Хоббит

           Soontherecamethesoundof"LazyLob"and"Attercop"fromamongthetreesawayontheright.Thatupsetthespidersgreatly.Theystoppedadvancing,andsome,wentoffinthedirectionofthevoice."Attercop"madethemsoangrythattheylosttheirwits.ThenBalin,whohadgraspedBilbo’splanbetterthantherest,ledanattack.Thedwarveshuddledtogetherinaknot,andsendingashowerofstonestheydroveatthespidersontheleft,andburstthroughthering.Awaybehindthemnowtheshoutingandsingingsuddenlystopped.

           HopingdesperatelythatBilbohadnotbeencaughtthedwarveswenton.Notfastenough,though.Theyweresickandweary,andtheycouldnotgomuchbetterthanahobbleandawobble,thoughmanyofthespiderswereclosebehind.Everynowandthentheyhadtoturnandfightthecreaturesthatwereovertakingthemandalreadysomespiderswereinthetreesabovethemandthrowingdowntheirlongclingingthreads.

           Thingswerelookingprettybadagain,whensuddenlyBilboappearedandchargedintotheastonishedspidersunexpectedlyfromtheside."Goon!Goon!"heshouted."Iwilldothestinging!"Andhedid.Hedartedbackwardsandforwards,slashingatspider-threads,hackingattheirlegs,andstabbingattheirfatbodiesiftheycametoonear.Thespidersswelledwithrage,andsplutteredandfrothed,andhissedouthorriblecurses;buttheyhadbecomemortallyafraidofSting,anddarednotcomeverynear,nowthatithadcomeback.Socurseastheywould,theirpreymovedslowlybutsteadilyaway.Itwasamostterriblebusiness,andseemedtotakehours.Butatlast,justwhenBilbofeltthathecouldnotlifthishandforasinglestrokemore,thespiderssuddenlygaveitup,andfollowedthemnomore,butwentbackdisappointedtotheirdarkcolony.

           Thedwarvesthennoticedthattheyhadcometotheedgeofaringwhereelf-fireshadbeen.Whetheritwasoneofthosetheyhadseenthenightbefore,theycouldnottell.