The Fall of Gondolin

One day in the year 500 Maeglin went into the mountains, which encircled Tumladen. These were the Echoriath, and he went there to quarry the hard iron in Angharbar. As he strayed alone into the hills, he was taken by some Orcs who had been prowling there, and brought to Melkor. Maeglin evealed infront of Melkor the secrets of Gondolin in return of his life and for Idril - the wife of Tuor and the daughter of Turgon, King of Gondolin and last of the Noldor-princes. And Melkor aided by the cunning of Maeglin devised a plan to overthrow Gondolin, then Maeglin was bidden to fare home before his absence became suspicious. Now Idril had never liked Maeglin and she had long ago told Tuor of her doubt of Maeglin. She also said that she feared that Maeglin would one day bring ill upon Gondolin and upon their child Earendil. Thus she asked Tuor to begin a great task in secret, which was to delve a tunnel with some few trusted men from their house unto the vale below. However, this tunnel should not run towards the Secret Escape, but rather it should head against the cleft of the eagles; Christhorn.

After seven years had gone by since the treason of Maeglin, Idril counselled Tuor to press on so that the tunnel was soon made ready, for great fear had come to her heart and she had a boding that Melkor was behind it. Tuor chose several people of whom he trusted and gave them knowledge of the tunnel and of its use. But none of them spoke to Turgon of it, for Maeglin was his sister`s son and he trusted in him and held with blind obstinacy his belief in the impregnable might of the city.

The winter passed and a spring of wondrous glory melted the snow. The valley burst into flowers and the festival of Nost-na-Lothion passed and the great Feast of the Gates of Summer was drawing near.

In the evening before that day, when the Sun was gone, the light over the hills in the North grew red with a new glow. The glow of death and all the hills in the North were ablaze, and it was as if rivers of fire ran down the slopes to the plain of Tumladen. Riders came over the plain, bearing tidings of those who kept watch on the peaks and they told of shapes like serpents and of the mighty host of Melkor. Fear and weeping woman blended with soldiers filled the streets of Gondolin. Mighty was the array of Gondolin and many werw the colours of all the great houses.

There was the folk of the White Wing with Tuor in command, the folk of the Mole with Maeglin; the folk of the Swallow with Duilin their Lord and the Heavenly Arch with Egalmoth their Chieftain; and the folk of the Pillar and the Tower of Snow both under the command of Penlod the Tall. There was Galdor with his folks of the Tree; Glorfindel with the House of the Golden Flower; and there was the host of the Harp with their leader Salgant; Ecthelion with the people of the Fountain; and at last, Rog with the folks of the Hammer of Wrath.

And now came the beasts across the valley and towards the white towers of Gondolin. Dragons of fire and serpents of bronze fared about the hill of the city shooting arrows at them, but they could not climb the steep hill because of its glassiness. But Gothmog took council and he bade all things of iron gathered and piled up before the Northern gate, and the gate fell with a great noise. Then the catapults and engines of war of the King poured darts and bolts and molten metals on the host of Melkor, but an innumerable host of Orcs poured forth into the city. Then did Rog shout in a mighty voice and all the people of the Hammer and those of the Tree leapt at the foe. The hammers and clubs rang, and those of the Swallow and the Arch poured arrows like dark rain upon them, and the Orcs fell like leaves in a storm. Yet for all their valour, the Gondotlims were slowly trusted backward till the Orcs held part of the Northernmost city.

Tuor struggling in the streets wins back to his house so that he can say a last farewell to Idril. But here he finds Maeglin, who had looked for this moment to fulfil his designs and throw Earendil out of the window into the fire below, and then by force escape with the help of Idril. Maeglin had Idril by the hair and sought to drag her to the battlements so that she might see the fall of Earendil into the flames. But Idril fought like a tigress. Tuor suddenly rushed in, seeing that Maeglin was about to stab Earendil with his knife. The child, like his mother, fought back by bitting his hand trying to get loose. Tuor was suddenly upon Maeglin braking his hand and taking him by the middle and flinging him far out of the window into the fiery fire below where he perished. Tuor left his companion Voronwë against his will with some few others to guard Idril and Earendil, while he and the rest hastened to the battle which had grown very evil.

