'Why didn't you speak up before？'
'I have only just remembered； sir。 It was like this： when I got back toour hole yesterday evening with the key； my dad； he says to me： _Hello； Sam！_
he says。 _I thought you were away with Mr。 Frodo this morning。 There's been astrange customer asking for Mr。 Baggins of Bag End； and he's only just gone。
I've sent him on to Bucklebury。 Not that I liked the sound of him。 He seemedmighty put out； when I told him Mr。 Baggins had left his old home for good。
Hissed at me； he did。 It gave me quite a shudder。 What sort of a fellow washe？_ says I to the Gaffer。 _I don't know；_ says he； _but he wasn't a hobbit。
He was tall and black…like； and he stooped aver me。 I reckon it was one of theBig Folk from foreign parts。 He spoke funny。_
'I couldn't stay to hear more； sir； since you were waiting； and I didn'tgive much heed to it myself。 The Gaffer is getting old； and more than a bitblind； and it must have been near dark when this fellow e up the Hill andfound him taking the air at the end of our Row。 I hope he hasn't done no harm；
sir； nor me。'
'The Gaffer can't be blamed anyway；' said Frodo。 'As a matter of fact Iheard him talking to a stranger； who seemed to be inquiring for me； and Inearly went and asked him who it was。 I wish I had； or you had told me aboutit before。 I might have been more careful on the road。'
'Still； there may be no connexion between this rider and the Gaffer'sstranger；' said Pippin。 'We left Hobbiton secretly enough； and I don't see howhe could have followed us。'
'What about the _smelling；_ sir？' said Sam。 'And the Gaffer said he was ablack chap。'
'I wish I had waited for Gandalf；' Frodo muttered。 'But perhaps it wouldonly have made matters worse。'
'Then you know or guess something about this rider？' said Pippin； who hadcaught the muttered words。
'I don't know； and I would rather not guess；' said Frodo。 'All right；
cousin Frodo！ You can keep your secret for the present； if you want to bemysterious。 In the meanwhile what are we to do？ I should like a bite and asup； but somehow I think we had better move on from here。 Your talk ofsniffing riders with invisible noses has unsettled me。'
'Yes； I think we will move on now；' said Frodo； 'but not on the road …incase that rider es back； or another follows him。 We ought to do a good stepmore today。 Buckland is still miles away。'
The shadows of the trees were long and thin on the grass； as they startedoff again。 They now kept a stone's throw to the left of the road； and kept outof sight of it as much as they could。 But this hindered them； for the grasswas thick and tussocky； and the ground uneven； and the trees began to drawtogether into thickets。
The sun had gone down red behind the hills at their backs； and eveningwas ing on before they came back to the road at the end of the long levelover which it had run straight for some miles。 At that point it bent left andwent down into the lowlands of the Yale making for Stock； but a lane branchedright； winding through a wood of ancient oak…trees on its way to Woodhall。
'That is the way for us；' said Frodo。
Not far from the road…meeting they came on the huge hulk of a tree： itwas still alive and had leaves on the small branches that it had put out roundthe broken stumps of its long…fallen limbs； but it was hollow； and could beentered by a great crack on the side away from the road。 The hobbits creptinside； and sat there upon a floor of old leaves and decayed wood。 They restedand had a light meal； talking quietly and listening from time to time。
Twilight was about them as they crept back to the lane。 The West wind wassighing in the branches。 Leaves were whispering。 Soon the road began to fallgently but steadily into the dusk。 A star came out above the trees in thedarkening East before them。 They went abreast and in step； to keep up theirspirits。 After a time； as the stars grew thicker and brighter； the feeling ofdisquiet left them； and they no longer listened for the sound of hoofs。 Theybegan to hum softly； as hobbits have a way of doing as they walk along；
especially when they are drawing near to home at night。 With most hobbits itis a supper…song or a bed…song； but these hobbits hummed a walking…song（though not； of course； without any mention of supper and bed）。 Bilbo Bagginshad made the words； to a tune that was as old as the hills； and taught it toFrodo as they walked in the lanes of the Water…valley and talked aboutAdventure。
Upon the hearth the fire is red；
Beneath the roof there is a bed；
But not yet weary are our feet；
Still round the corner we may meet
A sudden tree or standing stone
That none have seen but we alone。
Tree and flower and leaf and grass；
Let them pass！ Let them pass！
Hill and water under sky；
Pass them by！ Pass them by！
Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate；
And though we pass them by today；
Tomorrow we may e this way
And take the hidden paths that run
Towards the Moon or to the Sun。
Apple； thorn； and nut and sloe；
Let them go！ Let them go！
Sand and stone and pool and dell；
Fare you well！ Fare you well！
