le dwarves said little and hobbitsasked no more。 But now Frodo often met strange dwarves of far countries；
seeking refuge in the West。 They were troubled； and some spoke in whispers ofthe Enemy and of the Land of Mordor。
That name the hobbits only knew in legends of the dark past； like ashadow in the background of their memories； but it was ominous anddisquieting。 It seemed that the evil power in Mirkwood had been driven out bythe White Council only to reappear in greater strength in the old strongholdsof Mordor。 The Dark Tower had been rebuilt； it was said。 From there the powerwas spreading far and wide； and away far east and south there were wars andgrowing fear。 Orcs were multiplying again in the mountains。 Trolls wereabroad； no longer dull…witted； but cunning and armed with dreadful weapons。
And there were murmured hints of creatures more terrible than all these； butthey had no name。
Little of all this； of course； reached the ears of ordinary hobbits。 Buteven the deafest and most stay…at…home began to hear queer tales； and thosewhose business took them to the borders saw strange things。 The conversationin _The Green Dragon_ at Bywater； one evening in the spring of Frodo'sfiftieth year； showed that even in the fortable heart of the Shire rumourshad been heard； though most hobbits still laughed at them。
Sam Gamgee was sitting in one corner near the fire； and opposite him wasTed Sandyman； the miller's son； and there were various other rustic hobbitslistening to their talk。
'Queer things you do hear these days； to be sure；' said Sam。
'Ah；' said Ted； 'you do； if you listen。 But I can hear fireside…tales andchildren's stories at home； if I want to。'
'No doubt you can；' retorted Sam； 'and I daresay there's more truth insome of them than you reckon。 Who invented the stories anyway？ Take dragonsnow。'
'No thank 'ee；' said Ted； 'I won't。 I heard tell of them when I was ayoungster； but there's no call to believe in them now。 There's only one Dragonin Bywater； and that's Green；' he said； getting a general laugh。
'All right；' said Sam； laughing with the rest。 'But what about theseTree…men； these giants； as you might call them？ They do say that one biggerthan a tree was seen up away beyond the North Moors not long back。'
'Who's _they_？'
'My cousin Hal for one。 He works for Mr。 Boffin at Overhill and goes upto the Northfarthing for the hunting。 He _saw_ one。'
'Says he did； perhaps。 Your Hal's always saying he's seen things； andmaybe he sees things that ain't there。'
'But this one was as big as an elm tree； and walking – walking sevenyards to a stride； if it was an inch。'
'Then I bet it wasn't an inch。 What he saw _was_ an elm tree； as like asnot。'
'But this one was _walking；_ I tell you； and there ain't no elm tree onthe North Moors。'
'Then Hal can't have seen one；' said Ted。 There was some laughing andclapping： the audience seemed to think that Ted had scored a point。
'All the same；' said Sam； 'you can't deny that others besides our Halfasthave seen queer folk crossing the Shire – crossing it； mind you： there aremore that are turned back at the borders。 The Bounders have never been so busybefore。
'And I've heard tell that Elves are moving west。 They do say they aregoing to the harbours； out away beyond the White Towers。' Sam waved his armvaguely： neither he nor any of them knew how far it was to the Sea； past the
old towers beyond the western borders of the Shire。 But it was an oldtradition that away over there stood the Grey Havens； from which at timeselven…ships set sail； never to return。
'They are sailing； sailing； sailing over the Sea； they are going into theWest and leaving us；' said Sam； half chanting the words； shaking his headsadly and solemnly。 But Ted laughed。
'Well； that isn't anything new； if you believe the old tales。 And I don'tsee what it matters to me or you。 Let them sail！ But I warrant you haven'tseen them doing it； nor any one else in the Shire。'
'Well I don't know；' said Sam thoughtfully。 He believed he had once seenan Elf in the woods； and still hoped to see more one day。 Of all the legendsthat he had heard in his early years such fragments of tales and half…
remembered stories about the Elves as the hobbits knew； had always moved himmost deeply。 'There are some； even in these parts； as know the Fair Folk andget news of them；' he said。 'There's Mr。 Baggins now； that I work for。 He toldme that they were sailing and he knows a bit about Elves。 And old Mr。 Bilboknew more： many's the talk I had with him when I was a little lad。'
'Oh； they're both cracked；' said Ted。 'Leastways old Bilbo was cracked；
and Frodo's cracking。 If that's where you get your news from； you'll neverwant for moonshine。 Well； friends； I'm off home。 Your good health！' He drainedhis mug and went out noisily。
Sam sat silent and said no more。 He had a good deal to think about。 Forone thing； there was a lot to do up in the Bag End garden； and he would have abusy day tomorrow； if the weather cleared。 The grass was growing fast。 But Samhad more on his mind than gardening。 After a while he sighed； and got up andwent out。
It was early April and the sky was now clearing after heavy rain。 The sunwas down； and a cool pale evening was quietly fading into night。 He walkedhome under the early stars through Hobbiton and up the Hill； whistling softlyand thoughtfully。
It was just at this time that Gandalf reappeared after his long absence。
For three years after the Party he had been away。 Then he paid Frodo a briefvisit； and after taking a good look at him he went off again。 During the nextyear or two he had turned up fairly often； ing unexpectedly after dusk； andgoing off without warning before sunrise。 He would not discuss his ownbusiness and journeys； and seemed chiefly interested in small news aboutFrodo's health and doings。
