g them very awkward； andwondering if they would be of any use。 Fighting had not before occurred to anyof them as one of the adventures in which their flight would land them。
At last they set off。 They led their ponies down the hill； and thenmounting they trotted quickly along the valley。 They looked back and saw thetop of the old mound on the hill； and from it the sunlight on the gold went uplike a yellow flame。 Then they turned a shoulder of the Downs and it was
hidden from view。
Though Frodo looked about him on every side he saw no sign of the greatstones standing like a gate； and before long they came to the northern gap androde swiftly through； and the land fell away before them。 It was a merryjourney with Tom Bombadil trotting gaily beside them； or before them； on FattyLumpkin； who could move much faster than his girth promised。 Tom sang most ofthe time； but it was chiefly nonsense； or else perhaps a strange languageunknown to the hobbits； an ancient language whose words were mainly those ofwonder and delight。
They went forward steadily； but they soon saw that the Road was furtheraway than they had imagined。 Even without a fog； their sleep at mid…day wouldhave prevented them from reaching it until after nightfall on the day before。
The dark line they had seen was not a line of trees but a line of bushesgrowing on the edge of a deep dike with a steep wall on the further side。 Tomsaid that it had once been the boundary of a kingdom； but a very long limeago。 He seemed to remember something sad about it； and would not say much。
They climbed down and out of the dike and through a gap in the wall； andthen Tom turned due north； for they had been bearing somewhat to the west。 Theland was now open and fairly level； and they quickened their pace； but the sunwas already sinking low when at last they saw a line of tall trees ahead； andthey knew that they had e back to the Road after many unexpectedadventures。 They galloped their ponies over the last furlongs； and haltedunder the long shadows of the trees。 They were on the top of a sloping bank；
and the Road； now dim as evening drew on； wound away below them。 At this pointit ran nearly from South…west to North…east； and on their right it fellquickly down into a wide hollow。 It was rutted and bore many signs of therecent heavy rain； there were pools and pot…holes full of water。 They rodedown the bank and looked up and down。 There was nothing to be seen。 'Well；
here we are again at last！' said Frodo。 'I suppose we haven't lost more thantwo days by my short cut through the Forest！ But perhaps the delay will proveuseful – it may have put them off our trail。'
The others looked at him。 The shadow of the fear of the Black Riders came
suddenly over them again。 Ever since they had entered the Forest they hadthought chiefly of getting back to the Road； only now when it lay beneaththeir feet did they remember the danger which pursued them； and was more thanlikely to be lying in wait for them upon the Road itself。 They lookedanxiously back towards the setting sun； but the Road was brown and empty。
'Do you think；' asked Pippin hesitatingly； 'do you think we may bepursued； tonight？'
'No； I hope not tonight；' answered Tom Bombadil； 'nor perhaps the nextday。 But do not trust my guess； for I cannot tell for certain。 Out east myknowledge fails。 Tom is not master of Riders from the Black Land far beyondhis country。'
All the same the hobbits wished he was ing with them。 They felt thathe would know how to deal with Black Riders； if anyone did。 They would soonnow be going forward into lands wholly strange to them； and beyond all but themost vague and distant legends of the Shire； and in the gathering twilightthey longed for home。 A deep loneliness and sense of loss was on them。 Theystood silent； reluctant to make the final parting； and only slowly becameaware that Tom was wishing them farewell； and telling them to have good heartand to ride on till dark without halting。
'Tom will give you good advice； till this day is over （after that yourown luck must go with you and guide you）： four miles along the Road you'lle upon a village； Bree under Bree…hill； with doors looking westward。 Thereyou'll find an old inn that is called _The Prancing Pony。_ Barliman Butterburis the worthy keeper。 There you can stay the night； and afterwards the morningwill speed you upon your way。 Be bold； but wary！ Keep up your merry hearts；
and ride to meet your fortune！'
They begged him to e at least as far as the inn and drink once morewith them； but he laughed and refused； saying：
Tom's country ends here： he will not pass the borders。
Tom has his house to mind； and Goldberry is waiting！
Then he turned； tossed up his hat； leaped on Lumpkin's back； and rode upover the bank and away singing into the dusk。
The hobbits climbed up and watched him until he was out of sight。
'I am sorry to take leave of Master Bombadil；' said Sam。 'He's a cautionand no mistake。 I reckon we may go a good deal further and see naught better；
nor queerer。 But I won't deny I'll be glad to see this _Prancing Pony_he spokeof。 I hope it'll be like _The Green Dragon_ away back home！ What sort of folkare they in Bree？'
