Хоббит
Fire and Water
Buttheking,whenhereceivedtheprayersofBard,hadpity,forhewasthelordofagoodandkindlypeople;soturninghismarch,whichhadatfirstbeendirecttowardstheMountain,hehastenednowdowntherivertotheLongLake.Hehadnotboatsorraftsenoughforhishost,andtheywereforcedtogotheslowerwaybyfoot;butgreatstoreofgoodshesentaheadbywater.Stillelvesarelight-footed,andthoughtheywerenotinthesedaysmuchusedtothemarchesandthetreacherouslandsbetweentheForestandtheLake,theirgoingwasswift.Onlyfivedaysafterthedeathofthedragontheycameupontheshoresandlookedontheruinsofthetown.Theirwelcomewasgood,asmaybeexpected,andthemenandtheirMasterwerereadytomakeanybargainforthefutureinreturnfortheElvenking’said.
Theirplansweresoonmade.Withthewomenandthechildren,theoldandtheunfit,theMasterremainedbehind;andwithhimweresomemenofcraftsandmanyskilledelves;andtheybusiedthemselvesfellingtrees,andcollectingthetimbersentdownfromtheForest.Thentheysetaboutraisingmanyhutsbytheshoreagainsttheoncomingwinter;andalsoundertheMaster’sdirectiontheybegantheplanningofanewtown,designedmorefairandlargeeventhanbefore,butnotinthesameplace.Theyremovednorthwardhigheruptheshore;foreveraftertheyhadadreadofthewaterwherethedragonlay.Hewouldneveragainreturntohisgoldenbed,butwasstretchedcoldasstone,twistedupontheflooroftheshallows
