for it。 I will send out messages； such as Ican contrive； to those whom I know in the wide world； but so perilous are thelands now bee that some may well miscarry； or e no quicker than youyourself。
‘And I will choose you panions to go with you； as far as they will orfortune allows。 The number must be few； since your hope is in speed andsecrecy。 Had I a host of Elves in armour of the Elder Days； it would availlittle； save to arouse the power of Mordor。
‘The pany of the Ring shall be Nine； and the Nine Walkers shall be setagainst the Nine Riders that are evil。 With you and your faithful servant；
Gandalf will go； for this shall be his great task； and maybe the end of hislabours。
‘For the rest； they shall represent the other Free Peoples of the World：
Elves； Dwarves； and Men。 Legolas shall be for the Elves； and Gimli son ofGlóin for the Dwarves。 They are willing to go at least to the passes of theMountains； and maybe beyond。 For men you shall have Aragorn son of Arathorn；
for the Ring of Isildur concerns him closely。'
‘Strider！' said Frodo。
'Yes；' he said with a smile。 ‘I ask leave once again to be yourpanion； Frodo。'
‘I would have begged you to e；' said Frodo； 'only I thought you weregoing to Minas Tirith with Boromir。'
‘I am；' said Aragorn。 ‘And the Sword…that…was…Broken shall be reforgedere I set out to war。 But your road and our road lie together for manyhundreds of miles。 Therefore Boromir will also be in the pany。 He is avaliant man。'
'There remain two more to be found；' said Elrond。 〃These I will consider。
Of my household I may find some that it seems good to me to send。'
‘But that will leave no place for us！' cried Pippin in dismay。 ‘We don'twant to be left behind。 We want to go with Frodo。'
‘That is because you do not understand and cannot imagine what liesahead；' said Elrond。
‘Neither does Frodo；' said Gandalf； unexpectedly supporting Pippin。 'Nordo any of us see clearly。 It is true that if these hobbits understood thedanger； they would not dare to go。 But they would still wish to go； or wishthat they dared； and be shamed and unhappy。 I think； Elrond； that in thismatter it would be well to trust rather to their friendship than to greatwisdom。 Even if you chose for us an elf…lord； such as Glorfindel； he could notstorm the Dark Tower； nor open the road to the Fire by the power that is inhim。'
‘You speak gravely；' said Elrond； ‘but I am in doubt。 The Shire； Iforebode； is not free now from peril； and these two I had thought to send backthere as messengers； to do what they could； according to the fashion of theircountry； to warn the people of their danger。 In any case； I judge that theyounger of these two； Peregrin Took； should remain。 My heart is against hisgoing。'
‘Then； Master Elrond； you will have to lock me in prison； or send me hometied in a sack；' said Pippin。 ‘For otherwise I shall follow the pany。'
‘Let it be so then。 You shall go；' said Elrond； and he sighed。 'Now thetale of Nine is filled。 In seven days the pany must depart。'
The Sword of Elendil was forged anew by Elvish smiths； and on its bladewas traced a device of seven stars set between the crescent Moon and the rayedSun； and about them was written many runes； for Aragorn son of Arathorn wasgoing to war upon the marches of Mordor。 Very bright was that sword when itwas made whole again； the light of the sun shone redly in it； and the light ofthe moon shone cold； and its edge was hard and keen。 And Aragorn gave it a newname and called it Andúril； Flame of the West。
Aragorn and Gandalf walked together or sat speaking of their road and theperils they would meet； and they pondered the storied and figured maps andbooks of lore that were in the house of Elrond。 Sometimes Frodo was with them；
but he was content to lean on their guidance； and he spent as much time as hecould with Bilbo。
In those last days the hobbits sat together in the evening in the Hall ofFire； and there among many tales they heard told in full the lay of Beren andLúthien and the winning of the Great Jewel； but in the day； while Merry andPippin were out and about； Frodo and Sam were to be found with Bilbo in hisown small room。 Then Bilbo would read passages from his book （which stillseemed very inplete）。 or scraps of his verses； or would take notes ofFrodo's adventures。
On the morning of the last day Frodo was alone with Bilbo； and the oldhobbit pulled out from under his bed a wooden box。 He lifted the lid andfumbled inside。
'Here is your sword；' he said。 'But it was broken； you know。 I took it tokeep it safe but I've forgotten to ask if the smiths could mend it。 No timenow。。 So I thought； perhaps； you would care to have this； don't you know？'
He took from the box a small sword in an old shabby leathern scabbard。
Then he drew it； and its polished and well…tended blade glittered suddenly；
cold and bright。 'This is Sting；' he said； and thrust it with little effortdeep into a wooden beam。 ‘Take it； if you like。 I shan't want it again； Iexpect。'
Frodo accepted it gratefully。
