Хоббит
Flies and Spiders
Theywereatfirstinclinedtobecheeredbythechange,forheretherewasnoundergrowthandtheshadowwasnotsodeep.Therewasagreenishlightaboutthem,andinplacestheycouldseesomedistancetoeithersideofthepath.Yetthelightonlyshowedthemendlesslinesofstraightgreytrunkslikethepillarsofsomehugetwilighthall.Therewasabreathofairandanoiseofwind,butithadasadsound.Afewleavescamerustlingdowntoremindthemthatoutsideautumnwascomingon.Theirfeetruffledamongthedeadleavesofcountlessotherautumnsthatdriftedoverthebanksofthepathfromthedeepredcarpetsoftheforest.StillBombursleptandtheygrewveryweary.Attimestheyhearddisquietinglaughter.Sometimestherewassinginginthedistancetoo.Thelaughterwasthelaughteroffairvoicesnotofgoblins,andthesingingwasbeautiful,butitsoundedeerieandstrange,andtheywerenotcomforted,rathertheyhurriedonfromthosepartswithwhatstrengththeyhadleft.Twodayslatertheyfoundtheirpathgoingdownwardsandbeforelongtheywereinavalleyfilledalmostentirelywithamightygrowthofoaks."Istherenoendtothisaccursedforest?"saidThorin."Somebodymustclimbatreeandseeifhecangethisheadabovetheroofandhavealookround.Theonlywayistochoosethetallesttreethatoverhangsthepath."
Ofcourse"somebody"meantBilbo.Theychosehimbecausetobeofanyusetheclimbermustgethisheadabovethetopmostleaves,andsohemustbelightenoughforthehighestandslenderestbranchestobearhim.PoorMr.Bagginshadneverhadmuchpracticeinclimbingtrees,buttheyhoistedhimupintothelowestbranchesofanenormousoakthatgrewrightoutintothepath,anduphehadtogoasbesthecould.Hepushedhiswaythroughthetangledtwigswithmanyaslapintheeye;hewasgreenedandgrimedfromtheoldbarkofthegreaterboughs;morethanonceheslippedandcaughthimselfjustintime;
