Lay of Eärendil

The Lay of Eärendil was an epic lay about the many adventures of Eärendil on Vingilot to untrodden lands, seas, and isles., ch. 24: "Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath" He sought to sail to Valinor in order to convince the Valar on the behalf of Elves and Men to send help to Beleriand., "Akallabêth: The Downfall of Númenor"
== In other versions ==
In the second chapter of The Lays of Beleriand, "Poems Early Abandoned", there is a fragment of a Lay of Eärendel (note slightly different spelling from "Eärendil") with no title. It was written sometime between around 1918 and 1925 during his time at the University of Leeds in time with The Lay of the Children of Húrin., Vol. III, The Lays of Beleriand, Ch. I, "The Lay of the Children of Húrin While the poem is very short and is not clear on its subject, Tolkien wrote "Earendel", "Earendel son of Fengel", and "Earendel Fengelsson" at the end. It is because of this that Christopher Tolkien stated that the poem was the beginning of a Lay of Eärendel., Vol. III: The Lays of Beleriand, II. "Poems Early Abandoned": Fragment of an alliterative Lay of Eärendel, pg. 141-2
Along with The Flight of the Noldoli from Valinor and The Lay of the Children of Húrin, this poem evolved from the stories within The Book of Lost Tales. The Fall of Gondolin, the escape down the secret way, and the flight at Cristhorn are glossed over before ending with Eärendel wandering in the wilds.
=== Text of the fragment ===
:
(Colons inserted to preserve original spacing)
:Lo! The flame of fire : and fierce hatred
:engulfed Gondolin : and its glory fell,
:its tapering towers : and tall rooftops
:were laid all low, : and its leaping fountains
:made no music more : on the mount of Gwareth,
:and its whitehewn walls : were whispering ash,
:But Wade of the Helsings : wearyhearted
:Tûr the earthborn : was tried in battle
:from the wrack and ruin : a remnant led
:women and children : and wailing maidens
:and wounded men : of the withered folk
:down the path unwoven : that pierced the hillside
:neath Tumladen he led them : to the leaguer of hills
:that rose up rugged : as ranged pinnacles
:to the north of the vale. There was a narrow way
:of Cristhorn was cloven : the Cleft of Eagles,
:through the midmost mountains. : And more is told 
:in lays and in legend : and lore of others
:of that weary way : of the wandering folk;
:how the waifs of Gondolin : outwitted Melko,
:vanished o'er the vale : and vanquished the hills,
:how Glorfindel the golden : in the gap of the Eagles
:battled with the Balrog : and both were slain:
:one like flash of fire : from fangéd rock,
:one like bolted thunder : black was smitten
:to the dreadful deep : digged by Thornsir.
:Of the thirst and hunger : of the thirty moons
:when they sought for Sirion : and were sore bestead
:by plague and peril; : of the Pools of Twilight
:and the Land of Willows; : when their lamentation
:was heard in the halls : where the high Gods sate
:veiled in Valinor : ..the Vanished Isles;
:all this have others : in ancient stories
:and songs unfolded : but I say further
:how their lot was lightened, : how they laid them down
:in long grasses : of the Land of Willows.
:There sun was softer, : ...the sweet breezes
:and whispering winds, : there wells of slumber
:and the dew enchanted
(Here the poem abruptly ends)
== References ==
Category:Tales
Category:Poems in The Lays of Beleriand
Category:Songs and verses