Hound of Valinor

A title of Huan, originally a wolfhound of the hunt of Oromë in Valinor. Oromë gave him as a gift to Celegorm son of Fëanor, who was himself a great huntsman, in the blissful time before the destruction of the Two Trees. After the Darkening of Valinor, Celegorm swore the Oath of Fëanor and followed his father to Middle-earth, and Huan the Hound of Valinor followed Celegorm in turn.

It was prophesied that Huan would not die until he had met the greatest of all wolves, and he was given the gift to speak with words three times before his death. He used that gift in the aid of Lúthien, helping her to escape after she was captured by his master Celegorm, and travelled north with her to rescue Beren. On that journey he encountered and defeated Sauron himself before returning to his master.

Soon afterwards, it happened that Celegorm and his brother Curufin came upon Beren and Lúthien in the wild, and attacked them. At that, Huan abandoned his master, and chased the brothers away. Carrying Lúthien into the far north, he brought her to the fringes of Taur-nu-Fuin. From there she and Beren set out for Angband to recover a Silmaril from Morgoth's Iron Crown.

Against all hope, they succeeded, but Beren's hand that held the Jewel was bitten off by the mighty Wolf Carcharoth, and the power of the Silmaril caused the beast to run wild through Beleriand. The Hound of Valinor returned to Beren and Lúthien, and helped them recover and return to Doriath. Soon afterwards, the maddened Wolf also came to Thingol's realm, and a great hunt was begun. Huan went with the Hunting of the Wolf, and it was he who slew the monster, but having defeated the greatest of all wolves, the Hound's destiny was fulfilled, and he died from the wounds he had taken in the fight.