Home is behind； the world ahead；
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night；
Until the stars are all alight。
Then world behind and home ahead；
We'll wander back to home and bed。
Mist and twilight； cloud and shade；
Away shall fade！ Away shall fade！
Fire and lamp； and meat and bread；
And then to bed！ And then to bed！
The song ended。 'And _now_ to bed！ And _now_ to bed！' sang Pippin in ahigh voice。
'Hush！' said Frodo。 'I think I hear hoofs again。'
They slopped suddenly and stood as silent as tree…shadows； listening。
There was a sound of hoofs in the lane； some way behind； but ing slow andclear down the wind。 Quickly and quietly they slipped off the path； and raninto the deeper shade under the oak…trees。
'Don't let us go too far！' said Frodo。 'I don't want to be seen； but Iwant to see if it is another Black Rider。'
'Very well！' said Pippin。 'But don't forget the sniffing！'
The hoofs drew nearer。 They had no time to find any hiding…place betterthan the general darkness under the trees； Sam and Pippin crouched behind alarge tree…bole； while Frodo crept back a few yards towards the lane。 Itshowed grey and pale； a line of fading light through the wood。 Above it thestars were thick in the dim sky； but there was no moon。
The sound of hoofs stopped。 As Frodo watched he saw something dark passacross the lighter space between two trees； and then halt。 It looked like theblack shade of a horse led by a smaller black shadow。 The black shadow stoodclose to the point where they had left the path； and it swayed from side toside。 Frodo thought he heard the sound of snuffling。 The shadow bent to theground； and then began to crawl towards him。
Once more the desire to slip on the Ring came over Frodo； but this timeit was stronger than before。 So strong that； almost before he realized what hewas doing； his hand was groping in his pocket。 But at that moment there came asound like mingled song and laughter。 Clear voices rose and fell in thestarlit air。 The black shadow straightened up and retreated。 It climbed on tothe shadowy horse and seemed to vanish across the lane into the darkness onthe other side。 Frodo breathed again。
'Elves！' exclaimed Sam in a hoarse whisper。 'Elves； sir！' He would haveburst out of the trees and dashed off towards the voices； if they had notpulled him back。
'Yes； it is Elves；' said Frodo。 'One can meet them sometimes in the WoodyEnd。 They don't live in the Shire； but they wander into it in Spring andAutumn； out of their own lands away beyond the Tower Hills。 I am thankful thatthey do！ You did not see； but that Black Rider stopped just here and wasactually crawling towards us when the song began。 As soon as he heard thevoices he slipped away。'
'What about the Elves？' said Sam； too excited to trouble about the rider。
'Can't we go and see them？'
'Listen！ They are ing this way；' said Frodo。 'We have only to wait。'
The singing drew nearer。 One clear voice rose now above the others。 It wassinging in the fair elven…tongue； of which Frodo knew only a little； and theothers knew nothing。 Yet the sound blending with the melody seemed to shapeitself in their thought into words which they only partly understood。 This wasthe song as Frodo heard it：
Snow…white！ Snow…white！ O Lady clear！
O Queen beyond the Western Seas！
O Light to us that wander here
Amid the world of woven trees！
Gilthoniel！ O Elbereth！
Clear are thy eyes and bright thy breath！
Snow…white！ Snow…white！ We sing to thee
In a far land beyond the Sea。
O stars that in the Sunless Year
With shining hand by her were sawn；
In windy fields now bright and clear
We see your silver blossom blown！
O Elbereth！ Gilthoniel！
We still remember； we who dwell
In this far land beneath the trees；
Thy starlight on the Western Seas。
The song ended。 'These are High Elves！ They spoke the name of Elbereth！'
said Frodo in amazement； 'Few of that fairest folk are ever seen in the Shire。
Not many now remain in Middle…earth； east of the Great Sea。 This is indeed astrange chance！'
The hobbits sat in shadow by the wayside。 Before long the Elves came downthe lane towards the valley。 They passed slowly； and the hobbits could see thestarlight glimmering on their hair and in their eyes。 They bore no lights； yetas they walked a shimmer； like the light of the moon above the rim of thehills before it rises； seemed to fall about their feet。 They were now silent；
and as the last Elf passed he turned and looked towards the hobbits andlaughed。
'Hail； Frodo！' he cried。 'You are abroad late。 Or are you perhaps lost？'
Then he called aloud to the others； and all the pany stopped and gatheredround。
'This is indeed wonderful！' they said。 'Three hobbits in a wood at night！
We have not seen such a thing since Bilbo went away。 What is the meaning ofit？'
'The meaning of it； fair people；' said Frodo； 'is simply that we seem tobe going the same way as you are。 I like walking under the stars。 But I wouldwele your pany。'
'But we have no need of other pany； and hobbits are so dull；' theylaughed。 'And how do you know that we go the same w