Властелин колец: Братство кольца
A Knife in the Dark
Itwasburnedandbroken,andnothingremainsofitnowbutatumbledring,likearoughcrownontheoldhill’shead.Yetonceitwastallandfair.ItistoldthatElendilstoodtherewatchingforthecomingofGil-galadoutoftheWest,inthedaysoftheLastAlliance.’
ThehobbitsgazedatStrider.Itseemedthathewaslearnedinoldlore,aswellasinthewaysofthewild.‘WhowasGil-galad?’askedMerry;butStriderdidnotanswer,andseemedtobelostinthought.Suddenlyalowvoicemurmured:
Gil-galadwasanElven-king.
Ofhimtheharperssadlysing:
thelastwhoserealmwasfairandfree
betweentheMountainsandtheSea.
Hisswordwaslong,hislancewaskeen,
hisshininghelmafarwasseen;
thecountlessstarsofheaven’sfield
weremirroredinhissilvershield.
Butlongagoherodeaway,
andwherehedwellethnonecansay;
forintodarknessfellhisstar
inMordorwheretheshadowsare.
Theothersturnedinamazement,forthevoicewasSam’s.
‘Don’tstop!’saidMerry.
‘That’sallIknow,’stammeredSam,blushing.‘IlearneditfromMr.BilbowhenIwasalad.Heusedtotellmetaleslikethat,knowinghowIwasalwaysoneforhearingaboutElves.ItwasMr.Bilboastaughtmemyletters.Hewasmightybook-learnedwasdearoldMr.Bilbo.Andhewrotepoetry.HewrotewhatIhavejustsaid.’
‘Hedidnotmakeitup,’saidStrider.‘ItispartofthelaythatiscalledTheFallofGil-galad,whichisinanancienttongue.Bilbomusthavetranslatedit.Ineverknewthat.’
