The War of the Ring (43 page)

[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 Eowyn and Eomer, and Aragorn beside Eowyn. 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 Theoden had not kept this custom for several years. The Feast-hall had been long silent [pencilled text: But Theoden had not done so for many years].

Eowyn brings wine.

[Ink text original:] Remembering his promise at Isengard, Theoden summoned Merry and set him at his left hand at the high table upon the stone dais. On the King s right sat Eowyn 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. Eowyn'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 Anarion as the name of a region of Gondor see VII.309-10, 318-19; Anarion on both the First Map and my 1943 map is given not only to Anorien (north of Minas Tirith) but also to the region south of Minas Tirith. For the former, Anorien 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 Theoden 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 Pukel-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 Theoden 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 [Theoden] as Snowmane 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 Eowyn with Theoden 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 Theoden. '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, Eowyn, how has it fared with you?'

'Well, Theoden 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, Theoden, 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 Eothain 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.

Here this text ends, and was followed, no doubt at once, by a second version ('G') of the latter part of F, beginning at the description of the Hold of Dunharrow (p. 245) and ending at the same point ('some five hundred sat that night at the King's feast').

While the description of the Hold was repeated virtually unchanged from F (as emended) - the 'Hoker-men' or 'Hocker-men' become

'Pookel-men' - the story that follows was rearranged and expanded.

Merry does not now have any speech with Aragorn when he appears with Eowyn, and it is Eowyn that Theoden first addresses; in her reply she says:

There were hard words, for it is long since war has driven us from the quiet life of the green hills and the fields; but there have been no evil deeds. We had scarcely come to Dunharrow and all was still in turmoil, when tidings came of your victory at Helm's Deep. There was great rejoicing, and many at once went back to the lowlands, caring nothing for rumours of greater perils to come. I hindered as many as I could, for I thought that the tale had grown as it travelled - until Aragorn returned, yesterday morning, even as he said. Then we learned of the fall of Isengard and many other strange happenings. And we missed you, lord, desiring to make merry....