The Children of Húrin
Chapters - J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
Chapter 1: The Childhood of Túrin
Húrin and his brother Huor grow up in Dor-lómin and sojourn secretly in Gondolin before returning home. Húrin weds Morwen, and their son Túrin is born, along with a daughter Lalaith who dies young of the Evil Breath plague. Túrin befriends Sador the lame woodwright, and when Húrin departs for the great muster against Morgoth, he leaves his heir behind with Morwen in Dor-lómin.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Húrin, Morwen, Lalaith, Sador, Huor
Chapter 2: The Battle of Unnumbered Tears
The great alliance of Elves and Men assails Morgoth, but treachery and overwhelming force turn the Nirnaeth Arnoediad into catastrophic defeat. Húrin and his brother Huor hold the rearguard to allow Turgon's escape to Gondolin, and Huor falls with all the men of Hador about him. Húrin fights alone until he is captured alive and dragged to Angband.
On page: Húrin, Morgoth, Gwindor, Huor, Fingon, Maedhros, Gothmog·Mentioned: Túrin Turambar, Morwen, Rían, Tuor
Chapter 3: The Words of Húrin and Morgoth
Morgoth tortures Húrin and offers him freedom in exchange for Turgon's location, but Húrin defies him with scorn, declaring that Morgoth is neither lord of Men nor master of their fate beyond death. Enraged, Morgoth curses Húrin and all his kin, then binds him to a stone chair on Thangorodrim to watch with Morgoth's own sight as doom falls upon his children.
On page: Húrin, Morgoth·Mentioned: Túrin Turambar, Morwen, Huor
Chapter 4: The Departure of Túrin
Under the oppression of Easterlings in Dor-lómin, Morwen sends young Túrin away to Doriath for safety, though she refuses to go herself despite being with child. Túrin is found near death in the wilderness by Beleg Strongbow, who guides him to Thingol and Melian, and the King takes Túrin as his foster-son. Morwen gives birth to Niënor but declines Melian's invitation to come to Doriath, and she sends the Helm of Hador to Thingol for her son.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Morwen, Sador, Beleg, Thingol, Melian, Niënor·Mentioned: Húrin, Rían, Morgoth, Huor, Brodda
Chapter 5: Túrin in Doriath
Túrin grows to manhood in Doriath, befriended by the woodland maiden Nellas and trained in arms by Beleg. When Saeros, a counsellor of Thingol, insults Túrin and then ambushes him, Túrin defeats and humiliates him, and Saeros dies leaping a ravine in flight. Túrin refuses to return for judgement and flees Doriath, but Nellas's testimony clears him, and Thingol pardons him and sends Beleg forth with the sword Anglachel to find him.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Beleg, Saeros, Thingol, Melian, Nellas, Mablung·Mentioned: Morwen, Niënor, Húrin
Chapter 6: Túrin among the Outlaws
Túrin, believing himself an outlaw, joins a band of desperate men in the wilds led by Forweg, and takes the name Neithan. He slays Forweg while defending a woman from assault and claims captaincy of the band, with Andróg as his uneasy companion. Beleg finds him at last, bears news of Thingol's pardon, and begs Túrin to return to Doriath, but Túrin's pride will not allow it and he asks Beleg to stay with him instead, telling him to seek him on Amon Rudh.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Andróg, Beleg, Forweg, Algund, Ulrad, Larnach·Mentioned: Thingol, Melian, Nellas, Mablung
Chapter 7: Of Mîm the Dwarf
Túrin captures Mîm, the last of the Petty-dwarves, and in exchange for his life Mîm leads the outlaws to his hidden dwelling of Bar-en-Danwedh atop Amon Rudh. Andróg's arrow has mortally wounded Mîm's son Khîm, and though Túrin grieves and pledges recompense, a bitter curse is laid. Beleg arrives in midwinter bearing the Helm of Hador and lembas from Melian, and despite Mîm's jealous hatred of him, Túrin accepts Beleg's aid and counsel.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Mîm, Andróg, Beleg, Algund, Ulrad, Khîm, Ibun·Mentioned: Melian, Thingol, Forweg
Chapter 8: The Land of Bow and Helm
Túrin and Beleg become the Two Captains, wielding the Dragon-helm and the great bow, and their growing force drives the Orcs from a wide region they name Dor-Cuarthol. Orodreth of Nargothrond refuses to send warriors but offers other aid, while Morgoth, who has identified Túrin by the Dragon-helm, sends spies to surround Amon Rudh. Mîm betrays them to the Orcs; in the ensuing assault Andróg is mortally wounded but frees Beleg from his bonds before dying, while Túrin is captured and carried away toward Angband.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Beleg, Mîm, Andróg, Morgoth, Algund, Ulrad·Mentioned: Orodreth, Thingol, Melian
Chapter 9: The Death of Beleg
Beleg pursues the Orcs carrying Túrin toward Angband, and in the forest of Taur-nu-Fuin he finds Gwindor, an escaped thrall of Nargothrond. Together they infiltrate the Orc camp and cut Túrin free, but when Beleg accidentally pricks Túrin's foot with Anglachel, Túrin wakes in blind rage and slays Beleg, believing him an enemy. Stricken with grief and madness, Túrin is led by Gwindor to the springs of Ivrin, where his tears are unloosed and his sanity returns, and they journey on together toward Nargothrond.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Beleg, Gwindor·Mentioned: Húrin, Morgoth
Chapter 10: Túrin in Nargothrond
