A Canto or Two

We last read this story quite a while ago. Maybe years it's been, but I don't know how long for sure.

Ben knows it well, because I read it to him when he was young, one rhyming canto at a time until he would fall asleep. I think the two of us recall those nights in Houston with a smile, and the story mingles with our memories of those years.

Tonite I pulled it from the shelf and asked, Shall we read a canto, now? Ben looked up, blinking, from his Chemistry text. Trudy silently tried to flee. And then he announced that his homework was done and closed his book.

So I read from the story again. A canto about forlorn prisoners chained in a dungeon deep. And another of an elven maiden's rescue song. And as the black towers crumbled and the dark spirits fled, as Luthien swooned into the arms of Beren, I looked up at Ben.

He had fallen asleep.

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