Sauron and Felagund

From Silmarillion:

Among the tales of sorrow and ruin that come down to us from the darkness of those days, there are yet some in which amid weeping there is joy and under the shadow of death, light that endures. And of these histories most fair still in the ears of elves is the tale of Beren and Luthien. Of their lives was made the Lay of Leithian, Release from Bondage, which is the longest save one of the songs concerning the world of old.

Beren, son of Barahir renowned in wars against Morgoth, was of Mankind, and desired Luthien Tinuviel the fairest ever among both the children of Illuvatar to walk the earth. And she had a far greater lineage--her mother was none other than Melian the maia and her father, Elu Thingol, the Elven Lord of Doriath. When Beren asked Thingol for Luthien's hand, Thingol was enraged at this insolence, but Melian counselled him to forgo his wrath. He then said:

"I see the ring [of Barahir, an heirloom], son of Barahir, and I preceive that you are proud, and deem yourself mighty. But a father's deeds, even had his services rendered to me, avail not to win the daughter of Thingol and Melian. See now! I too desire a treasure that is withheld. For rock and steel and fires of Morgoth keep the jewel away that I would possess against all the powers of elf kingdoms.Yet I hear you say that bonds such as these do not daunt you. Go your way therefore! Bring to me in your hand, a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown; and then if she will, Luthien may set her hand in yours. Then you shall have my jewel; and though the fate of Arda lie within the Silmarils, yet you shall hold me generous."

Thus he wrought the doom of Doriath, and was ensnared within the curse of Mandos.

But Beren laughed. "For little price", he said, "do Elven-kings sell their daughters: for gems, and things made by craft. But if this be your will, Thingol, I will perform it. And when me meet again, my hand shall hold a Silmaril from the Iron Crown; for you have not looked the last upon Beren son of Barahir".


Forth went Beren from the halls of Thingol, and at length came to the King of Nargothrond, Finrod Felagund, the fairest of the house of Finwe. With ten other companions, they set out on a wondrously impossible quest to wrest a Simlaril from the Iron Crown of Morgoth. By the arts of Finrod, they passed unnoticed till they ventured into a pass guarded by a Tower, built in the past, by Finrod himself. Incidentally, it was named as Minas Tirith when it was built, but it fell into Morgoth's hands and was remaned as Tol-in-Gaurhoth. But that tower was now held by the most fell of all the servants of Morgoth-- Sauron, who of old was named Gorthaur, and he was now aware of them:

Thus befell the contest of Sauron and Felagund which is renowned. For Felagund strove with Sauron in songs of Power, and the power of the King was very great; but Sauron had the mastery, as is told in the Lay of Leithian:

He chanted a song of wizadry,
Of piercing, opening, of treachery,
Revealing, uncovering, betraying.
Then suddenFelagund there swaying,
Sang in answer a song of staying,
Resisting, battling against power,
Of secrets kept, strength like a Tower,
And trust unbroken, freedom, escape;
Of changing and, of shifting shape,
Of snares eluded, of broken traps,
The prison opening, the chain that snaps.
Backwards and forwards swayed their song.
Reeling and foundering, as ever more strong
The chanting swelled, Felagund fought
And all the magic and might he brought
Of Elvenesse into his words.
Softly in the gloom they heard the birds
Singing afar in Nargothrond,
The sighing of the sea beyond,
Beyond the western world, on sand,
On sand of pearls in Elvenland.
Then the gloom gathered; darkness glowing
In Valinor, the red blood flowing
Beside the sea where the Noldor slew
The Foamriders, and stealing drew
Their white ships and their white sails
From Lamplit havens. The wind wails,
The wolf howls. The ravens flee.
The ice mutters in the mouths of the Sea.
The captives sad in Angband mourn,
Thunder rumbles, the fires burn--
And Finrod fell before the throne.

Thus was Felagund imprisoned in dark pits of Tol-in-Gaurhoth along with Beren and the companions . The latter part of the tale has much to say on sacrifice, courage, and victory. The first union of Elf and Man was that of Luthien and Beren. Of this union sprang the lines of both Elves and Men. Both Elrond and Aragorn are from this same root.

