Unavailable for more than 70 years, this early but significant work is published for the first time with Tolkien's poems "Corrigan" and other supporting material, including an introductory note by Christopher Tolkien.

"The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun," set "in the land of Britain beyond the seas" during the Age of Chivalry, refers to a childless Breton Lord and Lady (the "Aotrou" and "Itroun" of the title) and the tragedy that strikes them when Aotrou seeks to remedy their situation with the help of a magical potion acquired from a corrigan, or malevolent fairy. When the potion succeeds and Itroun gives birth to twins, the corrigan returns to claim her reward, and Aotrou is forced to choose between betraying his marriage and losing his life.

Emerging from the darker side of J.R.R. Tolkien's imagination, "The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun," along with the two shorter "Corrigan" poems that precede this work, was the result of a relatively brief but intense period in Tolkien's life when he was deeply engaged with Celtic, and particularly Breton, mythology and tradition.

Originally written in 1930 and long out of circulation, this early yet foundational work constitutes a significant addition to the non-Middle-earth part of his channel and should be placed alongside other Tolkien references to myths and legends, such as "The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún," "The Fall of Arthur" and "The Story of Kullervo." Like these works, it belongs to a small but significant body of his efforts to explore "real" mythologies, each of which would in its own way influence his literary universe.

Pages: 128, Dimensions: 14.9x14.9cm