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' 〃Then I must have a steed on land；〃 I said； 〃and a steed surpassingly swift； for I have never had such need of haste before。〃
' 〃Then I will bear you to Edoras； where the Lord of Rohan sits in his halls；〃 he said； 〃for that is not very far off。〃 And I was glad； for in the Riddermark of Rohan the Rohirrim； the Horselords； dwell； and there are no horses like those that are bred in that great vale between the Misty Mountains and the White。
' 〃Are the Men of Rohan still to be trusted； do you think？ 〃 I said to Gwaihir； for the treason of Saruman had shaken my faith。
' 〃They pay a tribute of horses；〃 he answered； 〃and send many yearly to Mordor； or so it is said； but they are not yet under the yoke。 But if Saruman has bee evil； as you say； then their doom cannot be long delayed。〃
'He set me down in the land of Rohan ere dawn； and now I have lengthened my tale over long。 The rest must be more brief。 In Rohan I found evil already at work： the lies of Saruman； and the king of the land would not listen to my warnings。 He bade me take a horse and be gone； and I chose one much to my liking。 but little to his。 I took the best horse in his land； and I have never seen the like of him。'
'Then he must be a noble beast indeed；' said Aragorn； 'and it grieves me more than many tidings that might seem worse to learn that Sauron levies such tribute。 It was not so when last I was in that land。'
'Nor is it now； I will swear；' said Boromir。 'It is a lie that es from the Enemy。 I know the Men of Rohan； true and valiant； our allies； dwelling still in the lands that we gave them long ago。'
'The shadow of Mordor lies on distant lands；' answered Aragorn。 'Saruman has fallen under it。 Rohan is beset。 Who knows what you will find there； if ever you return？'
'Not this at least。' said Boromir； 'that they will buy their lives with horses。 They love their horses next to their kin。 And not without reason； for the horses of the Riddermark e from the fields of the North； far from the Shadow。 and their race； as that of their masters； is descended from the free days of old。'
'True indeed！' said Gandalf。 'And there is one among them that might have been foaled in the morning of the world。 The horses of the Nine cannot vie with him； tireless； swift as the flowing wind。 Shadowfax they called him。 By day his coat glistens like silver； and by night it is like a shade； and he passes unseen。 Light is his footfall！ Never before had any man mounted him； but I took him and I tamed him； and so speedily he bore me that I reached the Shire when Frodo was on the Barrowdowns； though I set out from Rohan only when he set out from Hobbiton。
'But fear grew in me as I rode。 Ever as I came north I heard tidings of the Riders； and though I gained on them day by day； they were ever before me。 They had divided their forces； I learned： some remained on the eastern borders； not far from the Greenway。 and some invaded the Shire from the south。 I came to Hobbiton and Frodo had gone； but I had words with old Gamgee。 Many words and few to the point。 He had much to say about the shortings of the new owners of Bag End。
' 〃I can't abide changes；〃 said he； 〃not at my time of life； and least of all changes for the worst。〃 〃Changes for the worst；〃 he repeated many times。
' 〃Worst is a bad word；〃 I said to him； 〃and I hope you do not live to see it。〃 But amidst his talk I gathered at last that Frodo had left Hobbiton less than a week before； and that a black horseman had e to the Hill the same evening。 Then I rode on in fear。 I came to Buckland and found it in uproar； as busy as a hive of ants that has been stirred with a stick。 I came to the house at Crickhollow； and it was broken open and empty； but on the threshold there lay a cloak that had been Frodo's。 Then for a while hope left me； and I did not wait to gather news； or I might have been forted； but I rode on the trail of the Riders。 It was hard to follow； for it went many ways； and I was at a loss。 But it seemed to me that one or two had ridden towards Bree； and that way I went； for I thought of words that might be said to the innkeeper。
' 〃Butterbur they call him；〃 thought I。 〃If this delay was his fault； I will melt all the butter in him。 I will roast the old fool over a slow fire。〃 He expected no less； and when he saw my face he fell down flat and began to melt on the spot。'
'What did you do to him？' cried Frodo in alarm。 'He was really very kind to us and did all that he could。'
Gandalf laughed。 'Don't be afraid！' he said。 'I did not bite； and I barked very little。 So overjoyed was I by the news that I got out of him； braced the old fellow。 How it happened I could not then guess； but I learned that you had been in Bree the night before； and had gone off that morning with Strider。
' 〃Strider！ 〃 I cried； shouting for joy。
' 〃Yes； sir； I am afraid so； sir；〃 said Butterbur； mistaking me。 〃He got at them； in spite of all that I could do； and they took up with him。 They behaved very queer all the time they were here： wilful； you might say。〃
' 〃Ass！ Fool！ Thrice worthy and beloved Barliman！ 〃 said I。 〃It's the best news I have had since midsummer： it's worth a gold piece at the least。 May your beer be laid under an enchantment of surpassing excellence for seven years！ 〃 said I。 〃Now I can take a night's rest； the first since I have fotten when。〃
'So I stayed there that night； wondering much what had bee of the Riders； for only of two had there yet been any news in Bree； it seemed。 But in the night we heard more。 Five at least came from the west； and they threw down the gates and passed through Bree like a howling wind； and the Breefolk are still shivering and expecting the end of the world。 I got up before dawn and went after them。
'I do not know； but it seems clear to me that this is what happened。 Their Captain remained in secret away south of Bree； while two rode ahead through the village； and four more invaded the Shire。 But when these were foiled in Bree and at Crickhollow； they returned to their Captain with tidings； and so left the Road unguarded for a while； except by their spies。 The Captain then sent some eastward straight across country； and he himself with the rest rode along the Road in great wrath。