'There are hobbits in Bree；' said Merry； 'as well as Big Folk。 I daresayit will be homelike enough。 _The Pony_ is a good inn by all accounts。 Mypeople ride out there now and again。'
'It may be all we could wish；' said Frodo； 'but it is outside the Shireall the same。 Don't make yourselves too much at home！ Please remember …all ofyou – that the name of Baggins must NOT be mentioned。 I am Mr。 Underhill； ifany name must be given。'
They now mounted their ponies and rode off silently into the evening。
Darkness came down quickly； as they plodded slowly downhill and up again；
until at last they saw lights twinkling some distance ahead。
Before them rose Bree…hill barring the way； a dark mass against mistystars； and under its western flank nestled a large village。 Towards it theynow hurried desiring only to find a fire； and a door between them and thenight。
At the Sign of
_Chapter 9_
The Prancing Pony_
Bree was the chief village of the Bree…land； a small inhabited region；
like an island in the empty lands round about。 Besides Bree itself； there wasStaddle on the other side of the hill； be in a deep valley a little furthereastward； and Archet on the edge of the Chetwood。 Lying round Bree…hill andthe villages was a small country of fields and tamed woodland only a few milesbroad。
The Men of Bree were brown…haired； broad； and rather short； cheerful andindependent： they belonged to nobody but themselves； but they were morefriendly and familiar with Hobbits； Dwarves； Elves； and other inhabitants ofthe world about them than was （or is） usual with Big People。 According totheir own tales they were the original inhabitants and were the descendants ofthe first Men that ever wandered into the West of the middle…world。 Few had
survived the turmoils of the Elder Days； but when the Kings returned againover the Great Sea they had found the Bree…men still there； and they werestill there now； when the memory of the old Kings had faded into the grass。
In those days no other Men had settled dwellings so far west； or within ahundred leagues of the Shire。 But in the wild lands beyond Bree there weremysterious wanderers。 The Bree…folk called them Rangers； and knew nothing oftheir origin。 They were taller and darker than the Men of Bree and werebelieved to have strange powers of sight and hearing； and to understand thelanguages of beasts and birds。 They roamed at will southwards； and eastwardseven as far as the Misty Mountains； but they were now few and rarely seen。
When they appeared they brought news from afar； and told strange forgottentales which were eagerly listened to； but the Bree…folk did not make friendsof them。
There were also many families of hobbits in the Bree…land and_they_claimed to be the oldest settlement of Hobbits in the world； one thatwas founded long before even the Brandywine was crossed and the Shire
colonized。 They lived mostly in Staddle though there were some in Bree itself；
especially on the higher slopes of the hill； above the houses of the Men。 TheBig Folk and the Little Folk （as they called one another） were on friendlyterms； minding their own affairs in their own ways； but both rightly regardingthemselves as necessary parts of the Bree…folk。 Nowhere else in the world wasthis peculiar （but excellent） arrangement to be found。
The Bree…folk； Big and Little； did not themselves travel much； and theaffairs of the four villages were their chief concern。 Occasionally theHobbits of Bree went as far as Buckland； or the Eastfarthing； but though theirlink land was not much further than a day's riding east of the BrandywineBridge； the Hobbits of the Shire now seldom visited it。 An occasionalBucklander or adventurous Took would e out to the Inn for a night or two；
but even that was being less and less usual。 The Shire…hobbits referred tothose of Bree； and to any others that lived beyond the borders； as Outsiders；
and took very little interest in them； considering them dull and uncouth。
There were probably many more Outsiders scattered about in the West of theWorld in those days than the people of the Shire imagined。 Some； doubtless；
were no better than tramps； ready to dig a hole in any bank and stay only aslong as it suited them。 But in the Bree…land； at any rate； the hobbits weredecent and prosperous； and no more rustic than most of their distant relativesInside。 It was not yet forgotten that there had been a time when there wasmuch ing and going between the Shire and Bree。 There was Bree…blood in theBrandybucks by all accounts。
The village of Bree had some hundred stone houses of the Big Folk； mostlyabove the Road； nestling on the hillside with windows looking west。 On thatside； running in more than half a circle from the hill and back to it； therewas a deep dike with a thick hedge on the inner side。 Over this the Roadcrossed by a causeway； but where it pierced the hedge it was barred by a greatgate。 There was another gate in the southern er where the Road ran out ofthe village。 The gates were closed at nightfall； but just inside them weresmall lodges for the gateke