to name a single strand of your hair； which surpasses the gold of the earth asthe stars surpass the gems of the mine。 I do not ask for such a gift。 But youmanded me to name my desire。'
The Elves stirred and murmured with astonishment； and Celeborn gazed atthe Dwarf in wonder； but the Lady smiled。 'It is said that the skill of theDwarves is in their hands rather than in their tongues ' she said； ‘yet thatis not true of Gimli。 For none have ever made to me a request so bold and yetso courteous。 And how shall I refuse； since I manded him to speak？ But tellme； what would you do with such a gift？ '
‘Treasure it； Lady；' he answered； ‘in memory of your words to me at ourfirst meeting。 And if ever I return to the smithies of my home； it shall beset in imperishable crystal to be an heirloom of my house； and a pledge ofgood will between the Mountain and the Wood until the end of days。'
Then the Lady unbraided one of her long tresses； and cut off three goldenhairs； and laid them in Gimli's hand。 ‘These words shall go with the gift；'
she said。 ‘I do not foretell； for all foretelling is now vain： on the one handlies darkness； and on the other only hope。 But if hope should not fail； then Isay to you； Gimli son of Glóin； that your hands shall flow with gold； and yetover you gold shall have no dominion。
‘And you； Ring…bearer；' she said； turning to Frodo。 ‘I e to you lastwho are not last in my thoughts。 For you I have prepared this。' She held up asmall crystal phial： it glittered as she moved it； and rays of white lightsprang from her hand。 'In this phial；' she said； ‘is caught the light ofE。rendil's star； set amid the waters of my fountain。 It will shine stillbrighter when night is about you。 May it be a light to you in dark places；
when all other lights go out。 Remember Galadriel and her Mirror！ '
Frodo took the phial； and for a moment as it shone between them； he sawher again standing like a queen； great and beautiful； but no longer terrible。
He bowed； but found no words to say。
Now the Lady arose； and Celeborn led them back to the hythe。 A yellownoon lay on the green land of the Tongue； and the water glittered with silver。
All at last was made ready。 The pany took their places in the boats asbefore。 Crying farewell； the Elves of Lórien with long grey poles thrust themout into the flowing stream； and the rippling waters bore them slowly away。
The travellers sat still without moving or speaking。 On the green bank near tothe very point of the Tongue the Lady Galadriel stood alone and silent。 As
they passed her they turned and their eyes watched her slowly floating awayfrom them。 For so it seemed to them： Lórien was slipping backward； like abright ship masted with enchanted trees； sailing on to forgotten shores； whilethey sat helpless upon the margin of the grey and leafless world。
Even as they gazed； the Silverlode passed out into the currents of theGreat River； and their boats turned and began to speed southwards。 Soon thewhite form of the Lady was small and distant。 She shone like a window of glassupon a far hill in the westering sun； or as a remote lake seen from amountain： a crystal fallen in the lap of the land。 Then it seemed to Frodothat she lifted her arms in a final farewell； and far but piercing…clear onthe following wind came the sound of her voice singing。 But now she sang inthe ancient tongue of the Elves beyond the Sea； and he did not understand thewords： fair was the music； but it did not fort him。
Yet as is the way of Elvish words； they remained graven in his memory；
and long afterwards he interpreted them； as well as he could： the language wasthat of Elven…song and spoke of things little known on Middle…earth。
Ai！ lauri。 lantar lassi súrinen；
Yéni únótim。 ve rámar aldaron！
Yéni ve lint。 yuldar avánier
mi oromardi lisse…miruvóreva
Andún。 pella； Vardo tellumar
nu luini yassen tintilar i eleni
ómaryo airetári…lírinen。
Sí man i yulma nin enquantuva？
An sí Tintall。 Varda Oioloss。o
ve fanyar máryat Elentári ortan。
ar ily。 tier unduláv。 lumbul。；
ar sindanóriello caita morni。
i falmalinnar imb。 met； ar hísi。
untúpa Calaciryo míri oial。。
Si vanwa ná； Rómello vanwa； Valimar！
Namári。！ Nai hiruvaly。 Valimar。
Nai ely。 hiruva。 Namári。！
‘Ah！ like gold fall the leaves in the wind； long years numberless as thewings of trees！ The long years have passed like swift draughts of the sweetmead in lofty halls beyond the West； beneath the blue vaults of Varda whereinthe stars tremble in the song of her voice； holy and queenly。 Who now shallrefill the cup for me？ For now the Kindler； Varda； the Queen of the Stars；
from Mount Everwhite has uplifted her hands like clouds； and all paths aredrowned deep in shadow； and out of a grey country darkness lies on the foamingwaves between us； and mist covers the jewels of Calacirya for ever。 Now lost；
lost to those from the East is Valimar！ Farewell！ Maybe thou shalt findValimar。 Maybe even thou shalt find it。 Farewell！ ' Varda is the name of thatLady whom the Elves in these lands of exile name Elbereth。
