At the Sign of the Prancing Pony

           BreewasthechiefvillageoftheBree-land,asmallinhabitedregion,likeanislandintheemptylandsroundabout.BesidesBreeitself,therewasStaddleontheothersideofthehill,Combeinadeepvalleyalittlefurthereastward,andArchetontheedgeoftheChetwood.LyingroundBree-hillandthevillageswasasmallcountryoffieldsandtamedwoodlandonlyafewmilesbroad.

           TheMenofBreewerebrown-haired,broad,andrathershort,cheerfulandindependent:theybelongedtonobodybutthemselves;buttheyweremorefriendlyandfamiliarwithHobbits,Dwarves,Elves,andotherinhabitantsoftheworldaboutthemthanwas(oris)usualwithBigPeople.AccordingtotheirowntalestheyweretheoriginalinhabitantsandwerethedescendantsofthefirstMenthateverwanderedintotheWestofthemiddle-world.FewhadsurvivedtheturmoilsoftheElderDays;butwhentheKingsreturnedagainovertheGreatSeatheyhadfoundtheBree-menstillthere,andtheywerestilltherenow,whenthememoryoftheoldKingshadfadedintothegrass.

           InthosedaysnootherMenhadsettleddwellingssofarwest,orwithinahundredleaguesoftheShire.ButinthewildlandsbeyondBreethereweremysteriouswanderers.TheBree-folkcalledthemRangers,andknewnothingoftheirorigin.TheyweretalleranddarkerthantheMenofBreeandwerebelievedtohavestrangepowersofsightandhearing,andtounderstandthelanguagesofbeastsandbirds.Theyroamedatwillsouthwards,andeastwardsevenasfarastheMistyMountains;buttheywerenowfewandrarelyseen.