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adow。　The　black　shadow　stood　close　to　the　point　where　they　had　left　the　path；　and　it　swayed　from　side　to　side。　Frodo　thought　he　heard　the　sound　of　snuffling。　The　shadow　bent　to　the　ground；　and　then　began　to　crawl　towards　him。

Once　more　the　desire　to　slip　on　the　Ring　came　over　Frodo；　but　this　time　it　was　stronger　than　before。　So　strong　that；　almost　before　he　realized　what　he　was　doing；　his　hand　was　groping　in　his　pocket。　But　at　that　moment　there　came　a　sound　like　mingled　song　and　laughter。　Clear　voices　rose　and　fell　in　the　starlit　air。　The　black　shadow　straightened　up　and　retreated。　It　climbed　on　to　the　shadowy　horse　and　seemed　to　vanish　across　the　lane　into　the　darkness　on　the　other　side。　Frodo　breathed　again。

'Elves！'　exclaimed　Sam　in　a　hoarse　whisper。　'Elves；　sir！'　He　would　have　burst　out　of　the　trees　and　dashed　off　towards　the　voices；　if　they　had　not　pulled　him　back。

'Yes；　it　is　Elves；'　said　Frodo。　'One　can　meet　them　sometimes　in　the　Woody　End。　They　don't　live　in　the　Shire；　but　they　wander　into　it　in　Spring　and　Autumn；　out　of　their　own　lands　away　beyond　the　Tower　Hills。　I　am　thankful　that　they　do！　You　did　not　see；　but　that　Black　Rider　stopped　just　here　and　was　actually　crawling　towards　us　when　the　song　began。　As　soon　as　he　heard　the　voices　he　slipped　away。'

'What　about　the　Elves？'　said　Sam；　too　excited　to　trouble　about　the　rider。　'Can't　we　go　and　see　them？'

'Listen！　They　are　ing　this　way；'　said　Frodo。　'We　have　only　to　wait。'　The　singing　drew　nearer。　One　clear　voice　rose　now　above　the　others。　It　was　singing　in　the　fair　elventongue；　of　which　Frodo　knew　only　a　little；　and　the　others　knew　nothing。　Yet　the　sound　blending　with　the　melody　seemed　to　shape　itself　in　their　thought　into　words　which　they　only　partly　understood。　This　was　the　song　as　Frodo　heard　it：

Snowwhite！　Snowwhite！　O　Lady　clear！
O　Queen　beyond　the　Western　Seas！
O　Light　to　us　that　wander　here
Amid　the　world　of　woven　trees！

Gilthoniel！　O　Elbereth！
Clear　are　thy　eyes　and　bright　thy　breath！
Snowwhite！　Snowwhite！　We　sing　to　thee
In　a　far　land　beyond　the　Sea。

O　stars　that　in　the　Sunless　Year
With　shining　hand　by　her　were　sawn；
In　windy　fields　now　bright　and　clear
We　see　your　silver　blossom　blown！

O　Elbereth！　Gilthoniel！
We　still　remember；　we　who　dwell
In　this　far　land　beneath　the　trees；
Thy　starlight　on　the　Western　Seas。

The　song　ended。　'These　are　High　Elves！　They　spoke　the　name　of　Elbereth！'　said　Frodo　in　amazement；　'Few　of　that　fairest　folk　are　ever　seen　in　the　Shire。　Not　many　now　remain　in　Middleearth；　east　of　the　Great　Sea。　This　is　indeed　a　strange　chance！'

The　hobbits　sat　in　shadow　by　the　wayside。　Before　long　the　Elves　came　down　the　lane　towards　the　valley。　They　passed　slowly；　and　the　hobbits　could　see　the　starlight　glimmering　on　their　hair　and　in　their　eyes。　They　bore　no　lights；　yet　as　they　walked　a　shimmer；　like　the　light　of　the　moon　above　the　rim　of　the　hills　before　it　rises；　seemed　to　fall　about　their　feet。　They　were　now　silent；　and　as　the　last　Elf　passed　he　turned　and　looked　towards　the　hobbits　and　laughed。

'Hail；　Frodo！'　he　cried。　'You　are　abroad　late。　Or　are　you　perhaps　lost？'　Then　he　called　aloud　to　the　others；　and　all　the　pany　stopped　and　gathered　round。

'This　is　indeed　wonderful！'　they　said。　'Three　hobbits　in　a　wood　at　night！　We　have　not　seen　such　a　thing　since　Bilbo　went　away。　What　is　the　meaning　of　it？'

'The　meaning　of　it；　fair　people；'　said　Frodo；　'is　simply　that　we　seem　to　be　going　the　same　way　as　you　are。　I　like　walking　under　the　stars。　But　I　would　wele　your　pany。'

'But　we　have　no　need　of　other　pany；　and　hobbits　are　so　dull；'　they　laughed。　'And　how　do　you　know　that　we　go　the　same　way　as　you；　for　you　do　not　know　whither　we　are　going？'

'And　how　do　you　know　my　name？'　asked　Frodo　in　return。

'We　know　many　things；'　they　said。　'We　have　seen　you　often　before　with　Bilbo；　though　you　may　not　have　seen　us。'

'Who　are　you；　and　who　is　your　lord？'　asked　Frodo。

'I　am　Gildor；'　answered　their　leader；　the　Elf　who　had　first　hailed　him。　'Gildor　Inglorion　of　the　House　of　Finrod。　We　are　Exiles；　and　most　of　our　kindred　have　long　ago　departed　and　we　too　are　now　only　tarrying　here　a　while；　ere　we　return　over　the　Great　Sea。　But　some　of　our　kinsfolk　dwell　still　in　peace　in　Rivendell。　e　now；　Frodo；　tell　us　what　you　are　doing？　For　we　see　that　there　is　some　shadow　of　fear　upon　you。'

