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

by J. R. R. Tolkien

  This was followed by a further draft of the opening ('B'), a single page roughly written in ink that went no further than the errand-riders racing from Gondor to Edoras. I give this brief text in full, ignoring a few subsequent changes in pencil.

  Pippin looked out from the shelter of Gandalf's cloak. He was awake now, though he had been sleeping, but he felt that he was still in a swift-moving dream. Still the dark world seemed to be rushing by, and a wind sang loudly in his ears. He could see nothing but the wheeling stars, and away to the right vast shadows against the sky, where the mountains of the south marched by. Sleepily he tried to reckon the time, but he could not be sure of his memory. This was the beginning of the second night of riding since he had seen the pale gleam of gold in the chill dawn and had come to the great empty house upon the hill in Edoras. There he had slept only dimly aware of much coming and going and of the great outcry when the winged flier had passed over. And since then riding, riding in the night.

  A pale light came in the sky, a blaze of yellow fire was lit behind dark barriers. For a moment he was afraid, wondering what dreadful thing lay ahead; he rubbed his eyes, and then he saw it was the moon rising full out of the eastern shadows. So they had ... for four hours since dusk!(1)

  'Where are we, Gandalf?' he asked.

  'Anórien the realm of Gondor is still fleeting by,' said Gandalf.

  'What is that?' said Pippin, suddenly clutching at Gandalf's cloak. 'Fire! I thought for a moment it might be a dragon. I feel that anything might happen in this land. Look there is another!'

  'On, Shadowfax!' cried Gandalf. 'We must not rest this night. Those are the beacons of Gondor calling for aid. War is kindled. See, there is the light on Amon Thorn, and a flame on Elenach; and look there they go speeding west, Nardol, Penannon, Orodras, and Mindor Uilas on the borders of Rohan. Haste!'

  And Shadowfax leaped forward, and as he sprang forward he neighed pricking his ears. Neighing of horses answered and like shadows flying on a wild wind riders went by them thundering west in the gloom.

  'Those are post riders,' said Gandalf, 'riding from message post to message post - bearing tidings and summons. The message will reach Edoras by nightfall tonight.'(2)

  This text was followed by another single page ('C'). This was typed by my father in the 'midget type' which he used in his letters to me from 7 July 1944 (see the beginning of no. 75 in Letters) and frequently until October of that year; and thus this one sheet carries the story as far as the point where Shadowfax passes through the narrow gate in the Pelennor wall (RK p. 21) - the text stopping just before the name Pelennor would appear (see p. 277). The final text was now very closely approached. The names of all the beacons (now seven, not six) are here in the final form: Amon Dîn, Eilenach, Nardol, Erelas, Minrimmon, Calenhad, and Halifirien on the borders of Rohan. There are however a few differences. Gandalf here tells Pippin that the message-posts were at distances of 'every fifty miles or so, where errand-riders were always in readiness to carry messages to Rohan or elsewhere' (in RK, p. 20, no distance is mentioned, and Belfalas is named as another destination of such errands). The passage in which Pippin, falling asleep, thinks of Frodo runs thus:

  He wondered where Frodo was and if he was already in Mordor, little thinking that Frodo on that same night saw from afar the white snows under the moon; but the red flames of the beacons he did not see, for the mists of the Great River covered all the land between.

  On this see the Note on Chronology at the end of this chapter.(3)-The leader of the men at the Pelennor wall is here named Cranthir, not Ingold.

  The next stage in the evolution of 'Minas Tirith' was a complete, or nearly complete, draft text; that the page 'C' preceded it and was not an abortive start to a typescript of it is certain `e.g., the leader of the men at the wall is now Ingold).