A silly lil American song

A silly lil American song

My girlfriend’s boyfriend is from Alabama!
O Boy! He’s such a panorama!
A frets about and mucks about,
Really makes a lot of melodrama!

Once muh girl went to see the south side,
She had a great time in the farms wide,
He saw her there, and made the dare,
She fell for his long and huge….. homa!

Muh girlfriend’s boyfriend is a great countryman
Eveready for war, and he is a nascar-man!
An ardent fan, of dubyaman,
His neck has a reddish red chroma!

And now muh girlfriend don’t love me no more,
She says that I am a huge huge bore,
She likes him and he likes her,
O why don’t I die of melanoma!
--Kedar.

Manikarnika

I was searching for Manikarnika on the net and found this:

http://www.beezone.com/edwardo/PeterM/ManikarnikaGhat/latest.htm

Been there, done that?

After the War of Wrath in the middle earth, the Evil in the north was utterly destroyed and there was established a lasting Elven kingdom in Eregion near Khazad-Dum in the misty mountains. There was great friendship between the Elves and Dwarves at that time, and it is said:

"In Eregion, the craftsmen of Gwaith-i-Mirdain, the people of the Jewel-smiths, surpassed in cunning all that have ever been wrought, save only Feanor himself; and indeed greatest in skill among them was Celebrimbor, son of Curufin [son of Feanor]..."

In that time, there came one who called himself 'Annatar', giver of gifts who was of fair and wise hue. Though he was not received elsewhere, he was gladly welcomed in Eregion. The legend says:

"and for a while, they had much profit from his friendship and they learnt many things, for his knowledge was great. In those days, the smiths of Ost-in-Edhil [city of the Elves] surpassed all that they had contrived before; and they took thought and made Rings of Power."

But he guided their labours and he was aware of all that they did. The Elves made many rings, but he made the One Ring to rule them all, for He was none other than Sauron himself, and he ever desired to presuade Elves to his service. When the war of wrath was fought between Morgoth and the rest of the Valar, Morgoth's castle at Thangorodrim was utterly destroyed, Morgoth himself captured, and his most of his servants were either killed or captured. But Sauron eluded them and could not be captured. And he resolved to make himself the Lord of the Middle Earth, thinking that the Valar have forgotten the Middle Earth.

Much is now known to all about the power of the One Ring. But it is said:

"But the Elves were not so lightly to be caught. As soon as Sauron set the One Ring upon his finger, they were aware of him; and they knew him, and perceived that he would be master of them, and of all they wrought. Then in anger and fear they took off their rings. But he, finding that he was betrayed and that they Elves were not deceived, was filled with wrath; and he came against them with open war..."

Of that war, much evil and grief came to pass.
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At this very moment in the international politics, I fear there is one more Annatar at large, deceiving countries with his guile and submitting them to his will, where guile works not. And we are glad to have him as a friend, and are making deals with him. I only hope we Indians dont not have to flee for cover once his deception is revealed to the world.

This and that

The other day, I was watching TV (I moved to my friend's house) late night. I was racing towards Star World to watch whatever was left of Seinfeld with all the speed my fingers could provide, when suddenly I had to apply the air-brake-- at an unlikely stop-- DD-8 Saptagiri.

They were showing a documentary on Amaraavathi. The head priest with his immaculate diction was explaining that panchaaraamaas are five aaraamaas such as Daakshaaraamam, etc., and that Amaraavathi is actually Amaraaraamam, and so on. After that, when I was about to press on the accelerator again, I had to drop the idea ..This time, a lalitha geetham. A truly wonderful Keeravaani duet. I dont remember the names of the 2 singers, but I guess I havent seen the last of them, that is, if I am able to keep track of DD8 at that hour everyday.

An then, to top it all, at 11:30 in the night, of the programmes on all the channels, Aanando-Brahma!!! The jaw dropped--half an hour of great humour, of stupendous acting (even "ok" acting skills are a rare commodity these days), and of those good old characters we grew up watching on television-- before there was something called cableTV, before there were instruments called cell phones, before there was a field called IT....

What I would not give to watch, just once, "pandhula pempakam" on vyavasaayadaarula kaaryakramam... that would have been a perfect birthday gift, though I am more than happy with what I got.