There was not as yet any sign of a path； and the trees seemed constantlyto bar their way。 Pippin suddenly felt that he could not bear it any longer；
and without warning let out a shout。 'Oi！ Oi！' he cried。 'I am not going to doanything。 Just let me pass through； will you！'
The others halted startled； but the cry fell as if muffled by a heavycurtain。 There was no echo or answer though the wood seemed to bee morecrowded and more watchful than before。
good。'
'I should not shout； if I were you；' said Merry。 It does more harm than
Frodo began to wonder if it were possible to find a way through； and ifhe had been right to make the others e into this abominable wood。 Merry waslooking from side to side； and seemed already uncertain which way to go。
Pippin noticed it。 'It has not taken you long to lose us；' he said。 But atthat moment Merry gave a whistle of relief and pointed ahead。
'Well； well！' he said。 'These trees _do_ shift。 There is the Bonfire
Glade in front of us （or I hope so）； but the path to it seems to have movedaway！'
The light grew clearer as they went forward。 Suddenly they came out ofthe trees and found themselves in a wide circular space。 There was sky abovethem； blue and clear to their surprise； for down under the Forest…roof theyhad not been able to see the rising morning and the lifting of the mist。 Thesun was not； however； high enough yet to shine down into the clearing； thoughits light was on the tree…tops。 The leaves were all thicker and greener aboutthe edges of the glade； enclosing it with an almost solid wall。 No tree grewthere； only rough grass and many tall plants： stalky and faded hemlocks andwood…parsley； fire…weed seeding into fluffy ashes； and rampant nettles andthistles。 A dreary place： but it seemed a charming and cheerful garden afterthe close Forest。
The hobbits felt encouraged； and looked up hopefully at the broadeningdaylight in the sky。 At the far side of the glade there was a break in thewall of trees； and a clear path beyond it。 They could see it running on intothe wood； wide in places and open above； though every now and again the treesdrew in and overshadowed it with their dark boughs。 Up this path they rode。
They were still climbing gently； but they now went much quicker； and withbetter heart； for it seemed to them that the Forest had relented； and wasgoing to let them pass unhindered after all。
But after a while the air began to get hot and stuffy。 The trees drewclose again on either side； and they could no longer see far ahead。 Nowstronger than ever they felt again the ill will of the wood pressing on them。
So silent was it that the fall of their ponies' hoofs； rustling on dead leavesand occasionally stumbling on hidden roots； seemed to thud in their ears。
Frodo tried to sing a song to encourage them； but his voice sank to a murmur。
O！ Wanderers in the shadowed land
despair not！ For though dark they stand；
all woods there be must end at last；
and see the open sun go past：
the setting sun； the rising sun；
the day's end； or the day begun。
For east or west all woods must fail 。。。
_Fail …_ even as he said the word his voice faded into silence。 The air
seemed heavy and the making of words wearisome。 Just behind them a largebranch fell from an old overhanging tree with a crash into the path。 The treesseemed to close in before them。
'They do not like all that about ending and failing；' said Merry。 'Ishould not sing any more at present。 Wait till we do get to the edge； and thenwe'll turn and give them a rousing chorus！'
He spoke cheerfully； and if he felt any great anxiety； he did not showit。 The others did not answer。 They were depressed。 A heavy weight wassettling steadily on Frodo's heart； and he regretted now with every stepforward that he had ever thought of challenging the menace of the trees。 Hewas； indeed； just about to stop and propose going back （if that was stillpossible）； when things took a new turn。 The path stopped climbing； and becamefor a while nearly level。 The dark trees drew aside； and ahead they could seethe path going almost straight forward。 Before them； but some distance off；
there stood a green hill…top； treeless； rising like a bald head out of theencircling wood。 The path seemed to be making directly for it。
They now hurried forward again； delighted with the thought of climbingout for a while above the roof of the Forest。 The path dipped； and then againbegan to climb upwards； leading them at last to the foot of the steephillside。 There it left the trees and faded into the turf。 The wood stood all
round the hill like thick hair that ended sharply in a circle round a shavencrown。
The hobbits led their ponies up； winding round and round until theyreached the top。 There they stood and gazed about them。 The air was gleamingand sunlit； but hazy； and they could not see to any great distance。 Near athand the mist was now almost gone； though here and there it lay in hollows ofthe wood； and to the south of them； out of a deep fold cutting right acrossthe Forest； the fog still rose like steam or wisps of white smoke。
'That；' said Merry； pointing with his hand； 'that is the line of theWithywindle。 It es down out of the Downs and flows south…west through themidst of the Forest to join the Brandywine below Haysend。 We don't want to go_that_ way！ The Withywindle valley is said to be the queerest part of thewhole wood – the centre from which all the queerness es； as it were。'
The others looked in the direction that Merry pointed out； but they couldsee little but mists over the damp and deep…cut valley； and beyond it thesouthern half of the Forest faded from view。
