I first read this when I was 11 years old (couple thousand years ago), and it brought tears to my eyes. A nerdy kid, I'd already read quite a bit, but nothing had ever made me *cry* before that.

Couple years later when I finally read *The Silmarillion*, Tolkien got me again in the story of Beren and Luthien, when Huan, the Hound of Valinor died...

*In that moment Huan leaped from the thicket upon the back of the Wolf, and they fell together fighting bitterly; and no battle of wolf and hound has been like to it, for in the baying of Huan was heard the voice of the horns of Oromë and the wrath of the Valar, but in the howls of Carcharoth was the hate of Morgoth and malice crueller than teeth of steel; and the rocks were rent by their clamour and fell from on high and choked the falls of Esgalduin. There they fought to the death; but Thingol gave no heed, for he knelt by Beren, seeing that he was sorely hurt.*

*Huan in that hour slew Carcharoth; but there in the woven woods of Doriath his own doom long spoken was fulfilled, and he was wounded mortally, and the venom of Morgoth entered into him. Then he came, and falling beside Beren spoke for the third time with words; and he bade Beren farewell before he died. Beren spoke not, but laid his hand upon the head of the hound, and so they parted.*

Man, that dude knew how to spin up a sentence or two.