Far over the misty mountains cold To dungeons deep and caverns old We must away ere break of day To claim our long forgotten gold.
The wind was on the withered heath, But in the forest stirred no leaf: There shadows lay by night and day, And dark things silent crept beneath.
The wind came down from mountains cold, And like a tide it roared and rolled. The branches groaned, the forest moaned, And leaves were laid upon the mould.
The wind went on from West to East; All movement in the forest ceased. But shrill and harsh across the marsh Its whistling voices were released.
The grasses hissed, their tassels bent, The reeds were rattling, on it went. O'er shaken pool under heavens cool, Where racing clouds were torn and rent.
It passed the Lonely Mountain bare, And swept above the dragon's lair: There black and dark lay boulders stark, And flying smoke was in the air.
It left the world and took its flight Over the wide seas of the night. The moon set sail upon the gale, And stars were fanned to leaping light.
Under the Mountain dark and tall The King has come unto his hall! His foe is dead, the Worm of Dread, And ever so his foes shall fall!
The sword is sharp, the spear is long, The arrow swift, the Gate is strong; The heart is bold that looks on gold; The dwarves no more shall suffer wrong.
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells, While hammers fell like ringing bells In places deep, where dark things sleep, In hollow halls beneath the fells.
On silver necklaces they strung The light of stars, on crowns they hung The dragon-fire, from twisted wire The melody of harps they wrung.
The mountain throne once more is freed! O! Wandering folk, the summons heed! Come haste! Come haste! Across the waste! The king of friend and kin has need.
Now we call over the mountains cold, 'Come back unto the caverns old!' Here at the Gates the king awaits, His hands are rich with gems and gold.
The king has come unto his hall Under the Mountain dark and tall. The Worm of Dread is slain and dead, And ever so our foes shall fall!
Farewell we call to hearth and hall, Though wind may blow and rain may fall, We must away, ere break of day Far over the wood and mountain tall.
To Rivendell, where Elves yet dwell In glades beneath the misty fell. Through moor and waste we ride in haste And whither then we cannot tell.
With foes ahead, behind us dread, Beneath the sky shall be our bed, Until at last our toil be passed, Our journey done, our errand sped.
We must away! We must away! We ride before the break of day!