# Mevans
#
#title:Verses from the Taurelantë
#author:Maeron Haradil
#types:gondor,rivendell,umbar
#reward
#
A part of the Taurelantë, or the Fall of the Taurethrim, as is told elsewhere in full by Maeron Haradil of the South-kingdom.

...
{choose:
The trees were tall, the forest fair:
through dappled leaves the sunlight shone
in woodlands wide, and warmed the air
in Sutherland, where few have gone.
The call of beast and song of bird
and fall of rain there sounded lone;
no voices yet of Men were heard;
no Elf there walked on grass or stone.

As living mountains misten-crowned
the mighty trees which sought the sky
like towers climbed, beyond the ground
to Tarmenel, to heaven high.
And at their feet, the spreading roots
like arches loomed in twilight green
among the ferns, where fallen fruits
and leaves lay down in caves unseen.
An elder wonder long ago
ere sight of eye, ere word of mouth:
the Spring of Earth remembered so
in Haradwaith: in deepest South...
/
Then came the wandering hunter-folk
out of the plains where lions run,
come far from vale where first they woke
in flight from dark, to seek the Sun.
The Forest-men they named themselves,
and Forest took them as its own,
and raised them not unlike to Elves:
their homes they wrought in trees full-grown
on carven flets above the earth;
in sight of Stars, and Moon's fair light
they filled the forest days with mirth
and songs unwritten sung by night...
/
In deeps of time, in ages long
the Forest-men grew fair and wise,
and wove their woodlands into song
beneath the trees, beneath the skies.
There birds they named, and beasts they tamed,
and lore of all the forest learned,
though never once a branch they maimed
nor bough they felled, nor vine they burned.

For greater beings yet than they
beneath the roofèd forest strode:
old Mûmak, mighty walker grey;
all Sutherland was his abode.
And though a thousand years went by
all memory to him remained;
majestic still he marched on high:
the lord of beasts, and yet unchained...
/
Then came the Númenóreans,
the Dúnedain, the proud and grave;
on Sundering Seas from western lands
to Middle-earth they sailed the wave.
To Haradwaith they roving came 
in golden fleets, and southward turned
beyond the bay of fated name,
beyond the sands that ever burned,
through rain, and roaring wind they passed
where girdle round the Earth is thrown
and still beyond, and came at last
to distant shores of lands unknown.
Alighting then beside a bay
where wide a rushing river flowed,
the Westmen cast their sails away
and out upon the green they strode...
/
Then came the Ring-lord, tall and proud
in raiment fair, with treasures gold
and gleaming gems; with woven cloud
and silken rain; with malice cold.
And to the ruling Forest-king
a gift he gave: a band of might,
then bade the lord take up his Ring:
and forest fair fell under night...
/
Yet in the hearts of Westernesse
the Darkness too lay brooding long,
and kindling in them great unrest
woke mighty pride, and war-lust strong.
Their golden sails they raised once more
but over Sea now conquering came;
no wisdom fair their ships now bore,
but steel, and whip, and wicked flame...
}