In the "Lay of the Children of Húrin" (in Lays of Beleriand = HoME, vol.
III) when Beleg is about to use his sword to cut Túrin's chains, Beleg first
recites a whetting spell over the sword to make it sharper and more likely to
slice through the metal. Likewise, the sword which Merry uses against the
witch-king has on it "spells woven for the bane of Mordor."
The other side used such weaponry too. The Morgul
blade which the witch-king uses against Frodo has spells on it: first, "morgul"
means "dark magic, sorcery"; second, Strider chants out a counter-spell over
it; and, third, Glorfindel speaks of the "dark things" written on the
hilt. At the gates of Moria Gandalf does refer to spells used by Orcs; so
the other side can enchant things as
well.
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All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