  My father here set a most curious puzzle. The datum is that (as he said) he abandoned 'Minas Tirith' about the end of 1942, as 'the beacons flared in Anórien': the story only went 'as far as the arrival in Gondor'. A single typescript page ('C') does precisely that, and when I first studied these papers I felt certain that it was the 'abandoned opening', but it is clear and obvious that 'C' was developed from 'B' and that from 'A', and in 'A' there is a reference to Faramir, who only entered the story in 1944. Moreover 'C' was typed with a special type which my father seems only to have begun using in 1944. The emphatically underlined words in A 'Beacons. Messengers riding West' certainly suggest that this is where those ideas actually arose; but how could they have done so, since 'the beacons flared in Anórien' already in the original opening of 1942? I was therefore forced to the conclusion that that was lost.

  But this conclusion is wrong; and there is very clear evidence that my father erred in his recollection. The solution lies in a passage from his letter of Thursday 12 October 1944, which I have cited before (p- 100), but not in full:

  I began trying to write again (I would, on the brink of term!) on Tuesday, but-I struck a most awkward error (one or two days) in the synchronization, v. important at this stage, of movements of Frodo and the others, which has cost labour and thought and will require tiresome small alterations in many chapters; but at any rate I have actually began Book Five (and last: about 10 chapters per 'book').

  I had taken (in view of what he said years later) the words that I have italicised to mean that my father had begun 'Minas Tirith' anew, and supposed that in this brief reference he simply passed over the fact that the beginning of the chapter (and the beginning of 'The Muster of Rohan') was long since in existence - or else that the earlier beginning had now been rejected and set aside. But the words are much more naturally taken to mean what they say: 'I have actually begun Book Five'- on 10 October 1944, ab initio; and if they are so taken the entire problem disappears. The abandoned opening is not lost, and it is indeed the curious isolated page 'C' in 'midget type'; but it was written in 1944, not 1942. The page 'A', preceding 'B' and 'C', is indeed where the ideas of the beacons and the westbound errand-riders first emerged - and since it was written in 1944 the appearance of Faramir represents no difficulty. Thus in his letter of 29 November 1944 cited on p. 219 my father could say that 'Book Five and Last opens with the ride of Gandalf to Minas Tirith ... Some of this is written or sketched': it had been 'written or sketched' in the previous month.

  The reason for this error, made many years later, is easy to see: for there was indeed a long hiatus in the writing of 'Minas Tirith' (and 'The Muster of Rohan'). But it fell not in the long halt of 1943-4, between Book III and Book IV; it fell in the long halt between October 1944 and the summer of 1946 (see pp. 219-20), after Book IV was completed. That this is so is strongly supported by the time-schemes. I have argued (p. 141) that the schemes C and D preceded the chronological problems that emerged in October 1944, while scheme S represents their resolution. All three, however, deal both with Frodo and Sam on the one hand and the events in Rohan and Gondor on the other; and it seems therefore very probable that they are all to be associated with the new narrative opening at that time. It was precisely because my father was now, in the latter part of 1944, returning 'west of Anduin' for the first time since he finished 'The Palantír' that the need for all this chronological synchronisation arose. See further the Note on Chronology at the end of this chapter.

  The first full draft of 'Minas Tirith' belongs of course to the final period in the writing of The Lord of the Rings. This text was left behind in England; but apart from this, almost all manuscript material from the final period (Books V and VI), including outlines and initial draftings, went to Marquette University in the original consignment of papers.

  (ii) The Muster of Rohan.

  The original draft for the opening of 'The Muster of Rohan', here called 'A', is a rapidly pencilled text in my father's most difficult script, some of which has defied repeated attempts to decipher it; I give it here as best I can. The opening paragraph was rejected as soon as written, but it was not struck through. It may be mentioned before giving t
he text that it had long been known that Théoden would return from Isengard through the mountains to Dunharrow: see the outlines given on pp. 70, 72 (written before Gandalf's sudden departure for Minas Tirith on Shadowfax had entered). In LR the journey of Théoden, Aragorn and their company from Dol Baran is described in 'The Passing of the Grey Company', but that had not yet been written.

