The Book of Lost Tales - J. R. Tolkien [26]
Two children had Thingol then, Dairon and Tinúviel…
(10) ‘her mother was a fay, a child of Lórien’ for manuscript ‘her mother was a fay, a daughter of the Gods’.
(11) ‘Now Beren was a Gnome, son of Egnor the forester’ as in manuscript; but Egnor changed to Barahir. This however was a much later and as it were casual change; Beren’s father was still Egnor in 1925.
(11) Manuscript version ‘and all the Elves of the woodland thought of the Gnomes of Dor Lómin as treacherous creatures, cruel and faithless’ is omitted in the typescript.
(13) Angband for manuscript Angamandi, and throughout.
(14) Many a combat and an escape had he in those days, and he slew therein more than once both wolf and the Orc that rode thereon with nought but an ashen club that he bore; and other perils and adventures…
(15) But Melko looking wroth upon him asked: “How hast thou, O thrall, dared to fare thus out of the land where thy folk dwells at my behest, and to wander in the great woods unbidden, leaving the labours to which thou hast been set?” Then answered Beren that he was no runagate thrall, but came of a kindred of the Gnomes that dwelt in Aryador where were many of the folk of Men. Then was Melko yet more wroth, saying: “Here have we a plotter of deep treacheries against Melko’s lordship, and one worthy of the tortures of the Balrogs”—for he sought ever to destroy the friendship and intercourse of Elves and Men, lest they forget the Battle of Unnumbered Tears and once more arise in wrath against him. But Beren seeing his peril answered: “Think not, O most mighty Belcha Morgoth (for such be his names among the Gnomes), that could be so; for, an it were, then should I not be here unaided and alone. No friendship has Beren son of Egnor for the kindred of Men; nay indeed, wearying utterly of the lands infested by that folk he has wandered out of Aryador. Whither then should he go but to Angband? For many a great tale has his father made to him aforetime of thy splendour and thy glory. Lo, lord, albeit I am no renegade thrall, still do I desire nothing so much as to serve thee in what small manner I may.” Little of truth was therein, and indeed his father Egnor was the chiefest foe of Melko in all the kin of the Gnomes that still were free, save only Turgon king of Gondolin and the sons of Fëanor, and long days of friendship had he known with the folk of Men, what time he was brother in arms to Úrin the steadfast; but in those days he bore another name and Egnor was nought for Melko. The truth, however, did Beren then tell, saying that he was a great huntsman, swift and cunning to shoot or snare or to outrun all birds and beasts. “I was lost unawares in a part of the hills that were not known to me, O lord,” he said, “the while I was hunting; and wandering far I came to strange lands and knew no other rede of safety save to fare to Angband, that all can find who see the black hills of the north from afar. I would myself have fared to thee and begged of thee some humble office (as a winner of meats for thy table, perchance) had not these Orcs seized me and tormented me unjustly.”
Now the Valar must have inspired that speech, or maybe it was a spell of cunning words cast upon him in compassion by Melian as he fled from the hall; for indeed it saved his life…
Subsequently a part of this passage was emended on the typescript, to read:
…and long days of friendship had he known with the folk of Men (as had Beren himself thereafter as brother in arms to Úrin the Steadfast); but in those days the Orcs named him Rog the Fleet, and the name of Egnor was nought to Melko.
At the same time the words ‘Now the Valar must have inspired that speech’ were changed to ‘Now the