We heard of the horns in the hills ringing, The swords shining in the South-kingdom. Steeds went striding to the Stoningland As wind in the morning. War was kindled. There Théoden fell, Thengling mighty, To his golden halls and green pastures In the Northern fields never returning, High lord of the host. Harding and Guthláf, Dúnhere and Déorwine, doughty Grimbold, Herefara and Herubrand, Horn and Fastred, Fought and fell there in a far country: In the Mounds of Mundburg under mould they lie With their league-fellows, lords of Gondor. Neither Hirluin the Fair to the hills by the sea, Nor Forlong the old to the flowering vales Ever, to Arnach, to his own country Returned in triumph; nor the tall bowmen, Derufin and Duilin, to their dark waters, Meres of Morthond under mountain-shadows. Death in the morning and at day's ending Lords took and lowly. Long now they sleep Under grass in Gondor by the Great River. Grey now as tears, gleaming silver, Red then it rolled, roaring water: Foam dyed with blood flamed at sunset; As beacons mountains burned at evening; Red fell the dew in Rammas Echor.
Lament for Theoden
From dark Dunharrow in the dim morning With thane and captain rode Thengel's son: To Edoras he came, the ancient halls Of the Mark-wardens mist-enshrouded; Golden timbers were in gloom mantled. Farewell he bade to his free people, Hearth and high-seat, and the hallowed places, Where long he had feasted ere the light faded. Forth rode the king, fear behind him, Fate before him. Fealty kept he; Oaths he had taken, all fulfilled them. Forth rode Théoden. five nights and days East and onward rode the Eorlingas Through Folde and Fenmarch and the Firienwood, Six thousand spears to Sunlending, Mundburg the mighty under Mindolluin, Sea-kings; city in the South-kingdom Foe-beleaguered, fire-encircled. Doom drove them on. Darkness took them, Horse and horseman; hoofbeats afar Sank into silence; so the songs tell us.
The Silmarillion is my favorite Tolkien book. It's definitely one of those books you have to read more than once (or twice, or ten times :-) After I read it for the first time, I listened to it on audio, and then read it again and it seemed to help. I'm dealing with dwindling gray matter here. ::sigh::
I never did go out to get coconut for those Irish Po-Ta-Toes. Oh well, it's not too late. I could always run out to get dinner and coconut :-)
I love this stuff so much. I didn't discover LOTR until I was 30. I studied much Old English poetry in college, but I never *got it* until I encountered the Rohirrim.
This blog is a look into our homeschooling journey as we use Tapestry of Grace. You'll also find stories from various books I have collected that are now in the public domain and real life slipping in occasionally. Most posts from the public domain books have a pdf that you may download and print. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
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Posted by Stephanie in TX 
Mar. 15, 2006 - Hello!
Have you read the Silmarillion? That was a difficult read at first, but I just loved it as I finished it. Tolkien was a master.
Miss you!
Kate