Хоббит
Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire
Thisgladeintheringoftreeswasevidentlyameeting-placeofthewolves.Moreandmorekeptcomingin.TheyleftguardsatthefootofthetreeinwhichDoriandBilbowere,andthenwentsnifflingabouttilltheyhadsmeltouteverytreethathadanyoneinit.Thesetheyguardedtoo,whilealltherest(hundredsandhundredsitseemed)wentandsatinagreatcircleintheglade;andinthemiddleofthecirclewasagreatgreywolf.HespoketotheminthedreadfullanguageoftheWargs.Gandalfunderstoodit.Bilbodidnot,butitsoundedterribletohim,andasifalltheirtalkwasaboutcruelandwickedthings,asitwas.EverynowandthenalltheWargsinthecirclewouldanswertheirgreychiefalltogether,andtheirdreadfulclamouralmostmadethehobbitfalloutofhispine-tree.
IwilltellyouwhatGandalfheard,thoughBilbodidnotunderstandit.TheWargsandthegoblinsoftenhelpedoneanotherinwickeddeeds.Goblinsdonotusuallyventureveryfarfromtheirmountains,unlesstheyaredrivenoutandarelookingfornewhomes,oraremarchingtowar(whichIamgladtosayhasnothappenedforalongwhile).Butinthosedaystheysometimesusedtogoonraids,especiallytogetfoodorslavestoworkforthem.ThentheyoftengottheWargstohelpandsharedtheplunderwiththem.Sometimestheyrodeonwolveslikemendoonhorses.Nowitseemedthatagreatgoblin-raidhadbeenplannedforthatverynight.TheWargshadcometomeetthegoblinsandthegoblinswerelate.Thereason,nodoubt,wasthedeathoftheGreatGoblin,andalltheexcitementcausedbythedwarvesandBilboandthewizard,forwhomtheywereprobablystillhunting.
InspiteofthedangersofthisfarlandboldmenhadoflatebeenmakingtheirwaybackintoitfromtheSouth,cuttingdowntrees,andbuildingthemselvesplacestoliveinamongthemorepleasantwoodsinthevalleysandalongtheriver-shores.