'Also there is this！' said Bilbo； bringing out a parcel which seemed tobe rather heavy for its size。 He unwound several folds of old cloth； and heldup a small shirt of mail。 It was close…woven of many rings； as supple almostas linen； cold as ice； and harder than steel。 It shone like moonlit silver；
and was studded with white gems。 With it was a belt of pearl and crystal。
'It's a pretty thing； isn't it？' said Bilbo； moving it in the light。 ‘Anduseful。 It is my dwarf…mail that Thorin gave me。 I got it back from Michel
Delving before I started； and packed it with my luggage： I brought all themementoes of my Journey away with me； except the Ring。 But I did not expect touse this； and I don't need it now； except to look at sometimes。 You hardlyfeel any weight when you put it on。'
‘I should look – well； I don't think I should look right in it；' saidFrodo。
‘Just what I said myself；' said Bilbo。 'But never mind about looks。 Youcan wear it under your outer clothes。 e on！ You must share this secret withme。 Don't tell anybody else！ But I should feel happier if I knew you werewearing it。 I have a fancy it would turn even the knives of the BlackRiders；' he ended in a low voice。
‘Very well； I will take it；' said Frodo。 Bilbo put it on him； andfastened Sting upon the glittering belt； and then Frodo put over the top hisold weather…stained breeches； tunic； and jacket。
'Just a plain hobbit you look；' said Bilbo。 'But there is more about younow than appears on the surface。 Good luck to you！' He turned away and lookedout of the window； trying to hum a tune。
'I cannot thank you as I should； Bilbo； for this； and for all our pastkindnesses；' said Frodo。
'Don't try！' said the old hobbit； turning round and slapping him on theback。 ‘Ow！' he cried。 ‘You are too hard now to slap！ But there you are：
Hobbits must stick together； and especially Bagginses。 All I ask in return is：
take as much care of yourself as you can。 and bring back all the news you can；
and any old songs and tales you can e by。 I'll do my best to finish my bookbefore you return。 I should like to write the second book； if I am spared。' Hebroke off and turned to the window again； singing softly。
I sit beside the fire and think
of all that I have seen；
of meadow…flowers and butterflies
in summers that have been；
Of yellow leaves and gossamer
in autumns that there were；
with morning mist and silver sun
and wind upon my hair。
I sit beside the fire and think
of how the world will be
when winter es without a spring
that I shall ever see。
For still there are so many things
that I have never seen：
in every wood in every spring
there is a different green。
I sit beside the fire and think
of people long ago；
and people who will see a world
that I shall never know。
But all the while I sit and think
of times there were before；
I listen for returning feet
and voices at the door。
It was a cold grey day near the end of December。 The East Wind wasstreaming through the bare branches of the trees； and seething in the darkpines on the hills。 Ragged clouds were hurrying overhead； dark and low。 As the
cheerless shadows of the early evening began to fall the pany made ready toset out。 They were to start at dusk； for Elrond counselled them to journeyunder cover of night as often as they could； until they were far fromRivendell。
‘You should fear the many eyes of the servants of Sauron；' he said。 'I donot doubt that news of the disfiture of the Riders has already reached him；
and he will be filled with wrath。 Soon now his spies on foot and wing will beabroad in the northern lands。 Even of the sky above you must beware as you goon your way。'
The pany took little gear of war； for their hope was in secrecy not inbattle。 Aragorn had Andúril but no other weapon； and he went forth clad onlyin rusty green and brown。 as a Ranger of the wilderness。 Boromir had a longsword； in fashion like Andúril but of less lineage and he bore also a shieldand his war…horn。
'Loud and clear it sounds in the valleys of the hills；' he said； ‘andthen let all the foes of Gondor flee！' Putting it to his lips he blew a blast；
and the echoes leapt from rock to rock； and all that heard that voice inRivendell sprang to their feet。
Slow should you be to wind that horn again； Boromir； said Elrond。 'untilyou stand once more on the borders of your land； and dire need is on you。'
‘Maybe；' said Boromir。 'But always I have let my horn cry at settingforth； and though thereafter we may walk in the shadows； I will not go forthas a thief in the night。'
Gimli the dwarf alone wore openly a short shirt of steel…rings； fordwarves make light of burdens； and in his belt was a broad…bladed axe。 Legolashad a bow and a quiver； and at his belt a long white knife。 The youngerhobbits wore the swords that they had taken from the barrow； but Frodo tookonly Sting； and his mail…coat； as Bilbo wished； remained hidden。 Gandalf borehis staff； but girt at his side was the elven…sword Glamdring； the mate ofOrcrist that lay now upon the breast of Thorin under the Lonely Mountain。
All were well furnished by Elrond with thick warm clothes； and they hadjackets and cloaks lined with fur。 Spare food and clothes and bla