1. Great is the Fall
“Mother Idril, I would we had a good Ecthelion of the Fountain here to play to me on his flute, or to make me willow-whistles! Perchance he has gone on ahead?” But Idril said nay, and told what she had heard of his end. Then said Eärendil that he cared not ever to see the streets of Gondolin again, and he wept bitterly; but Tuor said that he would not again see those streets, “for Gondolin is no more.”
-The Fall of Gondolin, JRRT HoME v.II
Great is the Fall
Great is the Fall of Gondolin, ye of Seven Names and fair,
Whose thoughts and songs are lamentations rising in the air.
Great were her lords and captains arrayed in splendor sallied forth
In mail and hauberk gleaming through the dark winds of the North.
Weep ye now, O Gondolin, scoured beneath the skies
For thy fallen lords and captains now in death hath closed their eyes.
Where now is thy Turgon-King who built thee great and fair?
He hath perished in his tower, his folk upon the stair.
Great is the Fall of Gondolin, and great the fall of her King
The lord whose lamentations now all ye exiles sing.
Weep ye now, O Gondolin, upon the vale in flower
For thy mighty Turgon-King hath perished in his tower.
Where now is fair Ecthelion whose voice was sweet to hear?
He gave his life to slay his foe in the fountain waters clear.
Tears unnumbered shall ye shed, tears now beyond count
For Ecthelion beloved hath perished in the fount.
Weep ye now, O Gondolin, no towers now to soar
For Ecthelion beloved shall wind his flute no more.
Where now is golden Glorfindel? Who of his House be left?
He hath faced his final dreadful foe upon the Eagle’s Cleft.
Farewell O Glorfindel beloved, thy name forever blessed
‘Neath stone and song and elanor we lay thee here to rest.
Weep ye now, O Gondolin, and many songs be wrought
For brave and mighty Glorfindel whose life ye safety bought.
Where now is brave and stalwart Rog? Where be his Hammer of Wrath?
They hath perished out upon the plain through foes their hard-hewn path.
Forth his fearless warriors marched in battle hard and long
There fell defending unto death that once-fair Stone of Song.
Weep ye now, O Gondolin, whose flight Rog’s valor earned
Never more now than a memory - of that house, not one returned.
Where now be thy mighty captains, thy lordlings at thy call?
They hath gone to find their final sleep and peace in Mandos’ Hall.
Whither now, O Gondolin, shall the exiles turn their feet
And the weary path now tread, our cursed fortunes meet?
Weep ye yet, O Gondolin, but hasten now thy flight
Lest the Noldor perish utterly and vanish into night.
-The Fall of Gondolin, JRRT HoME v.II
Great is the Fall
Great is the Fall of Gondolin, ye of Seven Names and fair,
Whose thoughts and songs are lamentations rising in the air.
Great were her lords and captains arrayed in splendor sallied forth
In mail and hauberk gleaming through the dark winds of the North.
Weep ye now, O Gondolin, scoured beneath the skies
For thy fallen lords and captains now in death hath closed their eyes.
Where now is thy Turgon-King who built thee great and fair?
He hath perished in his tower, his folk upon the stair.
Great is the Fall of Gondolin, and great the fall of her King
The lord whose lamentations now all ye exiles sing.
Weep ye now, O Gondolin, upon the vale in flower
For thy mighty Turgon-King hath perished in his tower.
Where now is fair Ecthelion whose voice was sweet to hear?
He gave his life to slay his foe in the fountain waters clear.
Tears unnumbered shall ye shed, tears now beyond count
For Ecthelion beloved hath perished in the fount.
Weep ye now, O Gondolin, no towers now to soar
For Ecthelion beloved shall wind his flute no more.
Where now is golden Glorfindel? Who of his House be left?
He hath faced his final dreadful foe upon the Eagle’s Cleft.
Farewell O Glorfindel beloved, thy name forever blessed
‘Neath stone and song and elanor we lay thee here to rest.
Weep ye now, O Gondolin, and many songs be wrought
For brave and mighty Glorfindel whose life ye safety bought.
Where now is brave and stalwart Rog? Where be his Hammer of Wrath?
They hath perished out upon the plain through foes their hard-hewn path.
Forth his fearless warriors marched in battle hard and long
There fell defending unto death that once-fair Stone of Song.
Weep ye now, O Gondolin, whose flight Rog’s valor earned
Never more now than a memory - of that house, not one returned.
Where now be thy mighty captains, thy lordlings at thy call?
They hath gone to find their final sleep and peace in Mandos’ Hall.
Whither now, O Gondolin, shall the exiles turn their feet
And the weary path now tread, our cursed fortunes meet?
Weep ye yet, O Gondolin, but hasten now thy flight
Lest the Noldor perish utterly and vanish into night.
This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of J R R Tolkien. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site. The work is the intellectual property of the author, is available solely for the enjoyment of Henneth Annûn Story Archive readers, and may not be copied or redistributed by any means without the explicit written consent of the author.
