| The world was fair, the mountains tall
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| In Elder Days before the fall
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| Of mighty kings in Nargothrond
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| And Gondolin, who now beyond
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| The Western Seas have passed away:
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| The world was fair in Durin’s Day
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| The shadow lies upon his tomb
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| In Moria, in Khazad-dûm
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| A king he was on carven throne
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| In many-pillared halls of stone
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| With golden roof and silver floor
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| And runes of power upon the door
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| The light of sun and star and moon
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| In shining lamps of crystal hewn
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| Undimmed by cloud or shade of night
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| There shone for ever fair and bright
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| There hammer on the anvil smote
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| There chisel clove, and graver wrote;
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| There forged was blade, and bound was hilt;
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| The delver mined, the mason built
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| There beryl, pearl, and opal pale
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| And metal wrought like fishes' mail
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| Buckler and corslet, axe and sword
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| And shining spears were laid in hoard
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| The world is grey, the mountains old
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| The forge’s fire is ashen-cold;
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| No harp is wrung, no hammer falls:
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| The darkness dwells in Durin’s halls |