The House of Haleth and the Drúedain

We have mostly been tracking with the House of Beor and Malach but people of Haladin were also reckoned among the Edain. The Haladin were a sort of a nomadic people as each household governed its own affairs; however Haldad loosely led them when there arose need to unite. Need did arise as Morgoth sent an Orc raiding party into Beleriand seeing his lies could not wholly separate Men and Elves. They attacked the Haladin. Haldad gathered all the people he could and built a quick fortification between the Ascar and Gelion rivers. He brought as many women and children to the stockade as possible. There they were besieged until the food ran out. In uttermost need Haldad led a sortie against the Orcs for food and was slain. He had twin children: Haleth a daughter and Haldar a son. Haldar rushed out to save his father's body from being butchered and was killed. Haleth, being a woman of great heart and strength, held the people together for another week, though hope was gone.

As the Orcs finally broke through the stockade Caranthir and his host saved the people of Haleth. Caranthir, finally, looked kindly upon Men. Seeing the valor of Haleth. He offered protection for Haleth and her people and recompense her father and brother's loss. Haleth was proud and did not take his offer for she wished to be ruled by no other. The Haladin gathered what they could and moved West. Henceforth they were known as the People of Haleth. Haleth led the people, with great hardship and loss, through the perilous lands between the Nan Dungortheb and the Girdle of Melian in. They eventually settled in the Forest of Brethil inside Thingol's realm yet outside the Girdle. Thingol would have forced them out save for the intercession of Finrod, who had pity on this people hearing all they endured. Finrod gave Haleth the message they could stay so long as they guarded the Crossing of Tieglin from Orcs. Haleth responded, "'Where is Haldad my father, and Haldar my brother? If the King of Doriath fears a friendship between Haleth and those who devoured her kin, then the thoughts of the Eldar are strange to Men'" (p. 147, The Silmarillion). Haleth dwelt in the Forest of Brethil until she died and there her people remained.

At this point I jumped to Unfinished Tales, which is a book of story fragments and notes that were discovered after Tolkien's death and pieced together by his son. Though the section concerning the Folk of Haleth has little bearing on the histories to come I found it very entertaining. There are various notes about how the Folk of Haleth were a people apart from the other Edain and some of their strange ways. One being the fact that many of their warriors were women. However, since dwelling in the Forest of Brethil they were skilled in forest war and rarely fought openly. 

"The strangest of all the customs of the Folk of Haleth was the presence among them of people of a wholly different kind, the like of which neither the Eldar in Beleriand nor the other Atani had ever seen before" (p. 377, Unfinished Tales). Atani was an Elvish word for Men. These people are the Drûg in the Haladin tongue. Because the Elves reckoned this people along with the Edain they were called Drúedain the Sindarin tongue. They were short stumpy, grew no facial hair (other than eyebrows) except a few men "...who were proud of the distinction..." (p. 377, Unfinished Tales), black eyes as dark as their pupils, wide mouths, deep and gutteral voices, and a laughter that set all who heard it, be they Elf or Man, laughing too. They were very few of number. It's important to note that Tolkien is adamant these are NOT Hobbits despite some similar features.

They were marvelous trackers relying on scent and very helpful when tracking Orcs. They fought in silence, did not boast in victory, and they hated Orcs passionately. The Drúedain were exceptional stone carvers. "Among the grim jests to which they put their skill was the making of Orc-figures which they set at the borders of the land shaped as if fleeing from it shrieking in terror. They made also images of themselves and placed them at entrances to tracks or at turnings of wood paths. These they called 'watch-stones'...Orcs feared them and believed them to be filled with their malice" (p. 379, Unfinished Tales).

Another feature of the Drúedain was their ability to stay still for long periods (days even) at a time. A humorous story among the Folk of Haleth is told about this: involving a Drúedain whose father died. He carved a statue of his father and then sat beside it in deep silence and reflection. A Man of Haleth came along and marveled at the life-likeness of the statues. Three days later he returned and being weary napped on one of the figures. Because it had been raining he slung his coat on top of the statue to dry. He was awoken by a voice behind him: "'I hope you are rested,' it said, ' but if you wish for more sleep, I beg you to move to the other one. He will never need to stretch his legs again; and I find your cloak too hot in the sun'" (p. 380, Unfinished Tales). That made me laugh.

The Folk of Haleth loved and trusted the Drúedain. One final story that illustrates this point. A Drúedain named Aghan was living near Barach, a forester of the Folk, and his family. Orcs had been raiding the woods but Barach's family felt safe with Aghan keeping watch. One day Aghan's brother was injured and he had to go since he was skilled in healing. Barach's family was sad and scared so Aghan carved a watch-stone for them. He took Barach to see it and then in silence Aghan laid his hands on the stone telling Barach he had given some of his powers to it.

Two days later Barach was awoken in the middle of the night by the distinct warning cry of the Drúedain. He looked out and saw two Orcs ready to light his house on fire. He was frightened but he grabbed his bow and went to shoot. He then saw a Drúedain come from nowhere, kill one Orc, scare the other away, and put out the fire with his bare feet. By the time Barach unbarred the door there was no sign of anything including the watch-stone, other than smoke and stench. The next day Aghan came back to the relief of Barach. When told of the story Aghan led Barach into the woods. They found the watch-stone, sitting on a dead orc, with charred and broken feet. And then Aghan unwrapped his buskins revealing bandaged feet. "'Alas! If some power passes from you to a thing you've made, then you must take a share in its hurts'" (p. 382, Unfinished Tales).

Middle-earth timeline: First Age, circa 375-390
Today's reading comes from: The Silmarillion, pages 145-147 and Unfinished Tales, pages 377-382
Relevant map: Beleriand