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h　the　treetrunks。　They　are　very　large！'

'We　will　e　and　look　at　them；'　said　Strider；　picking　up　a　stick。　Frodo　said　nothing；　but　Sam　looked　scared。

The　sun　was　now　high；　and　it　shone　down　through　the　halfstripped　branches　of　the　trees；　and　lit　the　clearing　with　bright　patches　of　light。　They　halted　suddenly　on　the　edge；　and　peered　through　the　treetrunks；　holding　their　breath。　There　stood　the　trolls：　three　large　trolls。　One　was　stooping；　and　the　other　two　stood　staring　at　him。

Strider　walked　forward　unconcernedly。　'Get　up；　old　stone！'　he　said；　and　broke　his　stick　upon　the　stooping　troll。

Nothing　happened。　There　was　a　gasp　of　astonishment　from　the　hobbits；　and　then　even　Frodo　laughed。　'Well！'　he　said。　'We　are　fetting　our　family　history！　These　must　be　the　very　three　that　were　caught　by　Gandalf；　quarrelling　over　the　right　way　to　cook　thirteen　dwarves　and　one　hobbit。'

'I　had　no　idea　we　were　anywhere　near　the　place！'　said　Pippin。　He　knew　the　story　well。　Bilbo　and　Frodo　had　told　it　often；　but　as　a　matter　of　fact　he　had　never　more　than　half　believed　it。　Even　now　he　looked　at　the　stone　trolls　with　suspicion；　wondering　if　some　magic　might　not　suddenly　bring　them　to　life　again。

'You　are　fetting　not　only　your　family　history；　but　all　you　ever　knew　about　trolls；'　said　Strider。　'It　is　broad　daylight　with　a　bright　sun；　and　yet　you　e　back　trying　to　scare　me　with　a　tale　of　live　trolls　waiting　for　us　in　this　glade！　In　any　case　you　might　have　noticed　that　one　of　them　has　an　old　bird's　nest　behind　his　ear。　That　would　be　a　most　unusual　ornament　for　a　live　troll！'

They　all　laughed。　Frodo　felt　his　spirits　reviving：　the　reminder　of　Bilbo's　first　successful　adventure　was　heartening。　The　sun；　too；　was　warm　and　forting；　and　the　mist　before　his　eyes　seemed　to　be　lifting　a　little。　They　rested　for　some　time　in　the　glade；　and　took　their　midday　meal　right　under　the　shadow　of　the　trolls'　large　legs。

'Won't　somebody　give　us　a　bit　of　a　song；　while　the　sun　is　high？'　said　Merry；　when　they　had　finished。　'We　haven't　had　a　song　or　a　tale　for　days。'

'Not　since　Weathertop；'　said　Frodo。　The　others　looked　at　him。　'Don't　worry　about　me！'　he　added。　'I　feel　much　better；　but　I　don't　think　I　could　sing。　Perhaps　Sam　could　dig　something　out　of　his　memory。'

'e　on；　Sam！'　said　Merry。　'There's　more　stored　in　your　head　than　you　let　on　about。'

'I　don't　know　about　that；'　said　Sam。　'But　how　would　this　suit？　It　ain't　what　I　call　proper　poetry；　if　you　understand　me：　just　a　bit　of　nonsense。　But　these　old　images　here　brought　it　to　my　mind。'　Standing　up；　with　his　hands　behind　his　back；　as　if　he　was　at　school；　he　began　to　sing　to　an　old　tune。

Troll　sat　alone　on　his　seat　of　stone；
And　munched　and　mumbled　a　bare　old　bone；
For　many　a　year　he　had　gnawed　it　near；
For　meat　was　hard　to　e　by。
Done　by！　Gum　by！
In　a　case　in　the　hills　he　dwelt　alone；
And　meat　was　hard　to　e　by。

Up　came　Tom　with　his　big　boots　on。
Said　he　to　Troll：　'Pray；　what　is　yon？
For　it　looks　like　the　shin　o'　my　nuncle　Tim；
As　should　be　alyin'　in　graveyard。
Caveyard！　Paveyard！
This　many　a　year　has　Tim　been　gone；
And　I　thought　he　were　lyin'　in　graveyard。'

'My　lad；'　said　Troll；　'this　bone　I　stole。
But　what　be　bones　that　lie　in　a　hole？
Thy　nuncle　was　dead　as　a　lump　o'　lead；
Afore　I　found　his　shinbone。
Tinbone！　Thinbone！
He　can　spare　a　share　for　a　poor　old　troll；
For　he　don't　need　his　shinbone。'

Said　Tom：　'I　don't　see　why　the　likes　o'　thee
Without　axin'　leave　should　go　makin'　free
With　the　shank　or　the　shin　o'　my　father's　kin；
So　hand　the　old　bone　over！
Rover！　Trover！
Though　dead　he　be；　it　belongs　to　he；
So　hand　the　old　bone　over！'

'For　a　couple　o'　pins；'　says　Troll；　and　grins；
'I'll　eat　thee　too；　and　gnaw　thy　shins。
A　bit　o'　fresh　meal　will　go　down　sweet！
I'll　try　my　teeth　on　thee　now。
Hee　now！　See　now！
I'm　tired　o'　gnawing　old　bones　and　skins；
I've　a　mind　to　dine　on　thee　now。'

But　just　as　he　thought　his　dinner　was　caught；
He　found　his　hands　had　hold　of　naught。
Before　he　could　mind；　Tom　slipped　behind
And　gave　him　the　boot　to　larn　him。
Warn　him！　Darn　him！
A　bump　o'　the　boot　on　the　seat；　Tom　thought；
Would　be　the　way　to　larn　him。

