Huan (Middle-earth)

In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Huan, also known as the Hound of Valinor, was a great Hound. In The Silmarillion, Tolkien describes him as being approximately the same size as a small horse.

Huan was given to Celegorm, one of the Sons of Fëanor, by the Vala Oromë the Hunter. Huan accompanied Celegorm on his huntings. When the Noldor under Fëanor rebelled, Huan went to Middle-earth with his master. For this reason, he fell under the Doom of Mandos.

Huan had been granted special powers by the Valar, and was allowed to speak three times. It was also prophesied that he would be killed by the greatest wolf that ever lived.

Huan became involved in the Quest for the Silmaril in which Beren tried to recover a Silmaril from Morgoth, the Dark Enemy. When Beren had left Lúthien and gone with Finrod Felagund to Angband but had been captured in Tol-in-Gaurhoth, Lúthien set out to rescue him. She was intercepted by Celegorm and Curufin, who were living in Nargothrond at the time and were hunting. Huan smelt Lúthien and captured her, and she was brought before Celegorm. Celegorm and Curufin did not reveal to her that they had sent Beren to his death by the hand of Sauron, and took her as a prisoner to Nargothrond, "for her own protection", secretly plotting to wed her to Celegorm and thereby force an alliance with Lúthien's father Thingol.

Huan felt pity for Lúthien, and often sought her out. Speaking for the first time, he told her of a way to escape, and then accompanied her to Tol-in-Gaurhoth to rescue Beren. He killed all of Sauron's werewolves until Sauron himself came out, taking the shape of the greatest wolf that had ever lived up to that point (Sauron was as aware as any of Huan's destiny, and ultimately sought in vain to artificially bring about his death). Huan nevertheless managed to defeat him, and Sauron was forced to flee. Huan returned to his master, who had been exiled from Nargothrond by Orodreth.

On their way to Himring Celegorm, Curufin and Huan came across Beren and Lúthien in the north of Doriath. Curufin tried to kill Lúthien, but Huan turned against his master, defending Beren and Lúthien, and drove Celegorm and Curufin away. Speaking for the second time, Huan told Beren and Lúthien of his plan to gain entrance to Angband, bringing them the corpses of the werewolf Draugluin and the bat Thuringwethil, Sauron's messenger. Through magic Beren and Lúthien took the shapes of these beasts and went to Angband in this disguise, while Huan hunted in the wild.

After Beren and Lúthien had won the Silmaril but Beren had lost his hand to the werewolf Carcharoth, Huan joined Beren, Thingol, Beleg Cúthalion and Mablung in the Hunt for the Wolf. Huan and Beren managed to kill Carcharoth, but Huan was mortally wounded. Speaking for the third and last time, he wished Beren and Lúthien fare-well, and died.