Do you hear the voice of Nimrodel?
I will sing you a song of maiden Nimrodel
who bore the same name as the stream beside which she lived long ago...
It's a fair song in our woodland tongue;
but this is how it runs in the Westron speech,
as some in Rivendell now sing it...
...
An Elven-maid there was of old,
A shining star by day:
Her mantle white was hemmed with gold,
Her shoes of silver-grey.
A star was bound upon her brow,
A light was on her hair,
As sun upon the golden bough,
In Lorien the fair.
Her hair was long,
her limbs were white.
And fair she was and free.
And in the wind she went as light,
As leaf of linden-tree.
Beside the falls of Nimrodel,
By water clear and cool.
Her voice as falling silver fell.
Into the shining pool.
Where now she wanders none can tell,
In sunlight or in shade;
For lost of yore was Nimrodel
And in the mountains strayed.
The Elven-ship in haven grey
Beneath the mountain-lee
Awaited her for many days
Beside the roaring sea.
...
Amroth beheld the fading shore
Now low beyond the swell,
And cursed the faithless ship that bore
From helm to sea they saw him leap,
As arrow from the string,
And dive into the water deep,
As mew upon the wing.
The wind was in his flowing hair,
The foam about him shone;
Afar they saw him strong and fair
Go riding like a swan.
...
But from the West has come no word,
And on the Hither Shore
No tidings Elven-folk have heard
Of Amroth evermore.
...