Balrogs shot darts of fire and climbed into the city upon the backs of iron serpents, at the same time that they loosened unceasing bolts of fire until a fire began in the city. Rog of the Hammer lifted his mace and made way before him by the wrath of his onset and all his people followed and they did deeds of which the Elves still sing. Many of the Orcs were slain in the attack. Rog and his people ran even upon the coils of the iron serpents and came to the Balrogs and smote them grievously. They battered the many of the Balrogs into nought and the numbers that fell that day was a marvel and a dread to the host of Melkor. Even down into the plains were the enemy driven before the Hammer of Wrath, until they at last was overwhelmed by a great force of Balrogs and Orcs. Now Melkor held the gate and great parts of the walls on either side, and within the city they had won a great space reaching near to the centre and the Place of the Well and the Square of the Palace. But now came Ecthelion and the folk of the Fountain, who was held in reserve, and they fell upon the Orcs with their pale blades. Tuor and the people of the Wing ranged themselves beside Ecthelion so that they almost won back to the gate. But the dragons had climbed upon the coils of the iron serpents and upon their backs were the Balrogs and the Orcs taking heart from the coming of the Dragons. The Balrogs then assailed the Elvish defenders grievously. Tuor slew Othred, Lord of the Orcs and five Balrogs with his axe and Ecthelion killed Orcobal the Orc champion and three Balrogs. But in the fight he was wounded in his left arm and at last they had to withdraw to the Square of the Folkwell. At the Square Galdor saved the life of Tuor and Ecthelion, as Tuor stumbled and fell with Ecthelion, whom he carried. In the Square of the Well, Tuor rallied those who had found their way to there, and seeing that the Square of the King was easier to defend they gave way to that place. But in that same moment, they heard a noise and there came Glorfindel with the last men of the Golden Flower. And as they cleared the Square of the Kings Palace, there came Egalmoth and the remainder of his folk.

The men of Melkor had now assembled their forces, and seven fire-dragons with Orcs and Balrogs came upon them from North, East and West seeking the Square of the King. Tuor and Egalmoth went from place to place of the defence, but Ecthelion lay by the Fountain because of his wound. There, Tuor was sundered from Egalmoth, and Gothmog came against him. Weary from the heat and the battle, he was beaten down by that demon. Ecthelion whose face was pale as grey steel and whose one hand hung at his side with no use, strode above him as he fell and drove at Gothmog. Unfortunately, Ecthelion only wounded him. As Gothmog raised his whip, Ecthelion used his helm, which had a spike upon it, and drove that spike into the breast of the beast. As he did this, he twinkled his feet around the legs of Gothmog and they both fell into the Kings Fountain, which was very deep. There found Gothmog his bane, but also Ecthelion, steel-laden as he was, sank into the depths and died.

Because of the killing of Gothmog the enemy was wavering, and now Turgon himself came and joined the battle and they almost won back the Square. Two scores of Balrogs they hewed and even a fire-Dragon fell into the fountain. Because of this, the water in the fountain turned to steam and fog poured over the Square so none might see the other in the scolding heat. The defenders, therefore, were killed one by one until only a handful were gathered around the King who said : "Great is the fall of Gondolin. Evil have I brought upon you despite of Ulmo, and now he leaves it to wither in the fire. There is no more hope in my heart for my city and no blow will I strike more. Let Tuor be your guide and your chieftain, but I, Turgon, will not leave my city and will burn with it." The folk of the Royal House that yet lived would not leave. So Tuor gathered all the maidens, children and mothers he could find and set them in the mid-most of the trail, guarded as well as was possible. On the way to his house he met Idril and Voronwë. Earendil was already with most of the guards Idril had sent to the tunnel. As Tuor and Idril met there, the tower of the King collapsed under the heavy attack from the host of Melkor, and the fall of Gondolin was finally achieved. But Tuor and Idril and their child Earendil, the hope of the two kindred, escaped the fall with a host of few soldiers. With those came also a great trail of women and children through the tunnel devised by the foreboding of Idril.