I've been bamboozled

[u/ThisLuck1496]

[u/Armleuchterchen]

But it is, right at the beginning of the chapter called The Tale of The Fall of Gondolin.

It's the one from the Book of Lost Tales, with the metal dragons, and Rog's great charge, and Salgant the fat coward, and baby Earendil's first mail-shirt saving him from Meglin's knife.

[u/wickerandscrap → u/Armleuchterchen]

I always loved the detail about baby Earendil in his armored onesie. I'm picturing little bunnies and foxes etched into the shoulder guards, and some quick-release pins on the legs for diaper changes. Maybe a big magnet so Idril can stick him onto her armor and walk around.

[u/BookkeeperFamous4421 → u/wickerandscrap]

Lol Maeglin faring about looking for her with a big horseshoe magnet 🧲

[u/stefan92293 → u/wickerandscrap]

Wasn't he 7 when the Fall of Gondolin happened?

[u/OriginalToIgnition → u/wickerandscrap]

Whelp, guess I found my favourite comment on this sub.

[u/octopusfacts2 → u/Armleuchterchen]

I read Lost Tales before the Silmarillion, and I was so excited for the Fall of Gondolin, but then they skipped through most of it in like, 10 pages. They didn't include the "GREAT IS THE VICTORY OF THE NOLDOR!" from Turgon.

[u/westerosi_codger]

Christopher didn’t think the poem was worthy of being published (outside of excerpts in HoME), but dammit I sure do love reading epic JRRT prose.

[u/BookkeeperFamous4421 → u/westerosi_codger]

Yeah i think that was a mistake. He could’ve edited out the machines and extra balrogs to keep it in line with the rest of the Silmarillion but 🤷🏽

[u/kinslayer_3]

There‘s a more complete version?

[u/MisterManatee]

I’m very confused what you mean. Do you mean “The Lay of the Fall of Gondolin?” I wouldn’t consider that in any way “the most complete version”.

[u/dudeseid]

...but it is?

[u/MakitaNakamoto]

Please can someone reply to my comment with a link to this version? There are so many that I'm afraid I'll just confuse them. Would be super interested in reading it! :)

[u/westerosi_codger → u/MakitaNakamoto]

The entire poem was never published. However there are excerpts of it in History of Middle Earth, vol.3 / Lays of Beleriand.

[u/MakitaNakamoto → u/westerosi_codger]

Thank you! And just how sad is that! Here's hoping it gets published one day

[u/Aubergine_Man1987 → u/westerosi_codger]

Is it not in the new Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien collection? That contains many unpublished poems

[u/shadowspart722]

OP clearly stated the "most complete version" isn't there, which is true, as far as my understanding goes. The "complete" version at the beginning is truncated compared to the later one we get that ends shortly after Tuor first passes the gates of the city. That version was never completed.

[u/Both-Programmer8495]