The sun on the hill…lop was now getting hot。 It must have been abouteleven o'clock； but the autumn haze still prevented them from seeing much inother directions。 In the west they could not make out either the line of theHedge or the valley of the Brandywine beyond it。 Northward； where they lookedmost hopefully； they could see nothing that might be the line of the greatEast Road； for which they were making。 They were on an island in a sea oftrees； and the horizon was veiled。
On the south…eastern side the ground fell very steeply； as if the slopesof the hill were continued far down under the trees； like island…shores thatreally are the sides of a mountain rising out of deep waters。 They sat on thegreen edge and looked out over the woods below them； while they ate their midday
meal。 As the sun rose and passed noon they glimpsed far off in the eastthe grey…green lines of the Downs that lay beyond the Old Forest on that side。
That cheered them greatly； for it was good to see a sight of anything beyondthe wood's borders； though they did not mean to go that way； if they couldhelp it： the Barrow…downs had as sinister a reputation in hobbit…legend as theForest itself。
At length they made up their minds to go on again。 The path that hadbrought them to the hill reappeared on the northward side； but they had notfollowed it far before they became aware that it was bending steadily to theright。 Soon it began to descend rapidly and they guessed that it must actuallybe heading towards the Withywindle valley： not at all the direction theywished lo take。 After some discussion they decided to leave this misleadingpath and strike northward； for although they had not been able to see it fromthe hill…top； the Road must lie that way； and it could not be many miles off。
Also northward； and to the left of the path； the land seemed lo be drier andmore open； climbing up to slopes where the trees were thinner； and pines andfirs replaced the oaks and ashes and other strange and nameless trees of thedenser wood。
At first their choice seemed to be good： they got along at a fair speed；
though whenever they got a glimpse of the sun in an open glade they seemedunaccountably to have veered eastwards。 But after a time the trees began toclose in again； just where they had appeared from a distance to be thinner andless tangled。 Then deep folds in the ground were discovered unexpectedly； likethe ruts of great giant…wheels or wide moats and sunken roads long disused andchoked with brambles。 These lay usually right across their line of march； andcould only be crossed by scrambling down and out again； which was troublesomeand difficult with their ponies。 Each time they climbed down they found thehollow filled with thick bushes and matted undergrowth； which somehow wouldnot yield to the left； but only gave way when they turned to the right； andthey had to go some distance along the bottom before they could find a way upthe further bank。 Each time they clambered out； the trees seemed deeper anddarker； and always to the left and upwards it was most difficult to find away； and they were forced to the right and downwards。
After an hour or two they had lost all clear sense of direction； thoughthey knew well enough that they had long ceased to go northward at all。 They
were being headed off； and were simply following a course chosen for them –
eastwards and southwards； into the heart of the Forest and not out of it。
The afternoon was wearing away when they scrambled and stumbled into afold that was wider and deeper than any they had yet met。 It was so sleep andoverhung that it proved impossible to climb out of it again； either forwardsor backwards； without leaving their ponies and their baggage behind。 All theycould do was to follow the fold – downwards。 The ground grew soft； and inplaces boggy； springs appeared in the banks； and soon they found themselvesfollowing a brook that trickled and babbled through a weedy bed。 Then theground began to fall rapidly； and the brook growing strong and noisy； flowedand leaped swiftly downhill。 They were in a deep dim…lit gully over…arched bytrees high above them。
After stumbling along for some way along the stream； they came quitesuddenly out of the gloom。 As if through a gate they saw the sunlight beforethem。 ing to the opening they found that they had made their way downthrough a cleft in a high sleep bank； almost a cliff。 At its feet was a widespace of grass and reeds； and in the distance could be glimpsed another bankalmost as steep。 A golden afternoon of late sunshine lay warm and drowsy uponthe hidden land between。 In the midst of it there wound lazily a dark river ofbrown water； bordered with ancient willows； arched over with willows； blockedwith fallen willows； and flecked with thousands of faded willow…leaves。 Theair was thick with them； fluttering yellow from the branches； for there was awarm and gentle breeze blowing softly in the valley； and the reeds wererustling； and the willow…boughs were creaking。
'Well； now I have at least some notion of where we are！' said Merry。 'Wehave e almost in the opposite direction to which we intended。 This is theRiver Withywindle！ I will go on and explore。'
He passed out into the sunshine and disappeared into the long grasses。
After a while he reappeared； and reported that there was fairly solid groundbetween the cliff…foot and the river； in some places firm turf went down tothe water's edge。 'What's more；' he said； 'there seems to be something like afootpath winding along on this side of the river。 If we turn left and followit； we shall be bound to e out on the east side of the Forest eventually。'