Властелин колец: Братство кольца
Three is Company
"Verywel!"saidPippin."Butdon’tforgetthesniffing!"Thehoofsdrewnearer.Theyhadnotimetofindanyhiding-placebetterthanthegeneraldarknessunderthetrees;SamandPippincrouchedbehindalargetree-bole,whileFrodocreptbackafewyardstowardsthelane.Itshowedgreyandpale,alineoffadinglightthroughthewood.Aboveitthestarswerethickinthedimsky,buttherewasnomoon.
Thesoundofhoofsstopped.AsFrodowatchedhesawsomethingdarkpassacrossthelighterspacebetweentwotrees,andthenhalt.Itlookedliketheblackshadeofahorseledbyasmalerblackshadow.Theblackshadowstoodclosetothepointwheretheyhadleftthepath,anditswayedfromsidetoside.Frodothoughtheheardthesoundofsnuffling.Theshadowbenttotheground,andthenbegantocrawltowardshim.
OncemorethedesiretoslipontheRingcameoverFrodo;butthistimeitwasstrongerthanbefore.Sostrongthat,almostbeforeherealizedwhathewasdoing,hishandwasgropinginhispocket.Butatthatmomenttherecameasoundlikemingledsongandlaughter.Clearvoicesroseandfellinthestarlitair.Theblackshadowstraightenedupandretreated.Itclimbedontotheshadowyhorseandseemedtovanishacrossthelaneintothedarknessontheotherside.Frodobreathedagain.
"Elves!"exclaimedSaminahoarsewhisper."Elves,sir!"Hewouldhaveburstoutofthetreesanddashedofftowardsthevoices,iftheyhadnotpuledhimback.
"Yes,itisElves,"saidFrodo."OnecanmeetthemsometimesintheWoodyEnd.Theydon’tliveintheShire,buttheywanderintoitinSpringandAutumn,outoftheirownlandsawaybeyondtheTowerHils.Iamthankfulthattheydo!
