Ортажердегі Тарих: Белерианд Жырлары

Third of the 12 volumes of 'The History of Middle earth'

The Lays of Beleriand, published in 1985, is the third volume of Christopher Tolkien's 12 volume book series, The History of Middle earth, in which he analyzes the unpublished manuscripts of his father J. R. R. Tolkien.

There is an inscription in the Fëanorian characters (Tengwar, an alphabet Tolkien has devised for High Elves) in the first pages of every History of Middle earth volume, written by Christopher Tolkien and describing the contents of the book. The inscription in Book III reads: "In the first part of this Book is given the Lay of the Children of Húrin by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, in which is set forth in part the Tale of Túrin. In the second part is the Lay of Leithian, which is the Gest of Beren and Lúthien as far as the encounter of Beren with Carcharoth at the gate of Angband".

David Langford reviewed The Lays of Beleriand for White Dwarf #70, stating that "A few gleams of humour come from C. S. Lewis's 15 page critique of an early draft: for the rest, poor old Tolkien lies entombed and fossilized in earnest commentary, like a set text for Eng Lit." The fantasy novelist Suzannah Rowntree wrote that the book is a favourite of hers, and the only volume of the twelve that she had read in full and "keep coming back to for pleasure". In her view, "the book's main attraction is Part III, 'The Lay of Leithian'". She describes this as "a red blooded, grand poem, written in a richly ornamented style bordering (in places) on the baroque. At worst this seems a little clumsy; at best it fits the lavish, heroic story and setting." She comments that Lewis "obviously enjoyed the poem hugely," going so far as to invent scholars Peabody and Pumpernickel who comment on what Lewis pretends is an ancient text. The album Oath Bound by the Austrian band Summoning, known for its Tolkien themed lyrics, contains several songs with lyrics derived from the Lay of Leithian.