Властелин колец: Братство кольца
In the House of Tom Bombadil
Thenoncemoreshewishedthemeachgoodnightandleftthembythefireside.ButTomnowseemedwideawakeandpliedthemwithquestions.
Heappearedalreadytoknowmuchaboutthemandalltheirfamilies,andindeedtoknowmuchofallthehistoryanddoingsoftheShiredownfromdayshardlyrememberedamongthehobbitsthemselves.Itnolongersurprisedthem;buthemadenosecretthatheowedhisrecentknowledgelargelytoFarmerMaggot,whomheseemedtoregardasapersonofmoreimportancethantheyhadimagined."There’searthunderhisoldfeet,andclayonhisfingers;wisdominhisbones,andbothhiseyesareopen,"saidTom.ItwasalsoclearthatTomhaddealingswiththeElves,anditseemedthatinsomefashion,newshadreachedhimfromGildorconcerningtheflightofFrodo.
IndeedsomuchdidTomknow,andsocunningwashisquestioning,thatFrodofoundhimselftelinghimmoreaboutBilboandhisownhopesandfearsthanhehadtoldbeforeeventoGandalf.Tomwaggedhisheadupanddown,andtherewasaglintinhiseyeswhenheheardoftheRiders.
"ShowmethepreciousRing!"hesaidsuddenlyinthemidstofthestory:andFrodo,tohisownastonishment,drewoutthechainfromhispocket,andunfasteningtheRinghandeditatoncetoTom.
Itseemedtogrowlargerasitlayforamomentonhisbigbrown-skinnedhand.Thensuddenlyheputittohiseyeandlaughed.Forasecondthehobbitshadavision,bothcomicalandalarming,ofhisbrightblueeyegleamingthroughacircleofgold.ThenTomputtheRingroundtheendofhislittlefingerandheldituptothecandlelight.Foramomentthehobbitsnoticednothingstrangeaboutthis.Thentheygasped.TherewasnosignofTomdisappearing!
