The History of Middle Earth: Volume 8 - The War of the Ring

by J. R. R. Tolkien

  It was now Eomer, not Aragorn, who replied to Théoden's question 'But was it not the full moon last night?'; for Aragorn was no longer a member of the King's company.

  'No, the night before,' said Eomer. 'Five days we have passed on the road: it has been slow since we took to the mountain- paths; five days remain until the day that you appointed for the muster at Edoras.'

  'Then here at Dunharrow maybe we can rest a while,' said the King.

  'If you would take my counsel, lord,' said Eomer, 'you would remain here until the war that threatens is over, lost or won. [Struck out at once: You have ridden far and taxed your strength in the war with Saruman. Victory will have little joy for me, or for your people, unless we can lay our swords at your feet.]'

  'We will speak of that later,' said Théoden.

  They rode on. Merry looked about him. He was tired, for he was riding himself now, on a sturdy hill-pony furnished for him at Helm's Deep; but he had enjoyed the journey among the passes and high dales, the tall pine-woods, and the bright waterfalls. He loved mountains, and the desire to see and know them had moved him strongly when he and his friends had plotted to go with Frodo, far away in the Shire.

  He rode with the King's company, and often he had jogged along beside Théoden himself, telling him of the Shire, and the doings of hobbit-folk. They had got on well together, although much of Merry's language was hard for Théoden to understand. But all the same, and in spite of the honour, he was lonely, especially at the day's end. Aragorn had ridden on far ahead with the swifter riders, taking Legolas and Gimli; and he missed Pippin deeply. The fellowship seemed now altogether scattered.

  They came now in the dusk to a stone bridge across the Snowbourn ...

  It would be interesting to know why (at this stage in the development of the narrative, when they would all meet again at Dunharrow) Aragorn with Legolas and Gimli and others went on ahead (see note 9), but no explanation is given.

  Text C now follows B very closely, and is largely identical with it. The mention of Legolas and Gimli riding with Merry is of course removed. Of the ancient men of Dunharrow it is said that 'their name was lost', and that here they 'had their refuge and hidden fane'; 'those were the days when Sauron first was lord, and Baraddur was founded; but they had not served him, making here a refuge that no foe could take.' The 'wide upland slope' is again named 'the Lap of Dunharrow', and it is again said to open on the west; 'There there was a sheer brink that fell some hundreds of feet down to the Snowbourn. Up this the winding path climbed. Inside the amphitheatre (?) was clasped by sheer walls of rock rising at the back to a great precipice; and the walls'

  Here text C stops; there is thus no mention here of the falling stream referred to in A (where it is actually the Snowbourn) and B and shown on one of the accompanying sketches, nor of the relations of the men of Dunharrow with the men of Gondor.

  A fourth text ('D') followed, in which the actual words of the opening of 'The Muster of Rohan' in RK were quite closely approached for the most part, but this extends no further than a single page, ending with Merry's 'listening to the noise of water, the murmur of dark trees, the crack of stone, and the vast waiting silence that brooded behind all sound.' The most notable feature of this brief text is the following passage:

  To their right, dark and swathed in cloud, loomed the vast tumbled mass of [struck out immediately: great Du] mighty Starkhorn, [struck out: the grim mountain,] but its gnarled and jagged peak they could not see, for they were crawling under the shadow of its knees. Across the valley upon the lap of the great mountain lights were twinkling.

  At this point, it is clear, the great mountain 'Dunharrow' became the Starkhorn, and though the text does not extend far enough to make the matter certain the last sentence of this extract suggests strongly (especially from the use of the word 'lap') that the Hold of Dunharrow, in which lights were twinkling, was situated on the lower slopes of the Starkhorn.

  The next stage seems to have been two pages of notes in very rapid pencil ('E'), some but not all of which my father overwrote clearly in ink, and against some names and words putting queries.

  When the Eorlingas came first to Dun Harrow they had found only one old man living in a cave, speaking in a strange tongue. None could understand him. Often he spoke and seemed to desire to tell them something, but he died before any could read his words. Where were all the rest of his folk?

  Aragorn and Éowyn meet the King. They say that Riders are mustering at Dun Harrow - Gandalf's command: he had passed by Edoras some days ago. Many have already come in - and many strange folk. I do not .... understand how, but a summons went forth long ago. Rangers have come and Dun- landers and messengers from the Woodmen of Mirkwood.

