Хоббит
Flies and Spiders
Formostofthem(togetherwiththeirscatteredrelationsinthehillsandmountains)weredescendedfromtheancienttribesthatneverwenttoFaerieintheWest.TheretheLight-elvesandtheDeep-elvesandtheSea-elveswentandlivedforages,andgrewfairerandwiserandmorelearned,andinventedtheirmagicandtheircunningcraft,inthemakingofbeautifulandmarvellousthings,beforesomecamebackintotheWideWorld.IntheWideWorldtheWood-elveslingeredinthetwilightofourSunandMoonbutlovedbestthestars;andtheywanderedinthegreatforeststhatgrewtallinlandsthatarenowlost.Theydweltmostoftenbytheedgesofthewoods,fromwhichtheycouldescapeattimestohunt,ortorideandrunovertheopenlandsbymoonlightorstarlight;andafterthecomingofMentheytookevermoreandmoretothegloamingandthedusk.Stillelvestheywereandremain,andthatisGoodPeople.
InagreatcavesomemileswithintheedgeofMirkwoodonitseasternsidetherelivedatthistimetheirgreatestking.Beforehishugedoorsofstoneariverranoutoftheheightsoftheforestandflowedonandoutintothemarshesatthefeetofthehighwoodedlands.Thisgreatcave,fromwhichcountlesssmalleronesopenedoutoneveryside,woundfarundergroundandhadmanypassagesandwidehalls;butitwaslighterandmorewholesomethananygoblin-dwelling,andneithersodeepnorsodangerous.Infactthesubjectsofthekingmostlylivedandhuntedintheopenwoods,andhadhousesorhutsonthegroundandinthebranches.Thebeechesweretheirfavouritetrees.Theking’scavewashispalace,andthestrongplaceofhistreasure,andthefortressofhispeopleagainsttheirenemies.
Itwasalsothedungeonofhisprisoners.SotothecavetheydraggedThorin-nottoogently,fortheydidnotlovedwarves,andthoughthewasanenemy.Inancientdaystheyhadhadwarswithsomeofthedwarves,whomtheyaccusedofstealingtheirtreasure.
