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Elrond knew all about runes of every kind。 That day he looked at the swords they had brought from the trolls' lair； and he said： 〃These are not troll…make。 They are old swords； very old swords of the High Elves of the West； my kin。 They were made in Gondolin for the Goblin…wars。 They must have e from a dragon's hoard or goblin plunder； for dragons and goblins destroyed that city many ages ago。 This； Thorin； the runes name Orcrist； the Goblin…cleaver in the ancient tongue of Gondolin； it was a famous blade。 This； Gandalf； was Glamdring； Foe…hammer that the king of Gondolin once wore。 Keep them well！〃
〃Whence did the trolls get them； I wonder？〃 said Thorin looking at his sword with new interest。
〃I could not say；〃 said Elrond； 〃but one may guess that your trolls had plundered other plunderers； or e on the remnants of old robberies in some hold in the mountains of the North。 I have heard that there are still forgotten treasures of old to be found in the deserted caverns of the mines of Moria； since the dwarf and goblin war。〃
Thorin pondered these words。 〃I will keep this sword in honour；〃 he said。
〃May it soon cleave goblins once again！〃
〃A wish that is likely to be granted soon enough in the mountains！〃 said Elrond。 〃But show me now your map！〃 He took it and gazed long at it； and he shook his head； for if he did not altogether approve of dwarves and their love of gold； he hated dragons and their cruel wickedness； and he grieved to remember the ruin of the town of Dale and its merry bells； and the burned banks of the bright River Running。 The moon was shining in a broad silver crescent。 He held up the map and the white light shone through it。 〃What is this？〃 he said。 〃There are moon…letters here； beside the plain runes which say 'five feet high the door and three may walk abreast。' 〃 〃What are moon…letters？〃 asked the hobbit full of excitement。 He loved maps； as I have told you before； and he also liked runes and letters and cunning handwriting； though when he wrote himself it was a bit thin and spidery。
〃Moon…letters are rune…letters； but you cannot see them；〃 said Elrond； 〃not when you look straight at them。 They can only be seen when the moon shines behind them； and what is more； with the more cunning sort it must be a moon of the same shape and season as the day when they were written。 The dwarves invented them and wrote them with silver pens； as your friends could tell you。 These must have been written on a midsummer's eve in a crescent moon； a long while ago。〃
〃What do they say？〃 asked Gandalf and Thorin together； a bit vexed perhaps that even Elrond should have found this out first； though really there had not been a chance before； and there would not have been another until goodness knows when。
〃Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks；〃 read Elrond； 〃and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key…hole。〃 〃Durin； Durin！〃 said Thorin。 〃He was the father of the fathers of the eldest race of Dwarves； the Longbeards； and my first ancestor： I am his heir。〃 〃Then what is Durin's Day？〃 asked Elrond。
〃The first day of the dwarves' New Year；〃 said Thorin； 〃is as all should know the first； day of the last moon of Autumn on the threshold of Winter。 We still call it Durin's Day when the last moon of Autumn and the sun are in the sky together。 But this will not help us much； I fear； for it passes our skill in these days to guess when such a time will e again。〃 〃That remains to be seen；〃 said Gandalf。 〃Is there any more writing？〃 〃None to be seen by this moon；〃 said Elrond； and he gave the map back to Thorin； and then they went down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve。
The next morning was a midsummer's morning as fair and fresh as could be dreamed： blue sky and never a cloud； and the sun dancing on the water。 Now they rode away amid songs of farewell and good speed； with their hearts ready for more adventure； and with a knowledge of the road they must follow over the Misty Mountains to the land beyond。
Chapter 4
Over Hill and Under Hill
There were many paths that led up into those mountains； and many passes over them。 But most of the paths were cheats and deceptions and led nowhere or to bad ends； and most of the passes were infested by evil things and dreadful dangers。 The dwarves and the hobbit； helped by the wise advice of Elrond and the knowledge and memory of Gandalf； took the right road to the right pass。
Long days after they had climbed out of the valley and left the Last Homely House miles behind； they were still going up and up and up。 It was a hard path and a dangerous path； a crooked way and a lonely and a long。 Now they could look back over the lands they had left； laid out behind them far below。 Far； far away in the West； where things were blue and faint； Bilbo knew there lay his own country of safe and fortable things； and his little hobbit…hole。 He shivered。 It was getting bitter cold up here； and the wind came shrill among the rocks。 Boulders； too； at times came galloping down the mountain…sides； let loose by midday sun upon the snow； and passed among them （which was lucky）； or over their heads （which was alarming）。 The nights were fortless and chill； and they did not dare to sing or talk too loud； for the echoes were uncanny； and the silence seemed to dislike being broken…except by the noise of water and the wail of wind and the crack of stone。 〃The summer is getting on down below；〃 thought Bilbo； 〃and haymaking is going on and picnics。 They will be harvesting and blackberrying； before we even begin to go down the other side at this rate。〃 And the others were thinking equally gloomy thoughts； although when they had said good…bye to Elrond in the high hope of a midsummer morning； they' had spoken gaily of the passage of the mountains； and of riding swift across the lands beyond。 They had thought of ing to the secret door in the Lonely Mountain； perhaps that very next first moon of Autumn…〃 and perhaps it will be Durin's Day〃 they had said。 Only Gandalf had shaken his head and said nothing。 Dwarves had not passed that way for many years； but Gandalf had； and he knew how evil and danger had grown and thriven in the Wild； since the dragons had driven men from the lands； and the goblins had spread in secret after the battle of the Mines of Moria。 Even the good plans of wise wizards like Gandalf and of good friends like Elrond go astray sometimes when you are off on dangerous adventures over the Edge of the Wild； and Gandalf was a wise enough wizard to know it。
