I know most of us don't just read Tolkien one day a year but I wonder if anyone would like to join me in sharing their favourite examples this year?
This years theme is Love and Friendship and my chosen passage from the professors writings is below.
Tolkien Reading Day
Tolkien Reading Day
But the white fury of the Northmen burned the hotter, and more skilled was their knighthood with long spears and bitter. Fewer were they but they clove through the Southrons like a fire-bolt in a forest.
Re: Tolkien Reading Day
The theme for Tolkien Reading Day this year is Love and Friendship. I spent most of the day considering this theme within the realm of Middle Earth and in the end settled on a love which we can all associate with - The unconditional love of a faithful animal companion.
Huan the hound of the Valar was a great wolfhound of immense size and strength. He abandons his first master on account of his evil deeds and freeing Lúthien from captivity travels with her to free her love Beren and hunt for the Silmarils.
He accompanies her to free Beren from Tol-in-Gaurhoth (Isle of Werewolves) where Sauron (yes the big bad guy from the lord of the rings) transforms himself into a giant wolf to fight Huan and is soundly beaten.
Huan eventually falls battling the great wolf Carcharoth. His fate is prophesied and yet still he accompanies Beren knowing it is his doom, for the love that he bears him will not allow him to stand aside.
The Valar have permitted Huan grace to speak but three times in his life. The first two times are to aid his friends and the last is below.....
Artwork: 'Beren, Lúthien and Huan' by Alan Lee
Huan the hound of the Valar was a great wolfhound of immense size and strength. He abandons his first master on account of his evil deeds and freeing Lúthien from captivity travels with her to free her love Beren and hunt for the Silmarils.
But Huan the hound was true of heart, and the love of Lúthien had fallen upon him in the first hour of their meeting; and he grieved at her captivity
He accompanies her to free Beren from Tol-in-Gaurhoth (Isle of Werewolves) where Sauron (yes the big bad guy from the lord of the rings) transforms himself into a giant wolf to fight Huan and is soundly beaten.
Huan eventually falls battling the great wolf Carcharoth. His fate is prophesied and yet still he accompanies Beren knowing it is his doom, for the love that he bears him will not allow him to stand aside.
The Valar have permitted Huan grace to speak but three times in his life. The first two times are to aid his friends and the last is below.....
Huan in that hour slew Carcharoth; but there in the woven woods of Doriath his own doom long spoken was fulfilled, and he was wounded mortally, and the venom of Morgoth entered into him. Then he came, and falling beside Beren spoke for the third time with words; and he bade Beren farewell before he died. Beren spoke not, but laid his hand upon the head of the hound, and so they parted
Artwork: 'Beren, Lúthien and Huan' by Alan Lee
But the white fury of the Northmen burned the hotter, and more skilled was their knighthood with long spears and bitter. Fewer were they but they clove through the Southrons like a fire-bolt in a forest.
Re: Tolkien Reading Day
"You must go - and therefore we must, too. Merry and I are coming with you. Sam is an excellent fellow, and would jump down a dragon's throat to save you ... but you will need more than one companion on your dangerous adventure."
Frodo and Sam get a lot of discussion, but the way Merry and Pippin knew about the Ring and something of the danger before he even told them, and decided to come with him, not just in spite of, but because of, that danger, has always stuck with me. Even Fredegar, though he wasn't quite so brave as to leave the shire, was willing even to disguise himself as Frodo to keep up the charade of his remaining there, despite the Black Rider hunting him. When I think of love and friendships in the Lord of the Rings, I think of Frodo's departure from the Shire.