their backs upon thegrass at the west side of the mound。 Raising his right hand he said in a clearand manding voice：
Wake now my merry tads！ Wake and hear me calling！
Warm now be heart and limb！ The cold stone is fallen；
Dark door is standing wide； dead hand is broken。
Night under Night is flown； and the Gate is open！
To Frodo's great joy the hobbits stirred； stretched their arms； rubbedtheir eyes； and then suddenly sprang up。 They looked about in amazement； first
at Frodo； and then at Tom standing large as life on the barrow…top above them；
and then at themselves in their thin white rags； crowned and belted with palegold； and jingling with trinkets。
'What in the name of wonder？' began Merry； feeling the golden circletthat had slipped over one eye。 Then he stopped； and a shadow came over hisface； and he closed his eyes。 'Of course； I remember！' he said。 'The men ofCarn D。m came on us at night； and we were worsted。 Ah！ the spear in myheart！' He clutched at his breast。 'No！ No！' he said； opening his eyes。 'Whatam I saying？ I have been dreaming。 Where did you get to； Frodo？'
'I thought that I was lost；' said Frodo； 'but I don't want to speak ofit。 Let us think of what we are to do now！ Let us go on！'
'Dressed up like this； sir？' said Sam。 'Where are my clothes？' He flunghis circlet； belt； and rings on the grass； and looked round helplessly； as ifhe expected to find his cloak； jacket； and breeches； and other hobbit…garmentslying somewhere to hand。
'You won't find your clothes again；' said Tom； bounding down from themound； and laughing as he danced round them in the sunlight。 One would havethought that nothing dangerous or dreadful had happened； and indeed the horrorfaded out of their hearts as they looked at him； and saw the merry glint inhis eyes。
'What do you mean？' asked Pippin； looking at him； half puzzled and halfamused。 'Why not？'
But Tom shook his head； saying： 'You've found yourselves again； out ofthe deep water。 Clothes are but little loss； if you escape from drowning。 Beglad； my merry friends； and let the warm sunlight heal now heart and limb！
Cast off these cold rags！ Run naked on the grass； while Tom goes a…hunting！'
He sprang away down hill； whistling and calling。 Looking down after himFrodo saw him running away southwards along the green hollow between theirhill and the next； still whistling and crying：
Hey！ now！ e hoy now！ Whither do you wander？
Up； down； near or far； here； there or yonder？
Sharp…ears； Wise…nose； Swish…tail and Bumpkin；
White…socks my little lad； and old Fatty Lumpkin！
So he sang； running fast； tossing up his hat and catching it； until hewas hidden by a fold of the ground： but for some time his _hey now！ hoy now！
_came floating back down the wind； which had shifted round towards the south。
The air was growing very warm again。 The hobbits ran about for a while onthe grass； as he told them。 Then they lay basking in the sun with the delightof those that have been wafted suddenly from bitter winter to a friendlyclime； or of people that； after being long ill and bedridden； wake one day tofind that they are unexpectedly well and the day is again full of promise。
By the time that Tom returned they were feeling strong （and hungry）。 Hereappeared； hat first； over the brow of the hill； and behind him came in anobedient line _six_ ponies： their own five and one more。 The last was plainlyold Fatty Lumpkin： he was larger； stronger； fatter （and older） than their ownponies。 Merry； to whom the others belonged； had not； in fact； given them anysuch names； but they answered to the new names that Tom had given them for therest of their lives。 Tom called them one by one and they climbed over the browand stood in a line。 Then Tom bowed to the hobbits。
'Here are your ponies； now！' he said。 'They've more sense （in some ways）
than you wandering hobbits have – more sense in their noses。 For they sniffdanger ahead which you walk right into； and if they run to save themselves；
then they run the right way。 You must forgive them all； for though theirhearts are faithful； to face fear of Barrow…wights is not what they were madefor。 See； here they e again； bringing all their burdens！'
Merry； Sam； and Pippin now clothed themselves in spare garments fromtheir packs； and they soon felt too hot； for they were obliged to put on someof the thicker and warmer things that they had brought against the oning of
winter。
'Where does that other old animal； that Fatty Lumpkin； e from？' askedFrodo。
'He's mine；' said Tom。 'My four…legged friend； though I seldom ride him；
and he wanders often far； free upon the hillsides。 When your ponies stayedwith me； they got to know my Lumpkin； and they smelt him in the night； andquickly ran to meet him。 I thought he'd look for them and with his words ofwisdom take all their fear away。 But now； my jolly Lumpkin； old Tom's going toride。 Hey！ he's ing with you； just to set you on the road； so he needs apony。 For you cannot easily talk to hobbits that are riding； when you're onyour own legs trying to trot beside them。'
The hobbits were delighted to hear this； and thanked Tom many times； buthe laughed； and said that they were so good at losing themselves that he wouldnot feel happy till he had seen them safe over the borders of his land。 'I'vegot things to do；' he said： 'my making and my singing； my talking and mywalking； and my watching of the country。 Tom can't be always near to opendoors and willow…cracks。 Tom has his house to mind； and Goldberry is waiting。'
It was still fairly early by the sun； something between nine and ten； andthe hobbits turned their minds to food。 Their last meal had been lunch beside
