of jewels is contrasted with the love of his daughter, whose description soon follows.  Then it introduces [[Endor]], and orients the reader.  Note the reference to fairies, not uncommon in older works.  It speaks of Dairon, whose name was later spelled Daeron, but more is said of him in a later paragraph.  One thing about the Lay is that it commonly connects Beleriand and Faërie.  One line that is not in this canto but used in several others is ''Beleriand, Beleriand/borders of the faëry land''.

Revision as of 16:58, 16 October 2021

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 first Canto of the Lay of Leithian tells of Elu Thingol, and Lúthien Tinúviel and Doriath. It runs to 98 lines, the shortest canto save the last, unfinished one.

Concerning the Canto

This canto starts out with one of the more popular paragraphs, concerning Thingol.

A king there was in days of old:
ere Men yet walked upon the mould...
—vv. 1-2

The descriptions of jewels is contrasted with the love of his daughter, whose description soon follows.

There beryl, pearl, and opal pale

and metal wrought like fishes' mail
...
all these he had and loved them less
than a maiden once in Elfinesse;
for fairer than are born to Men

a daughter had he, Lúthien.
—vv. 15-6, 19-22

Then it introduces Endor and orients the reader.

To North there lay the Land of Dread

whence only evil pathways led
...
to South the wide earth unexplored
to West the ancient Ocean roared,
unsailed and shoreless, wide and wild

to East in peaks of blue were piled...
—vv. 49-50, 55-58

Note the reference below to fairies, not uncommon in older works. One thing about the Lay is that it commonly connects Beleriand and Faërie.

Esgalduin that fairies call
in many a tall and torchlit hall
—vv. 67-68

Note also that the name of Dairon is spelt here with an "i", as opposed to Daeron of later works.

When leaves were long and grass was green

then Dairon with his fingers lean,
as daylight melted into shade,

a wandering music sweetly made...
—vv. 79-82

It ends on a note of change, signifying the end of the introduction and the beginning of the tale.

...until a day beneath the sun,
when many marvels were begun.
—vv. 97-98