Túrin comes to Nargothrond with Gwindor, taking the name Agarwaen, and his reforged black sword Gurthang earns him the name Mormegil. He rises to become Orodreth's chief counsellor and urges open warfare instead of secrecy, building a great bridge over Narog despite Gwindor's warnings. Finduilas, once Gwindor's betrothed, falls in love with Túrin, who does not return her feeling, and Gwindor reveals Túrin's true identity and the curse of Morgoth. Meanwhile Morwen and Niënor reach Doriath at last, only to find Túrin already gone.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Gwindor, Orodreth, Finduilas·Mentioned: Morwen, Niënor, Beleg, Morgoth, Thingol, Melian, Húrin, Lalaith
Chapter 11: The Fall of Nargothrond
Messengers bring a warning from Ulmo to shut the doors and destroy the bridge, but Túrin dismisses their counsel. Glaurung leads a vast host against Nargothrond; Orodreth falls in the Battle of Tumhalad, and Gwindor dies in Túrin's arms, begging him to save Finduilas. At the ruined doors Glaurung ensnares Túrin with his gaze and feeds him lies that Morwen and Niënor are enslaved in Dor-lómin, sending him north while the captives including Finduilas are driven away.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Glaurung, Orodreth, Gwindor, Finduilas, Gelmir, Arminas·Mentioned: Morwen, Niënor, Morgoth, Húrin
Chapter 12: The Return of Túrin to Dor-lómin
Túrin reaches Dor-lómin in the bitter winter only to find his mother's house empty and plundered. In the hall of Brodda the Easterling, he finds Sador among the thralls, and from Aerin he learns that Morwen departed for Doriath over a year ago. In a fury Túrin slays Brodda and the other Easterlings in the hall, but Sador dies of his wounds and Aerin sets the hall ablaze, and Túrin flees south knowing he has been deceived by Glaurung's lies.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Sador, Glaurung, Brodda, Aerin, Asgon·Mentioned: Morwen, Niënor, Húrin, Finduilas
Chapter 13: The Coming of Túrin into Brethil
Túrin searches in vain for Finduilas and learns from the woodmen that she was slain by the Orcs and buried in a mound called Haudh-en-Elleth beside Teiglin. Stricken to the point of death, he is carried to Ephel Brandir, where Brandir the lame lord of Brethil tends him. When spring comes Túrin takes the new name Turambar, Master of Doom, and resolves to begin life anew, defending the Crossings of Teiglin but renouncing the black sword.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Brandir, Dorlas·Mentioned: Finduilas, Morwen, Niënor, Melian
Chapter 14: The Journey of Morwen and Niënor to Nargothrond
Against the counsel of Thingol and Melian, Morwen sets out to seek her son at Nargothrond, and Niënor secretly follows. Mablung leads a guard after them, and from Amon Ethir they spy the ruins, but Glaurung issues forth in fog and fire, scattering the company. Morwen vanishes in the mist, and Niënor alone climbs the hill where Glaurung finds her and strikes her mind blank with his gaze, taking all her memory.
On page: Morwen, Niënor, Mablung, Glaurung, Thingol, Melian·Mentioned: Túrin Turambar
Chapter 15: Niënor in Brethil
Niënor, stripped of all memory by Glaurung's spell, flees naked into the forest and collapses on Haudh-en-Elleth, where Túrin finds her in a storm and names her Níniel, Maid of Tears. Brandir tends her long illness, and she relearns speech like a child, but her heart is given wholly to Turambar. Despite Brandir's warnings of a shadow on Túrin, Níniel weds Turambar and they dwell in happiness on Amon Obel.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Niënor, Brandir·Mentioned: Glaurung, Dorlas, Húrin
Chapter 16: The Coming of Glaurung
Glaurung turns his malice toward Brethil, and Túrin takes up the black sword Gurthang once more to lead the woodmen against the Orcs. When Glaurung himself approaches, Túrin devises a plan to stab him from below as the dragon crosses the gorge of Cabed-en-Aras, and he sets out with Dorlas and Hunthor. Níniel, now pregnant, cannot bear to wait and leads a great company to Nen Girith, while Brandir renounces his lordship and follows after her in despair.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Glaurung, Niënor, Dorlas, Hunthor, Brandir·Mentioned: Morgoth
Chapter 17: The Death of Glaurung
At Cabed-en-Aras, Dorlas loses his nerve at the river crossing, and Hunthor is killed by a falling stone, leaving Túrin to climb alone beneath Glaurung and drive Gurthang into his belly. The dying dragon's venom burns Túrin's hand and he falls in a swoon. Níniel finds him and tends his wound, but Glaurung with his last breath lifts the spell from her, revealing that she is Niënor and Túrin is her brother. In horror she casts herself into the chasm of Cabed-en-Aras, and Brandir, who has witnessed everything, slays Dorlas in anger before going to tell the people.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Dorlas, Hunthor, Glaurung, Niënor, Brandir·Mentioned: Beleg
Chapter 18: The Death of Túrin
Túrin wakes and returns to Nen Girith, where Brandir tells him that Níniel was in truth Niënor, his sister, and that she has leapt to her death. In his anguish Túrin slays Brandir, then encounters Mablung, who confirms that Morwen and Niënor left Doriath to seek him and that Niënor was lost in the wild. Knowing at last the full truth, Túrin goes to Cabed-en-Aras and casts himself upon his sword Gurthang. At the story's end, Húrin, released by Morgoth, finds Morwen dying at Túrin's gravestone.
POV: Túrin Turambar·On page: Brandir, Mablung, Húrin, Morwen, Morgoth·Mentioned: Niënor, Glaurung, Finduilas, Beleg, Huor, Brodda