  Morning was come again, but dim still lay the deep dale about them. Dark and shadowy the great woods of fir climbed upon the steep sides of the ... hills. Long now it seemed to the travellers since they had ridden from Isengard, longer even than [? the] time of their weary journey.(4)

  Day again was fading. Dim lay the high dale about them. Night had already come beneath the great woods of murmuring firs that clothed the steep mountain-sides. But now the travellers rode down a steep track and passing out of the scented sighing gloom of the pines they [?followed a] ...... they found them- selves at the... where it passed into a wider vale. The long vale of Harrowdale. Dark on the right loomed the vast tangled mass of Dunharrow, its great peak now lost to sight, for they were crawling at its feet. Lights twinkled before them on the other side of the valley, across the river Snowborn (5) white and fuming on its stones. They were come at last at the end of many days to the old mountain homes of folk forgotten - to the Hold of Dunharrow. Long it seemed since they rode from Isengard. [?It was] ... days since they rode from Isengard, but it seemed ..., with little else but weary riding. So King Théoden came back to his people.

  As dusk fell they came to the river and the old stone bridges that [?were there]. There they sounded a horn. Horns answered gladly from above. Now they climbed up a winding path which brought them slowly up to a wide upland field set back into the side of the great [?bones of Dunharrow. Treeclad walls half embraced it].(6) The Snowborn issued and fell down with a waterfall. The rock behind was full of caves that had been bored and cut with great labour in the rock walls. Legend said that here was a dwelling and a [?holy] place of forgotten men in the Dark Years - [? before ever] the ships came to Belfalas or Gondor was built. What had become of them? Vanished, gone away, to mingle with the people of Dunland or the folk of Lebennin by the sea. Here the Eorlingas had made a stronghold, but they were not a mountain folk, and as the days grew better while Sauron was far away they passed down the vale and built Edoras at the north of Harrowdale. But ever they kept the Hold of Dunharrow as a refuge. There still dwelt some folk reckoned as Rohir, and the same in speech, but dark with grey eyes. The blood of the forgotten men ran in their veins.

  Now all [? about] the vale on [? flat] sides of the Snowborn they saw ... and ... of men, fires kindled. The [?upland plain] was filled [? too]. Trumpets rang, glad was the cry of men to welcome Théoden.

  Éowyn comes forth and greets Théoden and Aragorn.

  Gandalf's message tells her to hold assembly at Dunharrow. This is not the House of Eorl. But [? that is guarded]. Here we will [?hold) the feast of victory so long delayed, and the [ale >] ... ale (7) of Háma and all who fell.

  The torchlit stone hall.

  Merry sat beside Théoden as was promised.(8)

  Éowyn brings in the cup for the drinking.

  Even as Théoden drains it the messenger comes.

  Aragorn had already arrived and greets King Théoden (9) side by side with Éowyn.

  Halbarad sister-son of Denethor.(10) He asks for ten thousand spears at once.

  Men are [? gathering] in the East beyond the Inland Sea of Nurnen, and far north. Eventually they may assail the East Emnet, but that would not come yet. Now Orcs have passed south through Nargil pass in the Southland beyond [? River] Harnen.(11)

  I postpone discussion of this earliest conception of Harrowdale and the Hold of Dunharrow to the end of the next version. This, which I will call 'B', began as a fully articulated narrative in ink and in clear script, but swiftly collapsed. The opening passage was much corrected both at the time of writing and subsequently; I give it here as it seems to have stood when my father abandoned it.

  Day was fading. The high valley grew dim about them. Night had already come beneath the murmuring firwood that clothed the steep mountain-sides. Their path turning a sharp shoulder of rock plunged down into the sighing gloom under dark trees. At last they came out again and saw that it was evening, and their journey was nearly at an end. They had come down to the edge of the mountain-stream, which all day they had followed as far below it clove its deep path between the tree-clad walls. And now through a narrow gate between the mountains it passed out, and flowed into a wider vale.

  'At last! ' said Eomer. 'We are come

  Here my father stopped. Perhaps at once, he added in pencil 'to Harrowdale', then struck out Eomer's words and continued the text in pencil, which soon becomes difficult to read, and finally as nearly impossible as text A.

