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'I cannot imagine what information could be more terrifying than your hints and warnings；' exclaimed Frodo。 'I knew that danger lay ahead； of course； but I did not expect to meet it in our own Shire。 Can't a hobbit walk from the Water to the River in peace？'
'But it is not your own Shire；' said Gildor。 'Others dwelt here before hobbits were； and others will dwell here again when hobbits are no more。 The wide world is all about you： you can fence yourselves in； but you cannot for ever fence it out。'
'I know 。 and yet it has always seemed so safe and familiar。 What can I do now？ My plan was to leave the Shire secretly； and make my way to Rivendell； but now my footsteps are dogged； before ever I get to Buckland。'
'I think you should still follow that plan；' said Gildor。 'I do not think the Road will prove too hard for your courage。 But if you desire clearer counsel； you should ask Gandalf。 I do not know the reason for your flight； and therefore I do not know by what means your pursuers will assail you。 These things Gandalf must know。 I suppose that you will see him before you leave the Shire？'
'I hope so。 But that is another thing that makes me anxious。 I have been expecting Gandalf for many days。 He was to have e to Hobbiton at the latest two nights ago； but he has never appeared。 Now I am wondering what can have happened。 Should I wait for him？'
Gildor was silent for a moment。 'I do not like this news；' he said at last。 'That Gandalf should be late； does not bode well。 But it is said： Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards； for they are subtle and quick to anger。 The choice is yours： to go or wait。'
'And it is also said；' answered Frodo： 'Go not to the Elves for counsel； for they will say both no and yes。'
'Is it indeed？' laughed Gildor。 'Elves seldom give unguarded advice； for advice is a dangerous gift； even from the wise to the wise； and all courses may run ill。 But what would you？ You have not told me all concerning yourself； and how then shall I choose better than you？ But if you demand advice； I will for friendship's sake give it。 I think you should now go at once； without delay； and if Gandalf does not e before you set out； then I also advise this： do not go alone。 Take such friends as are trusty and willing。 Now you should be grateful； for I do not give this counsel gladly。 The Elves have their own labours and their own sorrows； and they are little concerned with the ways of hobbits； or of any other creatures upon earth。 Our paths cross theirs seldom； by chance or purpose。 In this meeting there may be more than chance； but the purpose is not clear to me； and I fear to say too much。'
'I am deeply grateful；' said Frodo； 'but I wish you would tell me plainly what the Black Riders are。 If I take your advice I may not see Gandalf for a long while； and I ought to know what is the danger that pursues me。'
'Is it not enough to know that they are servants of the Enemy？' answered Gildor。 'Flee them！ Speak no words to them！ They are deadly。 Ask no more of me！ But my heart forbodes that； ere all is ended； you； Frodo son of Drogo； will know more of these fell things than Gildor Inglorion。 May Elbereth protect you！'
'But where shall I find courage？' asked Frodo。 'That is what I chiefly need。'
'Courage is found in unlikely places；' said Gildor。 'Be of good hope！ Sleep now！ In the morning we shall have gone； but we will send our messages through the lands。 The Wandering panies shall know of your journey； and those that have power for good shall be on the watch。 I name you Elffriend； and may the stars shine upon the end of your road！ Seldom have we had such delight in strangers； and it is fair to hear words of the Ancient Speech from the lips of other wanderers in the world。'
Frodo felt sleep ing upon him； even as Gildor finished speaking。 'I will sleep now；' he said； and the Elf led him to a bower beside Pippin； and he threw himself upon a bed and fell at once into a dreamless slumber。
Chapter 04
A Short Cut to Mushrooms
In the morning Frodo woke refreshed。 He was lying in a bower made by a living tree with branches laced and drooping to the ground； his bed was of fern and grass； deep and soft and strangely fragrant。 The sun was shining through the fluttering leaves； which were still green upon the tree。 He jumped up and went out。
Sam was sitting on the grass near the edge of the wood。 Pippin was standing studying the sky and weather。 There was no sign of the Elves。
'They have left us fruit and drink； and bread；' said Pippin。 'e and have your breakfast。 The bread tastes almost as good as it did last night。 I did not want to leave you any； but Sam insisted。'
Frodo sat down beside Sam and began to eat。 'What is the plan for today？' asked Pippin。
'To walk to Bucklebury as quickly as possible；' answered Frodo； and gave his attention to the food。
'Do you think we shall see anything of those Riders？' asked Pippin cheerfully。 Under the morning sun the prospect of seeing a whole troop of them did not seem very alarming to him。
'Yes； probably；' said Frodo； not liking the reminder。 'But I hope to get across the river without their seeing us。'
'Did you find out anything about them from Gildor？'
'Not much 。 only hints and riddles；' said Frodo evasively。 'Did you ask about the sniffing？'
'We didn't discuss it；' said Frodo with his mouth full。
'You should have。 I am sure it is very important。'
'In that case I am sure Gildor would have refused to explain it；' said Frodo sharply。 'And now leave me in peace for a bit！ I don't want to ans eating。 I want to think！'
'Good heavens！' said Pippin。 'At breakfast？' He walked away towards the edge of the green。
From Frodo's mind the bright morning 。 treacherously bright； he thought 。 had not banished the fear of pursuit； and he pondered the words of Gildor。 The merry voice of Pippin came to him。 He was running on the green turf and singing。
