Властелин колец: Братство кольца

           Theothersdidnotanswer.Theyweredepressed.AheavyweightwassettlingsteadilyonFrodo’sheart,andheregrettednowwitheverystepforwardthathehadeverthoughtofchalengingthemenaceofthetrees.Hewas,indeed,justabouttostopandproposegoingback(ifthatwasstillpossible),whenthingstookanewturn.Thepathstoppedclimbing,andbecameforawhilenearlylevel.Thedarktreesdrewaside,andaheadtheycouldseethepathgoingalmoststraightforward.Beforethem,butsomedistanceoff,therestoodagreenhil-top,treeless,risinglikeabaldheadoutoftheencirclingwood.Thepathseemedtobemakingdirectlyforit.

           Theynowhurriedforwardagain,delightedwiththethoughtofclimbingoutforawhileabovetheroofoftheForest.Thepathdipped,andthenagainbegantoclimbupwards,leadingthematlasttothefootofthesteephilside.Thereitleftthetreesandfadedintotheturf.Thewoodstoodallroundthehilllikethickhairthatendedsharplyinacircleroundashavencrown.

           Thehobbitsledtheirponiesup,windingroundandrounduntiltheyreachedthetop.Theretheystoodandgazedaboutthem.Theairwasgleamingandsunlit,buthazy;andtheycouldnotseetoanygreatdistance.Nearathandthemistwasnowalmostgone;thoughhereandthereitlayinholowsofthewood,andtothesouthofthem,outofadeepfoldcuttingrightacrosstheForest,thefogstillroselikesteamorwispsofwhitesmoke.

           "That,"saidMerry,pointingwithhishand,’thatisthelineoftheWithywindle.ItcomesdownoutoftheDownsandflowssouth-westthroughthemidstoftheForesttojointheBrandywinebelowHaysend.Wedon’twanttogothatway!TheWithywindlevaleyissaidtobethequeerestpartofthewholewood-thecentrefromwhichallthequeernesscomes,asitwere."

           TheotherslookedinthedirectionthatMerrypointedout,buttheycouldseelittlebutmistsoverthedampanddeep-cutvaley;andbeyonditthesouthernhalfoftheForestfadedfromview.