Suddenly the River swept round a bend； and the banks rose upon eitherside； and the light of Lórien was hidden。 To that fair land Frodo never came
again。
The travellers now turned their faces to the journey； the sun was beforethem； and their eyes were dazzled； for all were filled with tears。 Gimli weptopenly。
‘I have looked the last upon that which was fairest；' he said to Legolashis panion。 ‘Henceforward I will call nothing fair； unless it be hergift。' He put his hand to his breast。
‘Tell me； Legolas； why did I e on this Quest？ Little did I know wherethe chief peril lay！ Truly Elrond spoke； saying that we could not foresee whatwe might meet upon our road。 Torment in the dark was the danger that I feared；
and it did not hold me back。 But I would not have e； had I known the dangerof light and joy。 Now I have taken my worst wound in this parting； even if Iwere to go this night straight to the Dark Lord。 Alas for Gimli son of Glóin！
'
‘Nay！ ' said Legolas。 ‘Alas for us all！ And for all that walk the worldin these after…days。 For such is the way of it： to find and lose； as it seemsto those whose boat is on the running stream。 But I count you blessed； Gimlison of Glóin： for your loss you suffer of your own free will； and you mighthave chosen otherwise。 But you have not forsaken your panions； and theleast reward that you shall have is that the memory of Lothlórien shall remainever clear and unstained in your heart； and shall neither fade nor growstale。'
‘Maybe；' said Gimli； ‘and I thank you for your words。 True wordsdoubtless； yet all such fort is cold。 Memory is not what the heart desires。
That is only a mirror； be it clear as Kheled…zaram。 Or so says the heart ofGimli the Dwarf。 Elves may see things otherwise。 Indeed I have heard that forthem memory is more like to the waking world than to a dream。 Not so forDwarves。
'But let us talk no more of it。 Look to the boat！ She is too low in the
water with all this baggage； and the Great River is swift。 I do not wish todrown my grief in cold water。' He took up a paddle； and steered towards thewestern bank； following Aragorn's boat ahead； which had already moved out ofthe middle stream。
So the pany went on their long way； down the wide hurrying waters；
borne ever southwards。 Bare woods stalked along either bank； and they couldnot see any glimpse of the lands behind。 The breeze died away and the Riverflowed without a sound。 No voice of bird broke the silence。 The sun grew mistyas the day grew old； until it gleamed in a pale sky like a high white pearl。
Then it faded into the West； and dusk came early； followed by a grey andstarless night。 Far into the dark quiet hours they floated on； guiding theirboats under the overhanging shadows of the western woods。 Great trees passedby like ghosts； thrusting their twisted thirsty roots through the mist downinto the water。 It was dreary and cold。 Frodo sat and listened to the faintlap and gurgle of the River fretting among the tree…roots and driftwood nearthe shore； until his head nodded and he fell into an uneasy sleep。
The Great River_Chapter 9_
Frodo was roused by Sam。 He found that he was lying； well wrapped； undertall grey…skinned trees in a quiet corner of the woodlands on the west bank ofthe Great River； Anduin。 He had slept the night away； and the grey of morningwas dim among the bare branches。 Gimli was busy with a small fire near athand。
They started again before the day was broad。 Not that most of the panywere eager to hurry southwards： they were content that the decision； whichthey must make at latest when they came to Rauros and the Tindrock Isle； stilllay some days ahead； and they let the River bear them on at its own pace；
having no desire to hasten towards the perils that lay beyond； whichevercourse they took in the end。 Aragorn let them drift with the stream as theywished； husbanding their strength against weariness to e。 But he insistedthat at least they should start early each day and journey on far into theevening； for he felt in his heart that time was pressing； and he feared thatthe Dark Lord had not been idle while they lingered in Lórien。
Nonetheless they saw no sign of an enemy that day； nor the next。 The dullgrey hours passed without event。 As the third day of their voyage wore on thelands changed slowly： the trees thinned and then failed altogether。 On theeastern bank to their left they saw long formless slopes stretching up andaway toward the sky； brown and withered they looked； as if fire had passed
over them； leaving no living blade of green： an unfriendly waste without evena broken tree or a bold stone to relieve the emptiness。 They had e to theBrown Lands that lay； vast and desolate； between Southern Mirkwood and thehills of the Emyn Muil。 What pestilence or war or evil deed of the Enemy hadso blasted all that region even Aragorn could not tell。
Upon the west to their right the land was treeless also； but it was flat；
and in many places green with wide plains of grass。 On this side of the Riverthey passed forests of great reeds； so tall that they shut out all view to thewest； as the little boats went rustling by along their fluttering borders。
Thei