# The complete lay of "The Fall of Gil-galad"?



## Akallabeth (Jan 17, 2005)

Ever since I first read The Lord of the Rings, I have wondered about the full version of "The Fall of Gil-galad." Sam only recites the beginning of this lay in The Fellowship of the Ring:


> Gil-galad was an Even-king.
> Of him the harpers sadly sing:
> the last whose realm was fair and free
> between the Mountains and the Sea.
> ...


 But there was never anymore. I came across more of Gil-galad in The Silmarillion (which I have yet to finish), but nowhere could I find the rest of that lay.


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## Niniel (Jan 17, 2005)

Tolkien never wrote any more of it, unfortunately. There are more of these poems of which he only gives names, or a few verses, but that are never finished.


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## Akallabeth (Jan 17, 2005)

I thought as much, but I suppose it never hurts to ask. Ah well, we can read in prose about Gil-galad anyway. Thank you, Niniel.


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## KeatsMuse480 (Jan 26, 2005)

I worked on an appendium to the poem about a year ago, but abandoned it for reasons of preservation. I'll dig the canto out sometime in the near future and post it, but I believe Tolkien would like the poem's contents to remain obscure. Or, at least "pure." The song contains a number of bardic qualities, however, such as poetic songs are proscribed. This is the approach I took in appending what was available on the matter. Songs change over time. I imagine that Professor Tolkien would have expanded it if he hadn't abandoned the "Rings" sequel.

Life would be vain if not subject to the inevitable obscurity of time. Personally, that is a veil I would rather admire than lift. As the great Romantic poet Keats suggested, "[The sweetest melodies are those unheard.]" What is the purpose of imagination if all is set before us with Phoebus' clarity?

Interesting subject!

No doubt the Sackville Bagginses stole the poem from Bilbo's study!


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