Властелин колец: Братство кольца
The Old Forest
Alltheycoulddowastofolowthefold-downwards.Thegroundgrewsoft,andinplacesboggy;springsappearedinthebanks,andsoontheyfoundthemselvesfolowingabrookthattrickledandbabbledthroughaweedybed.Thenthegroundbegantofallrapidly,andthebrookgrowingstrongandnoisy,flowedandleapedswiftlydownhil.Theywereinadeepdim-litgulyover-archedbytreeshighabovethem.
Afterstumblingalongforsomewayalongthestream,theycamequitesuddenlyoutofthegloom.Asifthroughagatetheysawthesunlightbeforethem.Comingtotheopeningtheyfoundthattheyhadmadetheirwaydownthroughacleftinahighsleepbank,almostacliff.Atitsfeetwasawidespaceofgrassandreeds;andinthedistancecouldbeglimpsedanotherbankalmostassteep.Agoldenafternoonoflatesunshinelaywarmanddrowsyuponthehiddenlandbetween.Inthemidstofittherewoundlazilyadarkriverofbrownwater,borderedwithancientwilows,archedoverwithwilows,blockedwithfalenwilows,andfleckedwiththousandsoffadedwilow-leaves.Theairwasthickwiththem,flutteringyelowfromthebranches;fortherewasawarmandgentlebreezeblowingsoftlyinthevaley,andthereedswererustling,andthewilow-boughswerecreaking.
"Wel,nowIhaveatleastsomenotionofwhereweare!"saidMerry."Wehavecomealmostintheoppositedirectiontowhichweintended.ThisistheRiverWithywindle!Iwillgoonandexplore."
Hepassedoutintothesunshineanddisappearedintothelonggrasses.Afterawhilehereappeared,andreportedthattherewasfairlysolidgroundbetweenthecliff-footandtheriver;insomeplacesfirmturfwentdowntothewater’sedge."What’smore,"hesaid,’thereseemstobesomethinglikeafootpathwindingalongonthissideoftheriver.