But　harder　than　stone　is　the　flesh　and　bone
Of　a　troll　that　sits　in　the　hills　alone。
As　well　set　your　boot　to　the　mountain's　root；
For　the　seat　of　a　troll　don't　feel　it。
Peel　it！　Heal　it！
Old　Troll　laughed；　when　he　heard　Tom　groan；
And　he　knew　his　toes　could　feel　it。

Tom's　leg　is　game；　since　home　he　came；
And　his　bootless　foot　is　lasting　lame；
But　Troll　don't　care；　and　he's　still　there
With　the　bone　he　boned　from　its　owner。
Doner！　Boner！
Troll's　old　seat　is　still　the　same；
And　the　bone　he　boned　from　its　owner！

'Well；　that's　a　warning　to　us　all！'　laughed　Merry。　'It　is　as　well　you　used　a　stick；　and　not　your　hand；　Strider！'

'Where　did　you　e　by　that；　Sam？'　asked　Pippin。　'I've　never　heard　those　words　before。'

Sam　muttered　something　inaudible。　'It's　out　of　his　own　head；　of　course；'　said　Frodo。　'I　am　learning　a　lot　about　Sam　Gamgee　on　this　journey。　First　he　was　a　conspirator；　now　he's　a　jester。　He'll　end　up　by　being　a　wizard　。　or　a　warrior！'

'I　hope　not；'　said　Sam。　'I　don't　want　to　be　neither！'

In　the　afternoon　they　went　on　down　the　woods。　They　were　probably　following　the　very　track　that　Gandalf；　Bilbo；　and　the　dwarves　had　used　many　years　before。　After　a　few　miles　they　came　out　on　the　top　of　a　high　bank　above　the　Road。　At　this　point　the　Road　had　left　the　Hoarwell　far　behind　in　its　narrow　valley；　and　now　clung　close　to　the　feet　of　the　hills；　rolling　and　winding　eastward　among　woods　and　heathercovered　slopes　towards　the　Ford　and　the　Mountains。　Not　far　down　the　bank　Strider　pointed　out　a　stone　in　the　grass。　On　it　roughly　cut　and　now　much　weathered　could　still　be　seen　dwarfrunes　and　secret　marks。

'There！'　said　Merry。　'That　must　be　the　stone　that　marked　the　place　where　the　trolls'　gold　was　hidden。　How　much　is　left　of　Bilbo's　share；　I　wonder；　Frodo？'

Frodo　looked　at　the　stone；　and　wished　that　Bilbo　had　brought　home　no　treasure　more　perilous；　nor　less　easy　to　pan　with。　'None　at　all；'　he　said。　'Bilbo　gave　it　all　away。　He　told　me　he　did　not　feel　it　was　really　his；　as　it　came　from　robbers。'

The　Road　lay　quiet　under　the　long　shadows　of　early　evening。　There　was　no　sign　of　any　other　travellers　to　be　seen。　As　there　was　now　no　other　possible　course　for　them　to　take；　they　climbed　down　the　bank；　and　turning　left　went　off　as　fast　as　they　could。　Soon　a　shoulder　of　the　hills　cut　off　the　light　of　the　fast　westering　sun。　A　cold　wind　flowed　down　to　meet　them　from　the　mountains　ahead。

They　were　beginning　to　look　out　for　a　place　off　the　Road；　where　they　could　camp　for　the　night；　when　they　heard　a　sound　that　brought　sudden　fear　back　into　their　hearts：　the　noise　of　hoofs　behind　them。　They　looked　back；　but　they　could　not　see　far　because　of　the　many　windings　and　rollings　of　the　Road。　As　quickly　as　they　could　they　scrambled　off　the　beaten　way　and　up　into　the　deep　heather　and　bilberry　brushwood　on　the　slopes　above；　until　they　came　to　a　small　patch　of　thickgrowing　hazels。　As　they　peered　out　from　among　the　bushes；　they　could　see　the　Road；　faint　and　grey　in　the　failing　light；　some　thirty　feel　below　them。　The　sound　of　hoofs　drew　nearer。　They　were　going　fast；　with　a　light　clippetyclippelyclip。　Then　faintly；　as　if　it　was　blown　away　from　them　by　the　breeze；　they　seemed　to　catch　a　dim　ringing；　as　of　small　bells　tinkling。

'That　does　not　sound　like　a　Black　Rider's　horse！'　said　Frodo；　listening　intently。　The　other　hobbits　agreed　hopefully　that　it　did　not；　but　they　all　remained　full　of　suspicion。　They　had　been　in　fear　of　pursuit　for　so　long　that　any　sound　from　behind　seemed　ominous　and　unfriendly。　But　Strider　was　now　leaning　forward；　stooped　to　the　ground；　with　a　hand　to　his　ear；　and　a　look　of　joy　on　his　face。

The　light　faded；　and　the　leaves　on　the　bushes　rustled　softly。　Clearer　and　nearer　now　the　bells　jingled；　and　clippetyclip　came　the　quick　trotting　feet。　Suddenly　into　view　below　came　a　white　horse；　gleaming　in　the　shadows；　running　swiftly。　In　the　dusk　its　headstall　flickered　and　flashed；　as　if　it　were　studded　with　gems　like　living　stars。　The　rider's　cloak　streamed　behind　him；　and　his　hood　was　thrown　back；　his　golden　hair　flowed　shi