  They say that but for the shadow of the new war they would make a feast of victory. Even so they will feast and rejoice because of the King's return.

  Torchlit stone hall.

  Merry sat beside Théoden as promised.

  The following was overwritten in ink, apparently only to clarify the pencilled text (parts of which can be made out), not to alter or expand it. Several of the names have queries against them in the ink overwriting, and some of the pencilled words my father could not interpret.

  Éowyn bears wine to him, bidding him drink and be glad.

  Even as Théoden drinks the cup, the messenger of Minas Tirith arrives.? Barahir ? Halbarad.

  He asks for ten thousand spears at once! The Swertings have come. The forces of Sauron have crossed the Nargul ? Pass and raised the men of Harad and of ? Umbor. A fleet has put out from the Havens of Umbor - once Gondor's, but long lost - and sailed up the Anduin and reached Anárion, at the same time more enemies have crossed the river and taken the fords of Osgiliath again - won back hardly in the winter. [In margin, ink over pencil:] Swertings are only just moving, and a few preliminary ravages of Lebennin. Spies report a great fleet ? [concluding pencilled words were illegible]

  Théoden replies that that is more than he could have mustered in a ? [pencilled word was illegible] at his height, and before the war with Saruman.

  Éowyn says that women must ride now, as they did in a like evil time in the days of Brego son of [mark showing name omitted] Eorl's son, when the wild men of the East came from the Inland Sea into the Eastemnet.

  [Pencilled text struck through and not ovewritten:] Théoden decides to pass over the [struck out: Rath] Scada pass to the vale of Blackroot into Lebennin and fall on enemy in rear.

  [Ink over pencil:] Aragorn [in margin: Eomer?] begs leave to take a force over the Scada Pass and fall on the enemy's rear. 'I will go with you in my brother's stead' said Éowyn [added: to King Théoden].

  [Ink text original:) As had been promised him at Isengard, Merry sat beside [written above: near] the King himself. On either side of the King were Éowyn and Eomer, and Aragorn beside Éowyn. Merry sat with Legolas and Gimli not far from the fire and spoke together - while all about rolled the speech of Rohan.

  [Ink over pencil:] They had been bidden to the King's table but said that the lords would wish to talk high matters, and they wished to talk together. ? Legolas ? [in margin: No, King surely?] tells history of Dunharrow: how the men of Dunharrow lived in the valley; how Dunharrow was furnished; how the Kings of the Mark had once dwelt here - and still returned once a year in autumn. But Théoden had not kept this custom for several years. The Feast-hall had been long silent [pencilled text: But Théoden had not done so for many years].

  Éowyn brings wine.

  [Ink text original:] Remembering his promise at Isengard, Théoden summoned Merry and set him at his left hand at the high table upon the stone dais. On the King s right sat Éowyn(12) and Eomer, and at the table's end Aragorn. Legolas and Gimli sat beside Merry. The three companions spoke much together in soft voices, while all about them the speech of Rohan rolled loud and clear.

  These notes - very much a record of 'thinking with the pen' - have several curious features. The conception of the Hold of Dunharrow as a great redoubt of
the Kings of the Mark, with a hall of feasting in its caverns (whence came the lights twinkling on the mountain-side), reappears from text A, and the last survivor of the ancient people of Harrowdale emerges.

  Aragorn (with Gimli and Legolas) has ridden on ahead to Dunharrow, as in text C (p. 241); and in these notes is the first mention of the coming south of a body of Rangers. Éowyn's reference to the assault on Rohan long before, when in the days of Brego 'the wild men of the East came from the Inland Sea into the Eastemnet', is a sign that the history of Rohan had been evolving unseen. In LR (Appendix A (II), 'The Kings of the Mark') Eorl the Young fell in battle with the Easterlings in the Wold of Rohan, and his son Brego, builder of the Golden Hall, drove them out. In the outline 'The Story Foreseen from Fangorn' (VII.435) and in drafting for 'The King of the Golden Hall' (VII.445) Brego, builder of the hall, was the son of Brytta. In the present notes Brego is the grandson of Eorl, and a blank is left for the name of his father.