'No！ I could not！' he said to himself。 'It is one thing to take my young friends walking over the Shire with me； until we are hungry and weary； and food and bed are sweet。 To take them into exile； where hunger and weariness may have no cure； is quite another 。 even if they are willing to e。 The inheritance is mine alone。 I don't think I ought even to take Sam。' He looked at Sam Gamgee； and discovered that Sam was watching him。
'Well； Sam！' he said。 'What about it？ I am leaving the Shire as soon as ever I can 。 in fact I have made up my mind now not even to wait a day at Crickhollow； if it can be helped。'
'Very good； sir！'
'You still mean to e with me？'
'I do。'
'It is going to be very dangerous； Sam。 'It is already dangerous。 Most likely neither of us will e back。'
'If you don't e back； sir； then I shan't； that's certain；' said Sam。 'Don't you leave him！ they said to me。 Leave him！ I said。 I never mean to。 I am going with him； if he climbs to the Moon； and if any of those Black Rulers try to stop him； they'll have Sam Gamgee to reckon with； I said。 They laughed。'
'Who are they； and what are you talking about？'
'The Elves； sir。 We had some talk last night； and they seemed to know you were going away； so I didn't see the use of denying it。 Wonderful folk； Elves； sir！ Wonderful！'
'They are；' said Frodo。 'Do you like them still； now you have had a closer view？'
'They seem a bit above my likes and dislikes； so to speak；' answered Sam slowly。 'It don't seem to matter what I think about them。 They are quite different from what I expected 。 so old and young； and so gay and sad； as it were。'
Frodo looked at Sam rather startled； half expecting to see some outward sign of the odd change that seemed to have e over him。 It did not sound like the voice of the old Sam Gamgee that he thought he knew。 But it looked like the old Sam Gamgee sitting there； except that his face was unusually thoughtful。
'Do you feel any need to leave the Shire now 。 now that your wish to see them has e true already？' he asked。
'Yes； sir。 I don't know how to say it； but after last night I feel different。 I seem to see ahead； in a kind of way。 I know we are going to take a very long road； into darkness； but I know I can't turn back。 It isn't to see Elves now； nor dragons； nor mountains； that I want 。 I don't rightly know what I want： but I have something to do before the end； and it lies ahead； not in the Shire。 I must see it through； sir； if you understand me。'
'I don't altogether。 But I understand that Gandalf chose me a good panion。 I am content。 We will go together。'
Frodo finished his breakfast in silence。 Then standing up he looked over the land ahead； and called to Pippin。
'All ready to start？' he said as Pippin ran up。 'We must be getting off at once。 We slept late； and there are a good many miles to go。'
'You slept late； you mean；' said Pippin。 'I was up long before； and we are only waiting for you to finish eating and thinking。'
'I have finished both now。 And I am going to make for Bucklebury Ferry as quickly as possible。 I am not going out of the way； back to the road we left last night： I am going to cut straight across country from here。'
'Then you are going to fly；' said Pippin。 'You won't cut straight on foot anywhere in this country。'
'We can cut straighter than the road anyway；' answered Frodo。 'The Ferry is east from Woodhall； but the hard road curves away to the left you can see a bend of it away north over there。 It goes round the north end of the Marish so as to strike the causeway from the Bridge above Stock。 But that is miles out of the way。 We could save a quarter of the distance if we made a line for the Ferry from where we stand。'
'Short cuts make long delays；' argued Pippin。 'The country is rough round here； and there are bogs and all kinds of difficulties down in the Marish I know the land in these parts。 And if you are worrying about Black Riders； I can't see that it is any worse meeting them on a road than in a wood or a field。'
'It is less easy to find people in the woods and fields；' answered Frodo。 'And if you are supposed to be on the road； there is some chance that you will be looked for on the road and not off it。'
'All right！' said Pippin。 'I will follow you into every bog and ditch。 But it is hard！ I had counted on passing the Golden Perch at Stock before sundown。 The best beer in the Eastfarthing； or used to be： it is a long time since I tasted it。'
'That settles it！' said Frodo。 'Short cuts make delays； but inns make longer ones。 At all costs we must keep you away from the Golden Perch。 We want to get to Bucklebury before dark。 What do you say； Sam？'
'I will go along with you； Mr。 Frodo；' said Sam （in spite of private misgiving and a deep regret for the best beer in the Eastfarthing）。
'Then if we are going to toil through bog and briar； let's go now！' said Pippin。
It was already nearly as hot as it had been the day before； but clouds were beginning to e up from the West。 It looked likely to turn to rain。 The hobbits scrambled down a steep green bank and plunged into the thick trees below。 Their course had been chosen to leave Woodhall to their left； and to cut slanting through the woods that clustered along the eastern side of the hills； until they reached the flats beyond。 Then they could make straight for the Ferry over country that was open； except for a few ditches and fences。 Frodo reckoned they had eighteen miles to go in a straight line。
He soon found that the thicket was closer and more tangled than it had appeared。 There were no paths in the undergrowth； and they did not get on very fast。 When they had struggled to the bottom of the bank； they found a stream running down from the hills behind in a deeply dug bed with steep slippery sides overhung with brambles。 Most inconveniently it cut across the line they had chosen。 They could not jump over it； nor indeed get across it at all without getting wet； scratched； and muddy。 They halted； wondering what to do。 'First check！' said Pippin； smiling grimly。
Sam Gamgee looked back。 Through an opening in the trees he caught a glimpse of the top of the green bank from which they had climbed down。
'Look！' he said； clutching Frodo by the arm。 They all looked； and on the edge high above them they saw against the sky a horse standing。 Beside it stooped a black figure。
They