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the ground so suddenly that Gandalf s horse nearly slipped down the slope.
 Here it is at last! he called, and the others gathered round him and looked over the edge.
They saw a valley far below. They could hear the voice of hurrying water in a rocky bed at the
bottom; the scent of trees was in the air; and there was a light on the valley-side across the
water.
Bilbo never forgot the way they slithered and slipped in the dusk down the steep zig-zag
path into the secret valley of Rivendell. The air grew warmer as they got lower, and the smell
of the pine-trees made him drowsy, so that every now and again he nodded and nearly fell
off, or bumped his nose on the pony s neck. Their spirits rose as they went down and down.
The trees changed to beech and oak, and there was a comfortable feeling in the twilight. The
last green had almost faded out of the grass, when they came at length to an open glade not
far above the banks of the stream.
 Hmmm! it smells like elves! thought Bilbo, and he looked up at the stars. They were
burning bright and blue. Just then there came a burst of song like laughter in the trees:
O! What are you doing,And where are you going?Your ponies need shoeing!The river is
flowing! O! tra-la-la-lally here down in the valley!O! What are you seeking,And where
are you making?The faggots are reeking,The bannocks are baking! O! tril-lil-lil-lolly the
valley is jolly, ha! ha!O! Where are you goingWith beards all a-wagging?No knowing,
no knowingWhat brings Mister Baggins And Balin and Dwalin down into the valley
in June ha! ha!O! Will you be staying,Or will you be flying?Your ponies are
straying!The daylight is dying!To fly would be folly,To stay would be jolly And listen and
hark Till the end of the dark to our tune ha! ha!
So they laughed and sang in the trees; and pretty fair nonsense I daresay you think it. Not
that they would care; they would only laugh all the more if you told them so. They were elves
of course. Soon Bilbo caught glimpses of them as the darkness deepened. He loved elves,
though he seldom met them; but he was a little frightened of them too. Dwarves don t get on
well with them. Even decent enough dwarves like Thorin and his friends think them foolish
(which is a very foolish thing to think), or get annoyed with them. For some elves tease them
and laugh at them, and most of all at their beards.
 Well, well! said a voice.  Just look! Bilbo the hobbit on a pony, my dear! Isn t it delicious!
 Most astonishing wonderful!
Then off they went into another song as ridiculous as the one I have written down in full.
At last one, a tall young fellow, came out from the trees and bowed to Gandalf and to Thorin.
 Welcome to the valley! he said.
 Thank you! said Thorin a bit gruffly; but Gandalf was already off his horse and among
the elves, talking merrily with them.
 You are a little out of your way, said the elf:  that is, if you are making for the only path
across the water and to the house beyond. We will set you right, but you had best get on foot,
until you are over the bridge. Are you going to stay a bit and sing with us, or will you go
straight on? Supper is preparing over there, he said.  I can smell the wood-fires for the cook-
ing.
Tired as he was, Bilbo would have liked to stay a while. Elvish singing is not a thing to
miss, in June under the stars, not if you care for such things. Also he would have liked to have
a few private words with these people that seemed to know his names and all about him, al-
though he had never seen them before. He thought their opinion of his adventure might be in-
teresting. Elves know a lot and are wondrous folk for news, and know what is going on among
the peoples of the land, as quick as water flows, or quicker.
But the dwarves were all for supper as soon as possible just then, and would not stay. On
they all went, leading their ponies, till they were brought to a good path and so at last to the
very brink of the river. It was flowing fast and noisily, as mountain-streams do of a summer
evening, when sun has been all day on the snow far up above. There was only a narrow
bridge of stone without a parapet, as narrow as a pony could well walk on; and over that they
had to go, slow and careful, one by one, each leading his pony by the bridle. The elves had
brought bright lanterns to the shore, and they sang a merry song as the party went across.
 Don t dip your beard in the foam, father! they cried to Thorin, who was bent almost on to
his hands and knees.  It is long enough without watering it.
 Mind Bilbo doesn t eat all the cakes! they called.  He is too fat to get through key-holes
yet!
 Hush, hush! Good People! and good night! said Gandalf, who came last.  Valleys have
ears, and some elves have over merry tongues. Good night!
And so at last they all came to the Last Homely House, and found its doors flung wide.
Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have and days that are good to spend
are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating,
and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway. They stayed [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]