king tinwelint himself led that chase , and beren was beside him , and mablung the heavy-handed , chief of the king 's thanes , leaped up and grasped a spear '' -- a mighty weapon captured in battle with the distant orcs -- and with those three stalked huan mightiest of dogs , but others they would not take according to the desire of the king , who said : `` four is enough for the slaying even of the hell-wolf '' -- but only those who had seen knew how fearsome was that beast , nigh as large as a horse among men , and so great was the ardour of his breath that it scorched whatsoever it touched .