Властелин колец: Братство кольца
The Old Forest
Afterthatthehobbitsheardnomore.Almostatoncethesunseemedtosinkintothetreesbehindthem.TheythoughtoftheslantinglightofeveningglitteringontheBrandywineRiver,andthewindowsofBuckleburybeginningtogleamwithhundredsoflights.Greatshadowsfellacrossthem;trunksandbranchesoftreeshungdarkandthreateningoverthepath.Whitemistsbegantoriseandcurlonthesurfaceoftheriverandstrayabouttherootsofthetreesuponitsborders.Outoftheverygroundattheirfeetashadowysteamaroseandmingledwiththeswiftlyfalingdusk.
Itbecamedifficulttofolowthepath,andtheywereverytired.Theirlegsseemedleaden.
Strangefurtivenoisesranamongthebushesandreedsoneithersideofthem;andiftheylookeduptothepalesky,theycaughtsightofqueergnarledandknobblyfacesthatgloomeddarkagainstthetwilight,andleereddownatthemfromthehighbankandtheedgesofthewood.Theybegantofeelthatallthiscountrywasunreal,andthattheywerestumblingthroughanominousdreamthatledtonoawakening.
Justastheyfelttheirfeetslowingdowntoastandstil,theynoticedthatthegroundwasgentlyrising.Thewaterbegantomurmur.Inthedarknesstheycaughtthewhiteglimmeroffoam,wheretheriverflowedoverashortfal.Thensuddenlythetreescametoanendandthemistswereleftbehind.TheysteppedoutfromtheForest,andfoundawidesweepofgrasswelingupbeforethem.Theriver,nowsmallandswift,wasleapingmerrilydowntomeetthem,glintinghereandthereinthelightofthestars,whichwerealreadyshininginthesky.
Thegrassundertheirfeetwassmoothandshort,asifithadbeenmownorshaven.TheeavesoftheForestbehindwereclipped,andtrimasahedge.
