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ould　do　was　to　follow　the　fold　。　downwards。　The　ground　grew　soft；　and　in　places　boggy；　springs　appeared　in　the　banks；　and　soon　they　found　themselves　following　a　brook　that　trickled　and　babbled　through　a　weedy　bed。　Then　the　ground　began　to　fall　rapidly；　and　the　brook　growing　strong　and　noisy；　flowed　and　leaped　swiftly　downhill。　They　were　in　a　deep　dimlit　gully　overarched　by　trees　high　above　them。

After　stumbling　along　for　some　way　along　the　stream；　they　came　quite　suddenly　out　of　the　gloom。　As　if　through　a　gate　they　saw　the　sunlight　before　them。　ing　to　the　opening　they　found　that　they　had　made　their　way　down　through　a　cleft　in　a　high　sleep　bank；　almost　a　cliff。　At　its　feet　was　a　wide　space　of　grass　and　reeds；　and　in　the　distance　could　be　glimpsed　another　bank　almost　as　steep。　A　golden　afternoon　of　late　sunshine　lay　warm　and　drowsy　upon　the　hidden　land　between。　In　the　midst　of　it　there　wound　lazily　a　dark　river　of　brown　water；　bordered　with　ancient　willows；　arched　over　with　willows；　blocked　with　fallen　willows；　and　flecked　with　thousands　of　faded　willowleaves。　The　air　was　thick　with　them；　fluttering　yellow　from　the　branches；　for　there　was　a　warm　and　gentle　breeze　blowing　softly　in　the　valley；　and　the　reeds　were　rustling；　and　the　willowboughs　were　creaking。

'Well；　now　I　have　at　least　some　notion　of　where　we　are！'　said　Merry。　'We　have　e　almost　in　the　opposite　direction　to　which　we　intended。　This　is　the　River　Withywindle！　I　will　go　on　and　explore。'

He　passed　out　into　the　sunshine　and　disappeared　into　the　long　grasses。　After　a　while　he　reappeared；　and　reported　that　there　was　fairly　solid　ground　between　the　clifffoot　and　the　river；　in　some　places　firm　turf　went　down　to　the　water's　edge。　'What's　more；'　he　said；　'there　seems　to　be　something　like　a　footpath　winding　along　on　this　side　of　the　river。　If　we　turn　left　and　follow　it；　we　shall　be　bound　to　e　out　on　the　east　side　of　the　Forest　eventually。'

'I　dare　say！'　said　Pippin。　'That　is；　if　the　track　goes　on　so　far；　and　does　not　simply　lead　us　into　a　bog　and　leave　us　there。　Who　made　the　track；　do　you　suppose；　and　why？　I　am　sure　it　was　not　for　our　benefit。　I　am　getting　very　suspicious　of　this　Forest　and　everything　in　it；　and　I　begin　to　believe　all　the　stories　about　it。　And　have　you　any　idea　how　far　eastward　we　should　have　to　go？'

'No；'　said　Merry；　'I　haven't。　I　don't　know　in　the　least　how　far　down　the　Withywindle　we　are；　or　who　could　possibly　e　here　often　enough　to　make　a　path　along　it。　But　there　is　no　other　way　out　that　I　can　see　or　think　of。'

There　being　nothing　else　for　it；　they　filed　out；　and　Merry　led　them　to　the　path　that　he　had　discovered。　Everywhere　the　reeds　and　grasses　were　lush　and　tall；　in　places　far　above　their　heads；　but　once　found；　the　path　was　easy　to　follow；　as　it　turned　and　twisted；　picking　out　the　sounder　ground　among　the　bogs　and　pools。　Here　and　there　it　passed　over　other　rills；　running　down　gullies　into　the　Withywindle　out　of　the　higher　forestlands；　and　at　these　points　there　were　treetrunks　or　bundles　of　brushwood　laid　carefully　across。

The　hobbits　began　to　feel　very　hot。　There　were　armies　of　flies　of　all　kinds　buzzing　round　their　ears；　and　the　afternoon　sun　was　burning　on　their　backs。　At　last　they　came　suddenly　into　a　thin　shade；　great　grey　branches　reached　across　the　path。　Each　step　forward　became　more　reluctant　than　the　last。　Sleepiness　seemed　to　be　creeping　out　of　the　ground　and　up　their　legs；　and　falling　softly　out　of　the　air　upon　their　heads　and　eyes。

Frodo　felt　his　chin　go　down　and　his　head　nod。　Just　in　front　of　him　Pippin　fell　forward　on　to　his　knees。　Frodo　halted。　'It's　no　good；'　he　heard　Merry　saying。　'Can't　go　another　step　without　rest。　Must　have　nap。　It's　cool　under　the　willows。　Less　flies！'

Frodo　did　not　like　the　sound　of　this。　'e　on！'　he　cried。　'We　can't　have　a　nap　yet。　We　must　get　clear　of　the　Forest　first。'　But　the　others　were　too　far　gone　to　care。　Beside　them　Sam　stood　yawning　and　blinking　stupidly。