  They followed it, and saw the Snowborn white and fuming upon its stones rush down upon its swift journey to Edoras at the mountains' feet. To their right, now dark and swathed in cloud, loomed the vast tumbled mass of great Dunharrow, but his/its tall peak and cap of snow they could not see, for they were crawling under the shadow of his knees. Across the dale before them lights were twinkling.

  'Long now it seems since we rode from Isengard about this hour of the day,' said Théoden. 'We have journeyed by dusk and night and by day among the hills, and I have lost count of time. But was not the moon full last night?'

  'Yes,' said Aragorn. '[Five >] Four days have we passed on the road, and now six remain before the day that you appointed for the assembly at Edoras.'

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

  They came now [?under] dusk over a stone bridge across the river; and when the head of [?his] long line had passed it a man sounded a loud call upon [a] horn. It echoed in the valley, and horn[s] answered it from far above. Lights sprang out and men rode forward to meet them. King Théoden was welcomed back with joy, and he rode on with Eomer and Aragorn and his company up the steep winding path that led to the Hold of Dunharrow on the mountain's knee. No foe could climb that way while any defended it from above. [Looking back] Merry was riding now on a pony furnished for him at Helm's Deep. With him [? went] Legolas and Gimli. They looked back and long after they had climbed high they could descry in the grey dusk below the long winding line of the Riders of Rohan still crossing by the bridge. Many men had followed Théoden from Westfold.

  So at last they came to the Hold - the mountain homes of long forgotten folk. Dim legends only now remembered them. Here they had dwelt [and had made a dark temple a temple and holy place in the Dark Years] in fear under the shadow of the Dark Years, before ever a ship came to Belfalas or Gondor of the Kings was built. That was in the first [?reign] of Sauron the [?Great] when Baraddur first was founded, but they had ... [?him] and built a refuge ...... [?that no enemy] could take. There was a wide upland [field > ?slope] set back into the mountain - the lap of Dunharrow. Arms of the mountain embraced [it] except only for a space upon the west. Here the [?green bay] fell over a sheer brink down into Harrowdale. A winding path led up.' Behind the sheer walls of the vale were ..... caves - made by ancient art. [?Water fell in a fall over the ........... and flowed ... the midst ...]

  When the men of Gondor came [?there] the men of this place lived for a while [?owning] no lord of Gondor. But what became of them no legend knew. They had vanished and gone far away.

  As my father wrote the end of this text he drew two little sketches of the Hold of Dunharrow, and this page is reproduced on p. 239 (see also note 6). These sketches show his earliest imagining of the Hold very clearly: a natural 'amphitheatre' with caves in the further rock- wall, and a stream (in text A stated to be the Snowbourn) falling down from the heights behind and over the central door, thence crossing the open space ('the lap of Dunharrow') and falling again over the lower cliff up which the path climbs. It is less easy to be sure of the situation of the Hold in relation to Harrowdale. When Théoden and his company enter the dale 'the vast tumb
led mass of great (Dunharrow.) Dunharrow' is on their right; Dunharrow is the name of the mountain (on the First Map, IV(E), VII.319, 'Dunharrow' is written against the mountain at the head of the great valley extending south-west from Edoras). They crossed the Snowbourn by a stone bridge; the path, steep and winding, then led them up to the Hold 'on the mountain's knee'; and the 'amphitheatre' was open to the west. The most natural interpretation is that the Hold was on the far (eastern) side of Harrowdale, and near the head of the valley.

  The references in A to the Hold having been preserved as a refuge, and to 'the torchlit stone hall' in which the feast was held, are explained and expanded in subsequent texts.

  Text B was followed, no doubt immediately, by a third version ('C'), clearly written in ink, which however again stops at the same point. Here the entry of the Riders into Harrowdale is described in very much the same way as it is in B:

  They followed it [the mountain-stream] and saw it spring with a last leap into the Snowbourn River that white and fuming on its stones rushed down upon its swift journey to Edoras far below. To their right, dark and swathed in cloud, loomed the vast tumbled mass of great Dunharrow, but its peak and cap of snow they could not see, for they were crawling under the shadow of its knees. Across the valley upon the mountain-side lights were twinkling.