'I galloped to Weathertop like a gale； and I reached it before sundown on my second day from Breeand they were there before me。 They drew away from me； for they felt the ing of my anger and they dared not face it while the Sun was in the sky。 But they closed round at night； and I was besieged on the hilltop； in the old ring of Amon S。l。 I was hard put to it indeed： such light and flame cannot have been seen on Weathertop since the warbeacons of old。
'At sunrise I escaped and fled towards the north。 I could not hope to do more。 It was impossible to find you； Frodo； in the wilderness； and it would have been folly to try with all the Nine at my heels。 So I had to trust to Aragorn。 But I hoped to draw some of them off； and yet reach Rivendell ahead of you and send out help。 Four Riders did indeed follow me； but they turned back after a while and made for the Ford； it seems。 That helped a little； for there were only five； not nine； when your camp was attacked。
'I reached here at last by a long hard road； up the Hoarwell and through the Ettenmoors； and down from the north。 It took me nearly fourteen days from Weathertop； for I could not ride among the rocks of the trollfells； and Shadowfax departed。 I sent him back to his master； but a great friendship has grown between us； and if I have need he will e at my call。 But so it was that I came to Rivendell only three days before the Ring； and news of its peril had already been brought herewhich proved well indeed。
'And that； Frodo； is the end of my account。 May Elrond and the others five the length of it。 But such a thing has not happened before； that Gandalf broke tryst and did not e when he promised。 An account to the Ring bearer of so strange an event was required； I think。
'Well； the Tale is now told； from first to last。 Here we all are； and here is the Ring。 But we have not yet e any nearer to our purpose。 What shall we do with it？'
There was silence。 At last Elrond spoke again。
'This is grievous news concerning Saruman；' he said； 'for we trusted him and he is deep in all our counsels。 It is perilous to study too deeply the arts of the Enemy； for good or for ill。 But such falls and betrayals； alas； have happened before。 Of the tales that we have heard this day the tale of Frodo was most strange to me。 I have known few hobbits； save Bilbo here； and it seems to me that he is perhaps not so alone and singular as I had thought him。 The world has changed much since I last was on the westward roads。
'The Barrowwights we know by many names； and of the Old Forest many tales have been told： all that now remains is but an outlier of its northern march。 Time tree to tree from what is now the Shire to Dunland west of Isengard。 In those lands I journeyed once； and many things wild and strange I knew。 But I had fotten Bombadil； if indeed this is still the same that walked the woods and hills long ago； and even then was older than the old。 That was not then his name。 Iarwain Benadar we called him； oldest and fatherless。 But many another name he has since been given by other folk： Forn by the Dwarves； Orald by Northern Men； and other names beside。 He is a strange creature； but maybe I should have summoned him to our Council。'
'He would not have e；' said Gandalf。
'Could we not still send messages to him and obtain his help？' asked Erestor。 'It seems that he has a power even over the Ring。'
'No； I should not put it so；' said Gandalf。 'Say rather that the Ring has no power over him。 He is his own master。 But he cannot alter the Ring itself； nor break its power over others。 And now he is withdrawn into a little land； within bounds that he has set； though none can see them； waiting perhaps for a change of days； and he will not step beyond them。'
'But within those bounds nothing seems to dismay him；' said Erestor。 'Would he not take the Ring and keep it there； for ever harmless？'
'No；' said Gandalf； 'not willingly。 He might do so； if all the free folk of the world begged him； but he would not understand the need。 And if he were given the Ring； he would soon fet it； or most likely throw it away。 Such things have no hold on his mind。 He would be a most unsafe guardian； and that alone is answer enough。'
'But in any case；' said Glorfindel； 'to send the Ring to him would only postpone the day of evil。 He is far away。 We could not now take it back to him； unguessed； unmarked by any spy。 And even if we could； soon or late the Lord of the Rings would learn of its hiding place and would bend all his power towards it。 Could that power be defied by Bombadil alone？ I think not。 I think that in the end； if all else is conquered； Bombadil will fall； Last as he was First； and then Night will e。'
'I know little of Iarwain save the name；' said Galdor； 'but Glorfindel； I think； is right。 Power to defy our Enemy is not in him； unless such power is in the earth itself。 And yet we see that Sauron can torture and destroy the very hills。 What power still remains lies with us； here in Imladris； or with Cirdan at the Havens； or in Lórien。 But have they the strength； have we here the strength to withstand the Enemy； the ing of Sauron at the last； when all else is overthrown？'
'I have not the strength；' said Elrond； 'neither have they。'
'Then if the Ring cannot be kept from him for ever by strength' said Glorfindel； 'two things only remain for us to attempt： to send it over the Sea； or to destroy it。'
'But Gandalf has revealed to us that we cannot destroy it by any craft that we here possess；' said Elrond。 'And they who dwell beyond the Sea would not receive it： for good or ill it belongs to Middleearth； it is for us who still dwell here to deal with it。'
'Then； said Glorfindel； 'let us cast it into the deeps； and so make the lies of Saruman e true。 For it is clear now that even at the Council his feet were already on a crooked path。 He knew that the Ring was not lost for ever； but wished us to think so； for he began to lust for it for himself。 Yet oft in lies truth is hidden： in the Sea it would be safe。'
'Not safe for ever；' said Gandalf。 '