it； we shall be bound to e out on the east side of the Forest eventually。'
'I dare say！' said Pippin。 'That is； if the track goes on so far； anddoes not simply lead us into a bog and leave us there。 Who made the track； doyou suppose； and why？ I am sure it was not for our benefit。 I am getting verysuspicious of this Forest and everything in it； and I begin to believe all thestories about it。 And have you any idea how far eastward we should have to
go？'
'No；' said Merry； 'I haven't。 I don't know in the least how far down theWithywindle we are； or who could possibly e here often enough to make apath along it。 But there is no other way out that I can see or think of。'
There being nothing else for it； they filed out； and Merry led them tothe path that he had discovered。 Everywhere the reeds and grasses were lushand tall； in places far above their heads； but once found； the path was easyto follow； as it turned and twisted； picking out the sounder ground among thebogs and pools。 Here and there it passed over other rills； running downgullies into the Withywindle out of the higher forest…lands； and at thesepoints there were tree…trunks or bundles of brushwood laid carefully across。
The hobbits began to feel very hot。 There were armies of flies of allkinds buzzing round their ears； and the afternoon sun was burning on theirbacks。 At last they came suddenly into a thin shade； great grey branchesreached across the path。 Each step forward became more reluctant than thelast。 Sleepiness seemed to be creeping out of the ground and up their legs；
and falling softly out of the air upon their heads and eyes。
Frodo felt his chin go down and his head nod。 Just in front of him Pippinfell forward on to his knees。 Frodo halted。 'It's no good；' he heard Merrysaying。 'Can't go another step without rest。 Must have nap。 It's cool underthe willows。 Less flies！'
Frodo did not like the sound of this。 'e on！' he cried。 'We can't have
a nap yet。 We must get clear of the Forest first。' But the others were too fargone to care。 Beside them Sam stood yawning and blinking stupidly。
Suddenly Frodo himself felt sleep overwhelming him。 His head swam。 Therenow seemed hardly a sound in the air。 The flies had stopped buzzing。 Only agentle noise on the edge of hearing； a soft fluttering as of a song halfwhispered； seemed to stir in the boughs above。 He lifted his heavy eyes andsaw leaning over him a huge willow…tree； old and hoary。 Enormous it looked；
its sprawling branches going up like reaching arms with many long…fingeredhands； its knotted and twisted trunk gaping in wide fissures that creakedfaintly as the boughs moved。 The leaves fluttering against the bright skydazzled him； and he toppled over； lying where he fell upon the grass。
Merry and Pippin dragged themselves forward and lay down with their backsto the willow…trunk。 Behind them the great cracks gaped wide to receive themas the tree swayed and creaked。 They looked up at the grey and yellow leaves；
moving softly against the light； and singing。 They shut their eyes； and thenit seemed that they could almost hear words； cool words； saying somethingabout water and sleep。 They gave themselves up to the spell and fell fastasleep at the foot of the great grey willow。
Frodo lay for a while fighting with the sleep that was overpowering him；
then with an effort he struggled to his feel again。 He felt a pellingdesire for cool water。 'Wait for me； Sam；' he stammered。 'Must bathe feet aminute。'
Half in a dream he wandered forward to the riverward side of the tree；
where great winding roots grew out into the stream； like gnarled dragonetsstraining down to drink。 He straddled one of these； and paddled his hot feelin the cool brown water； and there he too suddenly fell asleep with his backagainst the tree。
Sam sat down and scratched his head； and yawned like a cavern。 He wasworried。 The afternoon was getting late； and he thought this sudden sleepinessuncanny。 'There's more behind this than sun and warm air；' he muttered tohimself。 'I don't like this great big tree。 I don't trust it。 Hark at itsinging about sleep now！ This won't do at all！'
He pulled himself to his feet； and staggered off to see what had beeof the ponies。 He found that two had wandered on a good way along the path；
and he had just caught them and brought them back towards the others； when heheard two noises； one loud； and the other soft but very clear。 One was thesplash of something heavy falling into the water； the other was a noise likethe snick of a lock when a door quietly closes fast。
He rushed back to the bank。 Frodo was in the water close to the edge； anda great tree…root seemed to be over him and holding him down； but he was notstruggling。 Sam gripped him by the jacket； and dragged him from under theroot； and then with difficulty hauled him on to the bank。 Almost at once hewoke； and coughed and spluttered。
'Do you know； Sam；' he said at length； 'the beastly tree _threw_ me in！ Ifelt it。 The big root just twisted round and tipped me in！'
'You were dreaming I expect； Mr。 Frodo；' said Sam。 'You shouldn't sit insuch a place； if you feel sleepy。'
'What about the others？' Frodo asked。 'I wonder what sort of dreams theyare having。'
They went round to the other side of the tree； and then Sam understoodthe click that he had heard。 Pippin had vanished。 The crack by which he hadlaid himself had closed together； so that not a chink could be seen。 Merry wastrapped： another crack had closed about his waist； his legs lay outside； butthe rest of him was inside a dark opening； the edges of which gripped like apair of pincers。
