Henneth Annûn Story Archive

I am the eldest Son of Fire Born with hair alight as flame One half my spirit a blazing pyre The other half less strong, yet tame. Expectations Fire laid on me To burn as bright, as bright as he ‘Try son, try, alight aflame!’ But I could not, you see. Six more sons borne of the Flame One to four, then two the same My younger brothers; the Singer, the Fair, The Dark, the Crafty, the Red Twins were there. Seven embers to follow the Fire To whatever end. He would swear Against the Powers, he called Them ‘Liars!’ His flaming Oath spread everywhere To the Swan-haven, to take the Ships On we marched, burning bright And when the Ships would not surrender- Ai, the madness! - Our kin’s hopeless fight. On we sailed, forsaking our cousins On we sailed, blood on our hands Burning the Swan-ships, so they could not follow Leaving them to ice-wasted lands. Then came a battle, a terrible night When us Kinslayers fought under starlight The Morgoth’s armies, such a dreadful blight But of no match for our darkened might. Victory was ours, we cheered ‘Noldor!’ But my father the Fire would not be tamed Now he was searing, rode t’wards Death’s Door But crushed, his Fire extinguished and maimed. We Seven bore his body, ruined by Demon Barely over the mountains we mourned As our Fire passed to Mandos His body by his spirit burned And then the Crown should’ve passed to me But before I could decide If I should suffer the burden of King I was chained to a cliff by one-handed steel ring Thangorodrim! Ai, the pain! Never had I fathomed such agony Hung against gravity, ever pulling me down Betrayed by my own tall body Then came a voice, so fair and sad Familiar music to my ears The Valiant I begged, begged to release me ‘Send me to Mandos, end my suffering!’ But Eagle great the Valiant rode And with sword bright, smote at the chain And when the iron clasp would not falter My right hand was severed and replaced the pain From then on I fought with my left And became skilled in doing so The Crown I passed to Fingolfin noble Hoping family love would again grow From then on, is history Study the scrolls, you will learn About Sudden Flame- the Death, the fear! Glory and Unnumbered Tears Two Kinslayings added to our list of shame Doriath, ravaged by brothers who fell, The Fair, the Dark and the Crafty Little-father Departed to Mandos, left legends to tell The Sack of Sirion, haven so free The Elves last hope was attacked my me And my last three brothers, Singer and the Twins Burying ourselves deeper into Sin. For three Fire-stars, my father’s Gems Was the blood defiled and the Twins broken Leaving only Singer and me To fulfill the Oath for Powers to see Last Silmarils recovered, my hand burning pain Singer and I escaped to the plains Where, purpose completed, I made my choice And into a chasm, brother last heard my voice They called me the Tall, and also Well-shaped My name was Third Finwë and Coppertop to my friends An Oath-swearer, Kinslayer, one of the Seven Of Fire I was born and in Flames I end.

---