Theoden's Fall
We heard of the horns in the hills ringing,The swords shining in the South-kingdom.Steeds went striding to the stoning landAs wind in the morning. War was kindled.There Theoden fell, Thengling mighty,To his golden halls and green pasturesIn the Northern fields never returning,High lord of the host. Harding and Guthlaf,Dunhere and Deorwine, doughty Grimbold,Herefara and Herubrand, Horn and Fastred,Fought and fell there in a far country:In the Mounds of Mundberg under mould they lieWith their leauge-fellows, lords of Gondor.Neither Hirluin the Fair to the hills by the sea,Nor Forlong the old to the flowering valesEver, to Arnach, to his own countryReturned in triumph; nor the tall bowmen,Derufin and Duilin, to their dark waters,Meres of Morthond under mountain-shadows.Death in the morning and at day's endingLords took and lowly. Long now they sleepUnder grass in Gondor by the Great River.Grey now as tears, gleaming silverRed then it rolled, roaring water.Foam dyed with blood flamed at sunset;As beacons mountains burned at evening;Red fell the dew in Rammas Echor.