Quenta 8 — Of the Darkening of Valinor
Chapter 8 of the Quenta Silmarillion
Summary
Fleeing the reach of the Valar, Melkor sought the darkness of Avathar in the south and made alliance with Ungoliant, the great spider-spirit who could weave webs of gloom and swift destruction. They came to the Green Mound of Ezellohar and Melkor stabbed the Two Trees with his spear while Ungoliant drained their juice and light; Telperion and Laurelin withered and died, and only in the Silmarils did the light of the Trees remain. In the dark that fell upon Valinor, Melkor hastened to Formenos, slew Finwë the king at the door, and seized the jewels and all the treasury of the Noldor. When Ungoliant demanded the Silmarils for her share, Melkor refused her, and she grew huge and venomous and would have strangled him had not the Balrogs come from the north with whips of flame to his rescue. The chapter ends with Melkor lord again in the north and Ungoliant wandering into the hiding darkness of Nan Dungortheb, while Valinor mourned the darkened Trees and the slaying of the king.