the standing stone the day before。 They breakfasted now off the remainder ofTom's provisions； meant for their supper； with additions that Tom had broughtwith him。 It was not a large meal （considering hobbits and the circumstances）；
but they felt much better for it。 While they were eating Tom went up to themound； and looked through the treasures。 Most of these he made into a pilethat glistened and sparkled on the grass。 He bade them lie there 'free to allfinders； birds； beasts。 Elves or Men； and all kindly creatures'； for so thespell of the mound should be broken and scattered and no Wight ever e backto it。 He chose for himself from the pile a brooch set with blue stones； many…
shaded like flax…flowers or the wings of blue butterflies。 He looked long atit； as if stirred by some memory； shaking his head； and saying at last：
'Here is a pretty toy for Tom and for his lady！ Fair was she who long agowore this on her shoulder。 Goldberry shall wear it now； and we will not forgether！'
For each of the hobbits he chose a dagger； long； leaf…shaped； and keen；
of marvellous workmanship； damasked with serpent…forms in red and gold。 Theygleamed as he drew them from their black sheaths； wrought of some strangemetal； light and strong； and set with many fiery stones。 Whether by somevirtue in these sheaths or because of the spell that lay on the mound； theblades seemed untouched by time； unrusted； sharp； glittering in the sun。
'Old knives are long enough as swords for hobbit…people；' he said。 'Sharpblades are good to have； if Shire…folk go walking； east； south； or far awayinto dark and danger。' Then he told them that these blades were forged manylong years ago by Men of Westernesse： they were foes of the Dark Lord； butthey were overe by the evil king of Carn D。m in the Land of Angmar。
'Few now remember them；' Tom murmured； 'yet still some go wandering； sonsof forgotten kings walking in loneliness； guarding from evil things folk thatare heedless。'
The hobbits did not understand his words； but as he spoke they had avision as it were of a great expanse of years behind them； like a vast shadowyplain over which there strode shapes of Men； tall and grim with bright swords；
and last came one with a star on his brow。 Then the vision faded； and theywere back in the sunlit world。 It was time to start again。 They made ready；
packing their bags and lading their ponies。 Their new weapons they hung ontheir leather belts under their jackets； feeling them very awkward； andwondering if they would be of any use。 Fighting had not before occurred to anyof them as one of the adventures in which their flight would land them。
At last they set off。 They led their ponies down the hill； and thenmounting they trotted quickly along the valley。 They looked back and saw thetop of the old mound on the hill； and from it the sunlight on the gold went uplike a yellow flame。 Then they turned a shoulder of the Downs and it was
hidden from view。
Though Frodo looked about him on every side he saw no sign of the greatstones standing like a gate； and before long they came to the northern gap androde swiftly through； and the land fell away before them。 It was a merryjourney with Tom Bombadil trotting gaily beside them； or before them； on FattyLumpkin； who could move much faster than his girth promised。 Tom sang most ofthe time； but it was chiefly nonsense； or else perhaps a strange languageunknown to the hobbits； an ancient language whose words were mainly those ofwonder and delight。
They went forward steadily； but they soon saw that the Road was furtheraway than they had imagined。 Even without a fog； their sleep at mid…day wouldhave prevented them from reaching it until after nightfall on the day before。
The dark line they had seen was not a line of trees but a line of bushesgrowing on the edge of a deep dike with a steep wall on the further side。 Tomsaid that it had once been the boundary of a kingdom； but a very long limeago。 He seemed to remember something sad about it； and would not say much。
They climbed down and out of the dike and through a gap in the wall； andthen Tom turned due north； for they had been bearing somewhat to the west。 Theland was now open and fairly level； and they quickened their pace； but the sunwas already sinking low when at last they saw a line of tall trees ahead； andthey knew that they had e back to the Road after many unexpectedadventures。 They galloped their ponies over the last furlongs； and haltedunder the long shadows of the trees。 They were on the top of a sloping bank；
and the Road； now dim as evening drew on； wound away below them。 At this pointit ran nearly from South…west to North…east； and on their right it fellquickly down into a wide hollow。 It was rutted and bore many signs of therecent heavy rain； there were pools and pot…holes full of water。 They rodedown the bank and looked up and down。 There was nothing to be seen。 'Well；
here we are again at last！' said Frodo。 'I suppose we haven't lost more thantwo days by my short cut through the Forest！ But perhaps the delay will proveuseful – it may have put them off our trail。'
The others looked at him。 The shadow of the fear of the Black Riders came
suddenly over them again。 Ever since they had entered the Forest they hadthought chiefly of getting back to the Road； only now when it lay beneaththeir feet did they remember the danger which pursued them； and was more thanlikely to be lying in wait for them upon the Road itself。 They lookedanxiously back towards the setting sun； but the Road was brown and empty。
'Do you think；' asked Pippin hesitatingly； 'do you think we