  Among other names that appear here, I cannot certainly explain the queries that my father set against the first occurrence of Umbor and against Nargul (Pass).(13) For Anárion as the name of a region of Gondor see VII.309-10, 318-19; Anárion on both the First Map and my 1943 map is given not only to Anórien (north of Minas Tirith) but also to the region south of Minas Tirith. For the former, Anórien appears already in the draft A of the opening of 'Minas Tirith', p. 231. The Scada Pass leading over the mountains into the Blackroot Vale is not named on any map.(14) It is here that the possibility first appears that Aragorn (or Eomer) will lead some part of the forces mustering at Dunharrow across the mountains, rather than ride to Minas Tirith along their northern skirts, in view of the news brought by the messenger from Gondor (see further pp. 252-3). The name proposed here for the messenger, Halbarad (beside Barahir), has appeared already in the original draft A of 'The Muster of Rohan': see p. 236 and note 10.

  A new version of the narrative ('F') was now begun, clearly written at the outset but soon collapsing into a scrawl; in this the story extends rather further. In the opening passage of this text lights still twinkle across the valley 'on the lap of the great mountain'; Eomer still informs Théoden that the moon was full two nights before, that they have passed five days on the journey, and that five remain to the muster at Edoras; and the Riders still cross the Snowbourn by a stone bridge (not as in RK by a ford), here described as 'a bare arch, wide and low, without kerb or parapet'. The horns blown from far above answering the blast blown as the King's company passed over the bridge now become 'a great chorus of trumpets from high above' that 'sounded in some hollow place that gathered them into one great voice and sent it forth rolling and beating on the walls of stone.' When this was written, as will be seen shortly, the 'hollow place' was the interior of the Hold of Dunharrow - in the sense that my father originally intended by that name: the rock-ringed recess or 'amphitheatre' and the great caverns in the cliff; but the description survived into RK (with the addition of the words 'as it seemed' after 'some hollow place'), when the Hold of Dunharrow was used to refer to the Firienfeld, the wide upland reached by the twisting road, where the upper camps were set. There is no mention (at this point) of Gandalf's passage through Edoras, nor of the great encampment of Riders in Harrowdale (cf. RK pp. 66-7, and see note 16); after the words 'So the King of the Mark came out of the west to Dunharrow in the hills' the text continues at once with 'Leading up from the valley there was a road made by hands in years beyond the reach of song.'

  The description of the climbing road here reached virtually its form in RK, and now appear the Pûkel-men described word for word as in RK apparently without any previous sketching. But they were called by the Riders of Rohan Hoker-men (Old English hocor 'mockery, derision, scorn') - changed subsequently to Pookel-men.(15)

  I give the remainder of this text in full.

  After a time he [Merry] looked back and found that he had mounted some hundreds of feet above the valley, but still far below he could dimly see a winding line of riders crossing the bridge. Many men had followed Théoden from Westfold to the muster of Rohan.(16)

  At last they came to a sharp brink and the road passed between walls of rock and led them out onto a wide upland: the Lap of Starkhorn men called it, [rising gently beyond the sheer wall of the valley towards a great northern buttress of the mountain >] a green mountain-field of grass and heath above the sheer wall of the valley that stretched back to the feet of a high northern buttress of the mountain. When it reached this at one place it entered in, forming a great recess, dasped by walls of rock that rose at the back to a lofty precipice. More than a half-circle this was in shape, [and its entrance looked west, a gap some fifty yards wide between sharp pinnacles of stone >) its entrance a narrow gap between sharp pinnacles of rock that opened to the west. Two long lines of unshaped stones marched from the brink of the cliff [up to the slope to the Hold-gate >] towards it, and [in the middle of the Hold one tall pointed stone stood alone >] in the middle of its rock-ringed floor under the shadow of the mountain one tall menhir stood alone. [Beyond it in the eastern wall >] At the back under the eastern precipice a huge door opened, carved with signs and figures worn by time that none could read. Many other lesser doors there were at either side, and peeping holes far up in the surrounding walls. This was the Hold of Dunharrow: the work of long-forgotten men.(17) No song or legend remembered them, and their name was lost. For what purpose they had made this place, a town, or secret temple, or a tomb of hidden kings, no one could say. Here they had dwelt under the shadow of the Dark Years, before ever ship came to the mouths of Anduin or Gondor of the Kings was built; and now they had vanished, and only the old Hocker-men [later > Pookel-men] were left, still sitting at the turnings of the road.