Suddenly　Frodo　himself　felt　sleep　overwhelming　him。　His　head　swam。　There　now　seemed　hardly　a　sound　in　the　air。　The　flies　had　stopped　buzzing。　Only　a　gentle　noise　on　the　edge　of　hearing；　a　soft　fluttering　as　of　a　song　half　whispered；　seemed　to　stir　in　the　boughs　above。　He　lifted　his　heavy　eyes　and　saw　leaning　over　him　a　huge　willowtree；　old　and　hoary。　Enormous　it　looked；　its　sprawling　branches　going　up　like　reaching　arms　with　many　longfingered　hands；　its　knotted　and　twisted　trunk　gaping　in　wide　fissures　that　creaked　faintly　as　the　boughs　moved。　The　leaves　fluttering　against　the　bright　sky　dazzled　him；　and　he　toppled　over；　lying　where　he　fell　upon　the　grass。

Merry　and　Pippin　dragged　themselves　forward　and　lay　down　with　their　backs　to　the　willowtrunk。　Behind　them　the　great　cracks　gaped　wide　to　receive　them　as　the　tree　swayed　and　creaked。　They　looked　up　at　the　grey　and　yellow　leaves；　moving　softly　against　the　light；　and　singing。　They　shut　their　eyes；　and　then　it　seemed　that　they　could　almost　hear　words；　cool　words；　saying　something　about　water　and　sleep。　They　gave　themselves　up　to　the　spell　and　fell　fast　asleep　at　the　foot　of　the　great　grey　willow。

Frodo　lay　for　a　while　fighting　with　the　sleep　that　was　overpowering　him；　then　with　an　effort　he　struggled　to　his　feel　again。　He　felt　a　pelling　desire　for　cool　water。　'Wait　for　me；　Sam；'　he　stammered。　'Must　bathe　feet　a　minute。'

Half　in　a　dream　he　wandered　forward　to　the　riverward　side　of　the　tree；　where　great　winding　roots　grew　out　into　the　stream；　like　gnarled　dragos　straining　down　to　drink。　He　straddled　one　of　these；　and　paddled　his　hot　feel　in　the　cool　brown　water；　and　there　he　too　suddenly　fell　asleep　with　his　back　against　the　tree。

Sam　sat　down　and　scratched　his　head；　and　yawned　like　a　cavern。　He　was　worried。　The　afternoon　was　getting　late；　and　he　thought　this　sudden　sleepiness　uncanny。　'There's　more　behind　this　than　sun　and　warm　air；'　he　muttered　to　himself。　'I　don't　like　this　great　big　tree。　I　don't　trust　it。　Hark　at　it　singing　about　sleep　now！　This　won't　do　at　all！'

He　pulled　himself　to　his　feet；　and　staggered　off　to　see　what　had　bee　of　the　ponies。　He　found　that　two　had　wandered　on　a　good　way　along　the　path；　and　he　had　just　caught　them　and　brought　them　back　towards　the　others；　when　he　heard　two　noises；　one　loud；　and　the　other　soft　but　very　clear。　One　was　the　splash　of　something　heavy　falling　into　the　water；　the　other　was　a　noise　like　the　snick　of　a　lock　when　a　door　quietly　closes　fast。

He　rushed　back　to　the　bank。　Frodo　was　in　the　water　close　to　the　edge；　and　a　great　treeroot　seemed　to　be　over　him　and　holding　him　down；　but　he　was　not　struggling。　Sam　gripped　him　by　the　jacket；　and　dragged　him　from　under　the　root；　and　then　with　difficulty　hauled　him　on　to　the　bank。　Almost　at　once　he　woke；　and　coughed　and　spluttered。

'Do　you　know；　Sam；'　he　said　at　length；　'the　beastly　tree　threw　me　in！　I　felt　it。　The　big　root　just　twisted　round　and　tipped　me　in！'

'You　were　dreaming　I　expect；　Mr。　Frodo；'　said　Sam。　'You　shouldn't　sit　in　such　a　place；　if　you　feel　sleepy。'

'What　about　the　others？'　Frodo　asked。　'I　wonder　what　sort　of　dreams　they　are　having。'

They　went　round　to　the　other　side　of　the　tree；　and　then　Sam　understood　the　click　that　he　had　heard。　Pippin　had　vanished。　The　crack　by　which　he　had　laid　himself　had　closed　together；　so　that　not　a　chink　could　be　seen。　Merry　was　trapped：　another　crack　had　closed　about　his　waist；　his　legs　lay　outside；　but　the　rest　of　him　was　inside　a　dark　opening；　the　edges　of　which　gripped　like　a　pair　of　pincers。

Frodo　and　Sam　beat　first　upon　the　treetrunk　where　Pippin　had　lain。　They　then　struggled　frantically　to　pull　open　the　jaws　of　the　crack　that　held　poor　Merry。　It　was　quite　useless。

'What　a　foul　thing　to　happen！'　cried　Frodo　wildly。　'Why　did　we　ever　e　into　this　dreadful　Forest？　I　wish　we　were　all　back　at　Crickhollow！'　He　kicked　the　tree　with　all　his　strength；　heedless　of　his　own　feet。　A　hardly　perceptible　shiver　ran　through　the　stem　and　up　into　the　branches；　the　leaves　rustled　and　whispered；　but　with　a　sound　now　of　faint　and　faroff　laughter。

'I　suppose　we　haven't　got　an　axe　among　our　luggage；　Mr。　Frodo？'　asked　Sam。

'I　brought　a　little　hatchet　for　chopping　firewood；'　said　Frodo。　'That　wouldn't　be　much　use。'

'Wait　a　minute！'　cried　Sa