He knew that something unexpected might happen； and he hardly dared to hope that they would pass without fearful adventure over those great tall mountains with lonely peaks and valleys where no king ruled。 They did not。 All was well； until one day they met a thunderstorm … more than a thunderstorm； a thunder…battle。 You know how terrific a really big thunderstorm can be down in the land and in a river…valley； especially at times when two great thunderstorms meet and clash。 More terrible still are thunder and lightning in the mountains at night； when storms e up from East and West and make war。 The lightning splinters on the peaks； and rocks shiver； and great crashes split the air and go rolling and tumbling into every cave and hollow； and the darkness is filled with overwhelming noise and sudden light。 Bilbo had never seen or imagined anything of the kind。 They were high up in a narrow place； with a dreadful fall into a dim valley at one side of them。 There they were sheltering under a hanging rock for the night； and he lay beneath a blanket and shook from head to toe。 When he peeped out in the lightning…flashes； he saw that across the valley the stone…giants were out and were hurling rocks at one another for a。 game； and catching them； and tossing them down into the darkness where they smashed among the trees far below； or splintered into little bits with a bang。 Then came a wind and a rain； and the wind whipped the rain and the hail about in every direction； so that an overhanging rock was no protection at all。 Soon they were getting drenched and their ponies were standing with their heads down and their tails between their legs； and some of them were whinnying with fright。 They could hear the giants guffawing and shouting all over the mountainsides。
〃This won't do at all！〃 said Thorin。 〃If we don't get blown off or drowned； or struck by lightning； we shall be picked up by some giant and kicked sky…high for a football。〃
〃Well； if you know of anywhere better； take us there！〃 said Gandalf； who was feeling very grumpy； and was far from happy about the giants himself。 The end of their argument was that they sent Fill and Kili to look for a better shelter。 They had very sharp eyes； and being the youngest of the dwarves by some fifty years they usually got these sort of jobs （when everybody could see that it was absolutely no use sending Bilbo）。 There is nothing like looking； if you want to find something （or so Thorin said to the young dwarves）。 You certainly usually find something； if you look； but it is not always quite the something you were after。 So it proved on this occasion。
Soon Fili and Kili came crawling back； holding on to the rocks in the wind。 〃We have found a dry cave；〃 they said； 〃not far round the next corner； and ponies and all could get inside。〃
〃Have you thoroughly explored it？〃 said the wizard； who knew that caves up in the mountains were seldom unoccupied。
〃Yes； yes！〃 they said； though everybody knew they could not have been long about it； they had e back too quick。 〃It isn't all that big； and it does not go far back。〃
That； of course； is the dangerous part about caves： you don't know how far they go back； sometimes； or where a passage behind may lead to； or what is waiting for you inside。 But now Fili and Kill's news seemed good enough。 So they all got up and prepared to move。 The wind was howling and the thunder still growling； and they had a business getting themselves and their ponies along。 Still it was not very far to go； and before long they came to a big rock standing out into the path。 If you stepped behind； you found a low arch in the side of the mountain。 There was just room to get the ponies through with a squeeze； when they had been unpacked and unsaddled。 As they passed under the arch； it was good to hear the wind and the rain outside instead of all about them； and to feel safe from the giants and their rocks。 But the wizard was taking no risks。 He lit up his wand … as he did that day in Bilbo's dining…room that seemed so long ago； if you remember…； and by its light they explored the cave from end to end。
It seemed quite a fair size； but not too large and mysterious。 It had a dry floor and some fortable nooks。 At one end there was room for the ponies； and there they stood （mighty glad of the change） steaming； and champing in their nosebags。 Oin and Gloin wanted to light a fire at the door to dry their clothes； but Gandalf would not hear of it。 So they spread out their wet things on the floor； and got dry ones out of their bundles； then they made their blankets fortable； got out their pipes and blew smoke rings； which Gandalf turned into different colours and set dancing up by the roof to amuse them。 They talked and talked； and forgot about the storm； and discussed what each would do with his share of the treasure （when they got it； which at the moment did not seem so impossible）； and so they dropped off to sleep one by one。 And that was the last time that they used the ponies； packages； baggages； tools and paraphernalia that they had brought with them。 It turned out a good thing that night that they had brought little Bilbo with them； after all。 For somehow； he could not go to sleep for a long while； and when he did sleep； he had very nasty dreams。 He dreamed that a crack in the wall at the back of the cave got bigger and bigger； and opened wider and wider； and he was very afraid but could not call out or do anything but lie and look。 Then he dreamed that the floor of the cave was giving way； and he was slipping…beginning to fall down； down； goodness knows where to。 At that he woke up with a horrible start； and found that part of his dream was true。 A crack had opened at the back of the cave； and was alread