Then suddenly his visits had ceased。 It was over nine years since Frodohad seen or heard of him； and he had begun to think that the wizard wouldnever return and had given up all interest in hobbits。 But that evening； asSam was walking home and twilight was fading； there came the once familiar tapon the study window。
Frodo weled his old friend with surprise and great delight。 Theylooked hard at one another。
'Ah well eh？' said Gandalf。 'You look the same as ever； Frodo！'
'So do you；' Frodo replied； but secretly he thought that Gandalf lookedolder and more careworn。 He pressed him for news of himself and of the wideworld； and soon they were deep in talk； and they stayed up far into the night。
Next morning after a late breakfast； the wizard was sitting with Frodo bythe open window of the study。 A bright fire was on the hearth； but the sun waswarm； and the wind was in the South。 Everything looked fresh； and the newgreen of Spring was shimmering in the fields and on the tips of the trees'fingers。
Gandalf was thinking of a spring； nearly eighty years before； when Bilbohad run out of Bag End without a handkerchief。 His hair was perhaps whiterthan it had been then； and his beard and eyebrows were perhaps longer； and hisface more lined with care and wisdom； but his eyes were as bright as ever； andhe smoked and blew smoke…rings with the same vigour and delight。
He was smoking now in silence； for Frodo was sitting still； deep inthought。 Even in the light of morning he felt the dark shadow of the tidingsthat Gandalf had brought。 At last he broke the silence。
'Last night you began to tell me strange things about my ring； Gandalf；'
he said。 'And then you stopped； because you said that such matters were bestleft until daylight。 Don't you think you had better finish now？ You say thering is dangerous； far more dangerous than I guess。 In what way？'
'In many ways；' answered the wizard。 It is far more powerful than I everdared to think at first； so powerful that in the end it would utterly overeanyone of mortal race who possessed it。 It would possess him。
'In Eregion long ago many Elven…rings were made； magic rings as you callthem； and they were； of course； of various kinds： some more potent and someless。 The lesser rings were only essays in the craft before it was full…grown；
and to the Elven…smiths they were but trifles – yet still to my mind dangerousfor mortals。 But the Great Rings； the Rings of Power； they were perilous。
'A mortal； Frodo； who keeps one of the Great Rings； does not die； but hedoes not grow or obtain more life； he merely continues； until at last everyminute is a weariness。 And if he often uses the Ring to make himselfinvisible； he_ fades：_ he bees in the end invisible permanently； and walksin the twilight under the eye of the dark power that rules the Rings。 Yes；
sooner or later – later； if he is strong or well…meaning to begin with； butneither strength nor good purpose will last – sooner or later the dark powerwill devour him。'
'How terrifying！' said Frodo。 There was another long silence。 The soundof Sam Gamgee cutting the lawn came in from the garden。
'How long have you known this？' asked Frodo at length。 'And how much didBilbo know？'
'Bilbo knew no more than he told you； I am sure；' said Gandalf。 'He wouldcertainly never have passed on to you anything that he thought would be adanger； even though I promised to look after you。 He thought the ring was verybeautiful； and very useful at need； and if anything was wrong or queer； it washimself。 He said that it was 〃growing on his mind〃； and he was always worryingabout it； but he did not suspect that the ring itself was to blame。 Though hehad found out that the thing needed looking after； it did not seem always ofthe same size or weight； it shrank or expanded in an odd way； and mightsuddenly slip off a finger where it had been tight。'
'Yes； he warned me of that in his last letter；' said Frodo； 'so I havealways kept it on its chain。'
'Very wise；' said Gandalf。 'But as for his long life； Bilbo neverconnected it with the ring at all。 He took all the credit for that to himself；
and he was very proud of it。 Though he was getting restless and uneasy。 _Thinand stretched_ he said。 A sign that the ring was getting control。'
'How long have you known all this？' asked Frodo again。
'Known？' said Gandalf。 'I have known much that only the Wise know； Frodo。
But if you mean 〃known about _this_ ring〃； well； I still do not _know；_onemight say。 There is a last test to make。 But I no longer doubt my guess。
'When did I first begin to guess？' he mused； searching back in memory。
'Let me see – it was in the year that the White Council drove the dark powerfrom Mirkwood； just before the Battle of Five Armies； that Bilbo found hisring。 A shadow fell on my heart then； though I did not know yet what I feared。
I wondered often how Gollum came by a Great Ring； as plainly it was – that atleast was clear from the first。 Then I heard Bilbo's strange story of how hehad 〃won〃 it； and I could not believe it。 When I at last got the truth out ofhim； I saw at once that he had been trying to put his claim to the ring beyonddoubt。 Much like Gollum with his 〃birthday present〃。 The lies were too muchalike for my fort。 Clearly the ring had an unwholesome power that set towork on its keeper at once。 That was the first real warning I had that all wasnot well。 I told Bilbo often that such rings were better left unused； but heres