As mentioned before, I am reading Fellowship of he Ring, the first book of Lord of the Rings to my son at night right now. Things are going well. As you might expect from an 8 year old, he is bored at the uneventful parts and excited at the action parts. Last night we reached Gandalf vs the balrog and he was on the edge of his seat. When Gandalf beat the balrog he yelled "I knew he could do it! No one can beat Gandalf!" but then seconds later when the balrog's whip caught Gandalf's leg and pulled him down[1] my son goes silent, with this expression of complete shock.
He was really into that scene!
Anyway, speaking of great scenes, I thought this time to share one of my favorite scenes from thousands of years prior, in the first age of the world when Morgoth was the great evil and Sauron was but his servant.
Thus he came alone to Angband's gate and smote upon it once again, and sounding a challenge upon his silver horn he called Morgoth himself to come forth to combat, crying: 'Come forth, thou coward king, to fight with thine own hand! Den-dweller, wielder of thralls, liar and lurker, foe of Gods and Elves, come! For I would see thy craven face.'
Then Morgoth came. For he could not refuse such a challenge before the face of his captains. But Fingolfin withstood him, though he towered above the Elven-king like a storm above a lonely tree, and his vast black shield unblazoned overshadowed the star of Fingolfin like a thundercloud. Morgoth fought with a great hammer, Grond, that he wielded as a mace, and Fingolfin fought with Ringil. Swift was Fingolfin, and avoiding the strokes of Grond, so that Morgoth smote only the ground (and at each blow a great pit was made), he wounded Morgoth seven times with his sword; and the cries of Morgoth echoed in the north-lands. But wearied at last Fingolfin fell, beaten to the earth by the hammer of Angband, and Morgoth set his foot upon his neck and crushed him.
In his last throe Fingolfin pinned the foot of his Enemy to the earth with Ringil, and the black blood gushed forth and filled the pits of Grond. Morgoth went ever halt thereafter.
. . .
Man. I get chills every time I read that. Not only a great scene, but amazing use of language there. Hope you guys enjoyed as much as me!
 | David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. |
Pulled him down! Not like the movie where Gandalf is left hanging there, seems to be pulling himself up, then just lets go, committing suicide. Most of Peter Jackson's changes I am ok with, but this one... just why? ↩