Хоббит
Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire
Itwasansweredbyanotherawaytotherightandagooddealnearertothem,thenbyanothernotfarawaytotheleft.Itwaswolveshowlingatthemoon,wolvesgatheringtogether!
TherewerenowolveslivingnearMr.Baggins’holeathome,butheknewthatnoise.Hehadhaditdescribedtohimoftenenoughintales.Oneofhiseldercousins(ontheTookside),whohadbeenagreattraveller,usedtoimitateittofrightenhim.TohearitoutintheforestunderthemoonwastoomuchforBilbo.Evenmagicringsarenotmuchuseagainstwolves-especiallyagainsttheevilpacksthatlivedundertheshadowofthegoblin-infestedmountains,overtheEdgeoftheWildonthebordersoftheunknown.Wolvesofthatsortsmellkeenerthangoblins,anddonotneedtoseeyoutocatchyou!
"Whatshallwedo,whatshallwedo!"hecried."Escapinggoblinstobecaughtbywolves!"hesaid,anditbecameaproverb,thoughwenowsay’outofthefrying-panintothefire’inthesamesortofuncomfortablesituations."Upthetreesquick!"criedGandalf;andtheyrantothetreesattheedgeoftheglade,huntingforthosethathadbranchesfairlylow,orwereslenderenoughtoswarmup.Theyfoundthemasquickasevertheycould,youcanguess;anduptheywentashighasevertheycouldtrustthebranches.Youwouldhavelaughed(fromasafedistance),ifyouhadseenthedwarvessittingupinthetreeswiththeirbeardsdanglingdown,likeoldgentlemengonecrackedandplayingatbeingboys.FiliandKiliwereatthetopofatalllarchlikeanenormousChristmastree.Dori,Nori,On,Oin,andGloinweremorecomfortableinahugepinewithregularbranchesstickingoutatintervalslikethespokesofawheel.Bifur,Bofur,Bombur,andThorinwereinanother.DwalinandBalinhadswarmedupatallslenderfirwithfewbranchesandweretryingtofindaplacetositinthegreeneryofthetopmostboughs.
