of T?rin woven, which is fulltold in that lay that is called Narn i H?n H?rin, the Tale of the Children of H?rin, and is the longest of all the lays that speak of those days. Here that tale is told in brief, for it is woven with the fate of the Silmarils and of the Elves; and it is called the Tale of Grief, for it is sorrowful, and in it are revealed most evil works of Morgoth Bauglir.
In the first beginning of the year Morwen gave birth to her child, the daughter of H?rin; and she named her Nienor, which is Mourning. But T?rin and his companions passing through great perils came at last to the borders of Doriath; and there they were found by Beleg Strongbow, chief of the marchwardens of King Thingol, who led them to Menegroth. Then Thingol received T?rin, and took him even to his own fostering, in honour of H?rin the Steadfast; for Thingol's mood was changed towards the houses of the Elf-friends. Thereafter messengers went north to Hithlum, bidding Morwen leave Dor-l?min and return with them to Doriath; but still she would not leave the house in which she had dwelt with H?rin. And when the Elves departed she sent with them the Dragon-helm of Dor-l?min, greatest of the heirlooms of the house of Hador.
T?rin grew fair and strong in Doriath, but he was marked with sorrow. For nine years he dwelt in Thingol's halls, and during that time his grief grew less; for messengers went at times to Hithlum, and returning they brought better tidings of Morwen and Nienor.
But there came a day when the messengers did not return out of die north, and Thingol would send no more. Then T?rin was filled with fear for his mother and his sister, and in grimness of heart he went before the King and asked for mail and sword; and he put on the Dragon-helm of Dor-l?min and went out to battle on the marches of Doriath, and became the companion in arms of Beleg C?thalion.
And when three years had passed, T?rin returned again to Menegroth; but he came from the wild, and was unkempt, and his gear and garments were way-worn. Now one there was in Doriath, of the people of the Nandor, high in the counsels of the King; Saeros was his name. He had long begrudged to T?rin the honour he received as Thingol's fosterson; and seated opposite to him at the board he taunted him, saying:
'If the Men of Hithlum are so wild and fell, of what sort are the women of that land? Do they run like deer clad only in their hair?' Then T?rin in great anger took up a drinking-vessel, and cast it at Saeros; and he was grievously hurt.
On the next day Saeros waylaid T?rin as he set out from Menegroth to return to the marches; but T?rin overcame him, and set him to run naked as a hunted beast through the woods. Then Saeros fleeing in terror before him fell into the chasm of a stream, and his body was broken on a great rock in the water. But others coming saw what was done, and Mablung was among them; and he bade T?rin return with him to Menegroth and abide the judgement of the King, seeking his pardon. But T?rin, deeming himself now an outlaw and fearing to be held captive, refused Mablung's bidding, and turned swiftly away; and passing through the Girdle of Melian he came into the woods west of Sirion. There he joined himself to a band of such houseless and desperate men as could be found in those evil days lurking in the wild; and their hands were turned against all who came in their path Elves and Men and Orcs.
But when all that had befallen was told and searched out before Thingol, the King pardoned T?rin, holding him wronged. In that time Beleg Strongbow returned from the north marches and came to Menegroth, seeking him; and Thingol spoke to Beleg, saying: 'I grieve, C?thalion; for I took H?rin's son as my son, and so he shall remain, unless H?rin himself should return out of the shadows to claim his own. I would not have any say that T?rin was driven forth unjustly into the wild, and gladly would I welcome him back; for I loved him well.'
And Beleg answered: 'I will seek T?rin until I find him, and I will bring him back to Menegroth, if I can;