Хоббит

           Stillthenextmorningdawnedbrightandfairagain.Therewasanautumn-likemistwhiteuponthegroundandtheairwaschill,butsoonthesunroseredintheEastandthemistsvanished,andwhiletheshadowswerestilllongtheywereoffagain.Sotheyrodenowfortwomoredays,andallthewhiletheysawnothingsavegrassandflowersandbirdsandscatteredtrees,andoccasionallysmallherdsofreddeerbrowsingorsittingatnoonintheshade.SometimesBilbosawthehornsofthehartsstickingupoutofthelonggrass,andatfirsthethoughttheywerethedeadbranchesoftrees.Thatthirdeveningtheyweresoeagertopresson,forBeornhadsaidthattheyshouldreachtheforest-gateearlyonthefourthday,thattheyrodestillforwardafterduskandintothenightbeneaththemoon.AsthelightfadedBilbothoughthesawawaytotheright,ortotheleft,theshadowyformofagreatbearprowlingalonginthesamedirection.ButifhedaredtomentionittoGandalf,thewizardonlysaid:"Hush!Takenonotice!"Nextdaytheystartedbeforedawn,thoughtheirnighthadbeenshort.Assoonasitwaslighttheycouldseetheforestcomingasitweretomeetthem,orwaitingforthemlikeablackandfrowningwallbeforethem.Thelandbegantoslopeupandup,anditseemedtothehobbitthatasilencebegantodrawinuponthem.Birdsbegantosingless.Therewerenomoredeer;notevenrabbitsweretobeseen.BytheafternoontheyhadreachedtheeavesofMirkwood,andwererestingalmostbeneaththegreatoverhangingboughsofitsoutertrees.Theirtrunkswerehugeandgnarled,theirbranchestwisted,theirleavesweredarkandlong.Ivygrewonthemandtrailedalongtheground."Well,hereisMirkwood!"saidGandalf."ThegreatestoftheforestsoftheNorthernworld.Ihopeyoulikethelookofit.Nowyoumustsendbacktheseexcellentponiesyouhaveborrowed."

           Thedwarveswereinclinedtogrumbleatthis,butthewizardtoldthemtheywerefools."Beornisnotasfaroffasyouseemtothink,andyouhadbetterkeepyourpromisesanyway,forheisabadenemy.