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Carcharoth
Carcharoth - the knifefang - the great Wolf of Angband
Also known as the Red Maw and as Anfauglir- translated as Jaws of Thirst.
The dreadful Guardian of Angband which Morgoth himself had bred from the mighty race of the wolves of Draugluin feeding him with flesh of Elves and Men.
His soul was possessed by the Evil.
Him Luthien enchants and him Beren fights at the Gates of Angband. In that fight Carcharoth bites off Beren’s hand holding the Silmaril.
He is killed by Huan, the war dog of Oromë in the woods of Doriath.
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From the "Lay of Lethian"; HoMe :
- Fierce hunger-haunted packs he (Morgoth)had
- that in wolvish form and flesh were clad,
- but demon spirits dire did hold
- and ever wild their voices rolled
- in cave and mountain where they housed
- and endless snarling echoes roused.
- From these a whelp he chose and fed
- with his own hand on bodies dead,
- on fairest flesh of Elves and Men,
- till huge he grew and in his den
- no more could creep, but by the chair
- of Morgoth's self would lie and glare,
- nor suffer Balrog, Orc, nor beast
- to touch him. Many a ghastly feast
- he held beneath that awful throne,
- rending flesh and gnawing bone.
- There deep enchantment on him fell,
- the anguish and the power of hell
- more great and terrible he became
- with fire-red eyes and jaws aflame,
- with breath like vapours of the grave,
- than any beast of wood or cave,
- than any beast of earth or hell
- that ever in any time befell,
- surpassing all his race and kin,
- the ghastly tribe of Draugluin.
- Him Carcharoth, the Red Maw, name
- the songs of Elves. Not yet he came
- disastrous, ravening, from the gates
- of Angband. There he sleepless waits
- where those great portals threatening loom
- his red eyes smoulder in the gloom,
- his teeth are bare, his jaws are wide;
- and none may walk, nor creep, nor glide,
- nor thrust with power his menace past
- to enter Morgoth's dungeon vast.
After Carcharoth engulfs the Silmaril he is driven mad by a burning pain and runs away from Angband devastating the regions he passes through and killing every living being in his way.
- Therefore, since daily Carcharoth drew nearer to Menegroth, they prepared the Hunting of the Wolf; of all pursuits of beasts whereof tales tell the most perilous. To that chase went Huan the Hound of Valinor, and Mablung of the Heavy Hand, and Beleg Strongbow, and Beren Erchamion, and Thingol King of Doriath.
As it was foreseen by Oromë, he is killed by Huan – the war dog from Valinor.
- Huan leaped from the thicket upon the back of the Wolf, and they fell together fighting bitterly and no battle of wolf and hound has been like to it, for in the baying of Huan was heard the voice of the horns of Oromë and the wrath of the Valar, but in the howls of Carcharoth was the hate of Morgoth and malice crueller than teeth of steel and the rocks were rent by their clamour and fell from on high and choked the falls of Esgalduin. There they fought to the death.
- Huan in that hour slew Carcharoth.
LhunRoss
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