Frodo and Sam beat first upon the tree…trunk where Pippin had lain。 Theythen struggled frantically to pull open the jaws of the crack that held poorMerry。 It was quite useless。
'What a foul thing to happen！' cried Frodo wildly。 'Why did we ever einto this dreadful Forest？ I wish we were all back at Crickhollow！' He kicked
the tree with all his strength； heedless of his own feet。 A hardly perceptibleshiver ran through the stem and up into the branches； the leaves rustled andwhispered； but with a sound now of faint and far…off laughter。
Sam。
'I suppose we haven't got an axe among our luggage； Mr。 Frodo？' asked
'I brought a little hatchet for chopping firewood；' said Frodo。 'Thatwouldn't be much use。'
'Wait a minute！' cried Sam； struck by an idea suggested by firewood。 'Wemight do something with fire！'
'We might；' said Frodo doubtfully。 'We might succeed in roasting Pippinalive inside。'
'We might try to hurt or frighten this tree to begin with；' said Samfiercely。 'If it don't let them go； I'll have it down； if I have to gnaw it。'
He ran to the ponies and before long came back with two tinder…boxes and ahatchet。
Quickly they gathered dry grass and leaves； and bits of bark； and made apile of broken twigs and chopped sticks。 These they heaped against the trunkon the far side of the tree from the prisoners。 As soon as Sam had struck aspark into the tinder； it kindled the dry grass and a flurry of flame andsmoke went up。 The twigs crackled。 Little fingers of fire licked against thedry scored rind of the ancient tree and scorched it。 A tremor ran through thewhole willow。 The leaves seemed to hiss above their heads with a sound of painand anger。 A loud scream came from Merry； and from far inside the tree theyheard Pippin give a muffled yell。
'Put it out！ Put it out！' cried Merry。 'He'll squeeze me in two； if youdon't。 He says so！'
'Who？ What？' shouted Frodo； rushing round to the other side of the tree。
'Put it out！ Put it out！' begged Merry。 The branches of the willow beganto sway violently。 There was a sound as of a wind rising and spreadingoutwards to the branches of all the other trees round about； as though theyhad dropped a stone into the quiet slumber of the river…valley and set upripples of anger that ran out over the whole Forest。 Sam kicked at the littlefire and stamped out the sparks。 But Frodo； without any clear idea of why hedid so； or what he hoped for； ran along the path crying _help！ help！ help！_Itseemed to him that he could hardly hear the sound of his own shrill voice： itwas blown away from him by the willow…wind and drowned in a clamour of leaves；
as soon as the words left his mouth。 He felt desperate： lost and witless。
Suddenly he slopped。 There was an answer； or so he thought； but it seemedto e from behind him； away down the path further back in the Forest。 Heturned round and listened； and soon there could be no doubt： someone wassinging a song； a deep glad voice was singing carelessly and happily； but itwas singing nonsense：
Hey dol！ merry dol！ ring a dong dillo！
Ring a dong！ hop along！ fal lal the willow！
Tom Bom； jolly Tom； Tom Bombadillo！
Half hopeful and half afraid of some new danger； Frodo and Sam now bothstood still。 Suddenly out of a long string of nonsense…words （or so theyseemed） the voice rose up loud and clear and burst into this song：
Hey！ e merry dot！ derry dol！ My darling！
Light goes the weather…wind and the feathered starling。
Down along under Hill； shining in the sunlight；
Waiting on the doorstep for the cold starlight；
There my pretty lady is。 River…woman's daughter；
Slender as the willow…wand； clearer than the water。
Old Tom Bombadil water…lilies bringinges hopping home again。 Can you hear him singing？
Hey！ e merry dol！ deny dol！ and merry…o；
Goldberry； Goldberry； merry yellow berry…o！
Poor old Willow…man； you tuck your roots away！
Tom's in a hurry now。 Evening will follow day。
Tom's going home again water…lilies bringing。
Hey！ e derry dol！ Can you hear me singing？
Frodo and Sam stood as if enchanted。 The wind puffed out。 The leaves hungsilently again on stiff branches。 There was another burst of song； and thensuddenly； hopping and dancing along the path； there appeared above the reedsan old battered hat with a tall crown and a long blue feather stuck in theband。 With another hop and a bound there came into view a man； or so itseemed。 At any rate he was too large and heavy for a hobbit； if not quite tallenough for one of the Big People； though he made noise enough for one；
slumping along with great yellow boots on his thick legs； and charging throughgrass and rushes like a cow going down to drink。 He had a blue coat and a longbrown beard； his eyes were blue and bright； and his face was red as a ripeapple； but creased into a hundred wrinkles of laughter。 In his hands hecarried on a large leaf as on a tray a small pile of white water…lilies。
'Help！' cried Frodo and Sam running towards him with their handsstretched out。
'Whoa！ Whoa！ steady there！' cried the old man； holding up one hand； andthey stopped short； as if they had been struck stiff。 'Now； my little fellows；
where be you a…going to； puffing like a bellows？ What's the matter here then？
Do you know who I am？ I'm Tom Bombadil。 Tell me what's your trouble！ Tom's ina hurry now。 Don't you crush my lilies！'
'My friends are caught in the willow…tree；' cried Frodo breathlessly。
'Master Merry's being squeezed in a crack！' cried Sam。
'What？' shouted Tom Bombadil； leaping up in the air。 'Old Man Willow？
Naught worse than that； eh？ That can soon be mended。 I know the tune for him。
Old grey Willow…man！ I'll freeze his marrow cold； if he