  As the King climbed out upon [the Lap of Starkhorn >] the mountain's lap, and Snowmane paced forward up the long avenue of stones, riders came down to meet him, and again the trumpets sang. [Struck out: Now Merry saw that they were blown inside Dunharrow, and understood the great echo that they made.](18)

  He looked about and marvelled, for there were many lights on either side of the road. Tents and booths clustered thick on the slopes and the smokes of little fires curled up in the dim air. Then again the trumpets rang, echoing in the hollow of the Hold, and riders came forth to meet him [Théoden] as Snow- mane paced forward up the long avenue of stones.

  As they drew near Merry saw to his delight that Aragorn rode at their head, and beside him was a woman with long braided hair, yet she was clad as a warrior of the Mark, and girt with a sword.

  Very glad was the meeting of the lady Éowyn with Théoden the King and with Eomer her brother; but Merry did not wait for leave, while they spoke together he rode forward.

  'Trotter, Trotter,' he cried. 'I am glad to see you again. Is Pippin here? or Legolas and Gimli?'

  'Not Pippin,' said Aragorn. 'Gandalf has not been here [later > to Dunharrow], but Legolas and Gimli are here. You may find them in Dunharrow [later > the Hold] if you like to go and look, but don't wander in through the doors if they are not in the open. Without a guide you will get lost in that place, and we might spend days looking for you.' Merry rode on up the line of stones and Aragorn turned back to the King.

  'Is there any news, Aragorn?' said Théoden. 'Only this,' said Aragorn. 'The men of Rohan are mustering here as you see. The Hold is full and the fields round about will soon be covered over. This is Gandalf's doing. It seems that he passed by Edoras going East many days ago and gave word that no great gathering of men should be held on the edge of the plain, but that all should come to meet you here. Many have already come, and with them many strange folk not of Rohan. For in some manner the rumour of war has long been abroad and men from far away say that they have had summons / a word that all who hate Mordor should come to Edoras, or to Minas Tirith. There are Dunlanders here, and some even of the Woodmen from the borders of Mirkwood, and wandering folk of the empty lands; and even some of the Rangers of the North, last remnant of Elendil's race: my own folk
: they have come seeking me.' 'And you, Éowyn, how has it fared with you?'

  'Well, Théoden King,' she answered. 'It was a long weary road for the people to take from their homes, and there were many hard words but no evil deeds. Then hardly had we come to Dunharrow and ordered ourselves when tidings came of your victory, and the fall of Isengard. There was great rejoicing, though I thought the tale had grown as it travelled along the road, until Aragorn came back as he promised.(19) But all have missed you, lord, especially in the hour of victory. It is overshadowed now by new fear, yet not dimmed altogether. Tonight all are preparing the feast. For you do not come unexpected. Aragorn named the very hour at which we might look for you. And behold you come.' She clasped his hand. 'Now I will admit, Théoden, brother of my mother, that it is beyond any hope I had when you rode away. This is a glad hour. Hail, Lord of the Mark, may I never again be taken from your side while you live still and rule the Eorlingas. Father you are to me since Éothain my father fell at Osgiliath far away. (20) Come now - all is prepared for you. And though Dunharrow is a dark place, full of sad shadow, tonight it shall be filled with lights.'

  So they passed on, through the pinnacles of the gate, and beside the Middle-stone, and dismounting before the dark portal they went in. Night gathered outside.

  Far within Dunharrow there was a great cavern enlarged by many hands [added later: at different ages] until it ran back deep into the mountain, a great hall with pillars of living stone. At the far end it rose by [?steep short steps] to a platform of rock that rose far up above the light of torch. There was no hearth and no louvre for the smoke that could be seen; but fires of pinewood were lit all down the centre between the pillars, and the air was full of the scent of burning pinewood, but the smoke rose and escaped through fissures or channels that could not be seen. Torches blazed on wall and pillar. Three thousand men could stand there when the hall was cleared; but at the feast when all the benches and tables were arranged five hundred sat that night at the King's feast.