'O　Wise　People！'　interrupted　Pippin　eagerly。　'Tell　us　about　the　Black　Riders！'

'Black　Riders？'　they　said　in　low　voices。　'Why　do　you　ask　about　Black　Riders？'

'Because　two　Black　Riders　have　overtaken　us　today；　or　one　has　done　so　twice；'　said　Pippin；　'only　a　little　while　ago　he　slipped　away　as　you　drew　near。'

The　Elves　did　not　answer　at　once；　but　spoke　together　softly　in　their　own　tongue。　At　length　Gildor　turned　to　the　hobbits。　'We　will　not　speak　of　this　here；'　he　said。　'We　think　you　had　best　e　now　with　us。　It　is　not　our　custom；　but　for　this　time　we　will　lake　you　on　our　road；　and　you　shall　lodge　with　us　tonight；　if　you　will。'

'O　Fair　Folk！　This　is　good　fortune　beyond　my　hope；'　said　Pippin。　Sam　was　speechless。　'I　thank　you　indeed；　Gildor　Inglorion；'　said　Frodo　bowing。　'Elen　síla　lúmenn'　omentielvo；　a　star　shines　on　the　hour　of　our　meeting；'　he　added　in　the　highelven　speech。

'Be　careful；　friends！'　cried　Gildor　laughing。　'Speak　no　secrets！　Here　is　a　scholar　in　the　Ancient　Tongue。　Bilbo　was　a　good　master。　Hail；　Elffriend！'　he　said；　bowing　to　Frodo。　'e　now　with　your　friends　and　join　our　pany！　You　had　best　walk　in　the　middle　so　that　you　may　not　stray。　You　may　be　weary　before　we　halt。'

'Why？　Where　are　you　going？'　asked　Frodo。

'For　tonight　we　go　to　the　woods　on　the　hills　above　Woodhall。　It　is　some　miles；　but　you　shall　have　rest　at　the　end　of　it；　and　it　will　shorten　your　journey　tomorrow。'

They　now　marched　on　again　in　silence；　and　passed　like　shadows　and　faint　lights：　for　Elves　（even　more　than　hobbits）　could　walk　when　they　wished　without　sound　or　footfall。　Pippin　soon　began　to　feel　sleepy；　and　staggered　once　or　twice；　but　each　time　a　tall　Elf　at　his　side　put　out　his　arm　and　saved　him　from　a　fall。　Sam　walked　along　at　Frodo's　side；　as　if　in　a　dream；　with　an　expression　on　his　face　half　of　fear　and　half　of　astonished　joy。

The　woods　on　either　side　became　denser；　the　trees　were　now　younger　and　thicker；　and　as　the　lane　went　lower；　running　down　into　a　fold　of　the　hills；　there　were　many　deep　brakes　of　hazel　on　the　rising　slopes　at　either　hand。　At　last　the　Elves　turned　aside　from　the　path。　A　green　ride　lay　almost　unseen　through　the　thickets　on　the　right；　and　this　they　followed　as　it　wound　away　back　up　the　wooded　slopes　on　to　the　top　of　a　shoulder　of　the　hills　that　stood　out　into　the　lower　land　of　the　rivervalley。　Suddenly　they　came　out　of　the　shadow　of　the　trees；　and　before　them　lay　a　wide　space　of　grass；　grey　under　the　night。　On　three　sides　the　woods　pressed　upon　it；　but　eastward　the　ground　fell　steeply　and　the　tops　of　the　dark　trees；　growing　at　the　bottom　of　the　slope；　were　below　their　feet。　Beyond；　the　low　lands　lay　dim　and　flat　under　the　stars。　Nearer　at　hand　a　few　lights　twinkled　in　the　village　of　Woodhall。

The　Elves　sat　on　the　grass　and　spoke　together　in　soft　voices；　they　seemed　to　take　no　further　notice　of　the　hobbits。　Frodo　and　his　panions　wrapped　themselves　in　cloaks　and　blankets；　and　drowsiness　stole　over　them。　The　night　grew　on；　and　the　lights　in　the　valley　went　out。　Pippin　fell　asleep；　pillowed　on　a　green　hillock。

Away　high　in　the　East　swung　Remmirath；　the　ted　Stars；　and　slowly　above　the　mists　red　Bil　rose；　glowing　like　a　jewel　of　fire。　Then　by　some　shift　of　airs　all　the　mist　was　drawn　away　like　a　veil；　and　there　leaned　up；　as　he　climbed　over　the　rim　of　the　world；　the　Swordsman　of　the　Sky；　Menelvagor　with　his　shining　belt。　The　Elves　all　burst　into　song。　Suddenly　under　the　trees　a　fire　sprang　up　with　a　red　light。

'e！'　the　Elves　called　to　the　hobbits。　'e！　Now　is　the　time　for　speech　and　merriment！'

Pippin　sat　up　and　rubbed　his　eyes。　He　shivered。　'There　is　a　fire　in　the　hall；　and　food　for　hungry　guests；'　said　an　Elf　standing　before　him。

At　the　south　end　of　the　greensward　there　was　an　opening。　There　the　green　floor　ran　on　into　the　wood；　and　formed　a　wide　space　like　a　hall；　roofed　by　the　boughs　of　trees。　Their　gre