The Lays of Beleriand

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In 1955, J.R.R. Tolkien expressed his enjoyment of alliterative verse, noting that he had published little beyond fragments in The Lord of the Rings and The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth. This collection features the unpublished Lay of the Children of Húrin, Tolkien's early and most extensive work in ancient English metre, which aimed to narrate the tragedy of Túrin Turambar on a grand scale. Although incomplete, it powerfully recounts Túrin's killing of his friend Beleg and offers a unique depiction of Nargothrond. This lay was later succeeded by the Lay of Leithian, which tells another major legend from the Elder Days in rhyme. While this poem is also unfinished, it encompasses the entire Quest of the Silmaril, concluding after the encounter with Morgoth in his fortress. After completing The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien revisited the Lay of Leithian, creating a new version from the start, which is included here. The collection features commentaries on the development of the Elder Days' history, shaped during the compositions of both lays. Additionally, it contains detailed criticism of the Lay of Leithian by C.S. Lewis, who read the poem in 1929. This volume is part of The History of Middle-earth series, edited by Christopher Tolkien, following the Book of Lost Tales, Parts I and II.