It is the 20th day of Laer
In the 3018th year of the Sun
Of the Third Age of Middle-earth^[1]

Alas! I have no desire to write these words, for to set them down in inken runes would make this evil doom all too real; but write them I must, though it grieves my heart to do so...

My father is dead!

Gellin, my father, is dead and Echeleb is taken; Tawardil and Gladhron each lie senseless from a poisoned wound, and my mother tends to the hurts of her father and her brother by marriage; Reneth, her mother, lends what aid she can. And I? I am unharmed, but benumbed by grief, and take but this brief moment to record this news in my journal ere we depart upon our urgent errand, lest I return not from the chase!

For yestereve, while we rested in our Green-elven glade, there came unlooked-for in the night a clear horn-call from nigh the southern marches of the Woodland Realm:

Awake! Awake! Foes! Awake!

My clan was swift to take up arms and hasten to the aid of the woodland folk, but the elder Selcheneb bade me stay behind as her guard, for she is a storyteller and wields no weapons save her songs and tales. Together we sat alert within her dwelling high amongst the beechen branches and hearkened to the trampling of iron-shod shoes, the sounds of clashing steel, and the cries of our kin in the onset of our foes; yet naught could we descry in the darkness, for the night was moonless and starless, and an unnatural gloom filled the summer forest with shadow. But we learned afterwards that a strong company of marauding Orcs had come on us at unawares, and they were many and fierce; but we prevailed and after some time drove off the enemy, for they came from over the mountains and were unused to the woods.

But when the battle was over, it was found that Sméagol Gollum was gone and his guards were slain or taken, and it then seemed plain that the attack had been made for his rescue! But both my father and his father were again amongst the guard of Gollum yesterday; and now Gellin Dringoron lies among the slain, and Echeleb Túbeng is among the taken! Several of the woodland folk perished or were wounded in the assault, my kin among them; now my mother grieves for my father even as she comforts their tainted injuries.

And my blood runs hot though my heart is cold as ice... this is the repayment for our kindliness to the creature Gollum? Never before has hatred touched my spirit, but alas! I now feel its dark stain stirring within my soul! But I must gird myself and weep no more!

Legolas leads the hunt, but his heart was against my going and he judged I should remain. But I swore to follow nonetheless, and though he was loath to do so, thus swayed he gave me his leave to join in the chase. Naught remains of Echeleb save his venerable bow of elm, and I have put aside Cúlalf -- a token of my innocent childhood -- and taken up Egros for my own in his remembrance. Mayhap I might yet return it to his own strong hand?

My dear mother knows not my purpose, and thus I leave behind my journal -- open on this page and beside a lighted candle -- for her to learn my doom. And though she cannot read my words, it is my hope that she will bring this book hence to Teithoron Tegilbor and he shall aid her.

Teithoron, my friend and teacher, if she has indeed come hither to you, please kindly read to her these earnest words on my behalf:

Díheno nin, emig! Gi melin!^[2]

Now time is short and I can tarry no longer. May Araw Tauron guide us on our hunt!

Farewell!

[1] While the published "The Tale of Years" in Appendix B of The Lord of the Rings places Gollum's escape in the year T.A. 3017, in the Unfinished Tales: "The Hunt for the Ring" this event is said to take place in T.A. 3018. However, this would mean that it took the Elves of Mirkwood 17 months to report this event at the Council of Elrond, which seems to me unlikely. I've therefore used the ToY date for his capture and the UT date for his escape.

[2] While Legelion wrote this in the woodland tongue, I could find no translation into the Silvan dialect.

Obviously, much of the detail herein is taken from Legolas' report to the Council of Elrond in The Fellowship of the Ring.

18