sun； but the Road was brown and empty。
'Do you think；' asked Pippin hesitatingly； 'do you think we may bepursued； tonight？'
'No； I hope not tonight；' answered Tom Bombadil； 'nor perhaps the nextday。 But do not trust my guess； for I cannot tell for certain。 Out east myknowledge fails。 Tom is not master of Riders from the Black Land far beyondhis country。'
All the same the hobbits wished he was ing with them。 They felt thathe would know how to deal with Black Riders； if anyone did。 They would soonnow be going forward into lands wholly strange to them； and beyond all but themost vague and distant legends of the Shire； and in the gathering twilightthey longed for home。 A deep loneliness and sense of loss was on them。 Theystood silent； reluctant to make the final parting； and only slowly becameaware that Tom was wishing them farewell； and telling them to have good heartand to ride on till dark without halting。
'Tom will give you good advice； till this day is over （after that yourown luck must go with you and guide you）： four miles along the Road you'lle upon a village； Bree under Bree…hill； with doors looking westward。 Thereyou'll find an old inn that is called _The Prancing Pony。_ Barliman Butterburis the worthy keeper。 There you can stay the night； and afterwards the morningwill speed you upon your way。 Be bold； but wary！ Keep up your merry hearts；
and ride to meet your fortune！'
They begged him to e at least as far as the inn and drink once morewith them； but he laughed and refused； saying：
Tom's country ends here： he will not pass the borders。
Tom has his house to mind； and Goldberry is waiting！
Then he turned； tossed up his hat； leaped on Lumpkin's back； and rode upover the bank and away singing into the dusk。
The hobbits climbed up and watched him until he was out of sight。
'I am sorry to take leave of Master Bombadil；' said Sam。 'He's a cautionand no mistake。 I reckon we may go a good deal further and see naught better；
nor queerer。 But I won't deny I'll be glad to see this _Prancing Pony_he spokeof。 I hope it'll be like _The Green Dragon_ away back home！ What sort of folkare they in Bree？'
'There are hobbits in Bree；' said Merry； 'as well as Big Folk。 I daresayit will be homelike enough。 _The Pony_ is a good inn by all accounts。 Mypeople ride out there now and again。'
'It may be all we could wish；' said Frodo； 'but it is outside the Shireall the same。 Don't make yourselves too much at home！ Please remember …all ofyou – that the name of Baggins must NOT be mentioned。 I am Mr。 Underhill； ifany name must be given。'
They now mounted their ponies and rode off silently into the evening。
Darkness came down quickly； as they plodded slowly downhill and up again；
until at last they saw lights twinkling some distance ahead。
Before them rose Bree…hill barring the way； a dark mass against mistystars； and under its western flank nestled a large village。 Towards it theynow hurried desiring only to find a fire； and a door between them and thenight。
At the Sign of
_Chapter 9_
The Prancing Pony_
Bree was the chief village of the Bree…land； a small inhabited region；
like an island in the empty lands round about。 Besides Bree itself； there wasStaddle on the other side of the hill； be in a deep valley a little furthereastward； and Archet on the edge of the Chetwood。 Lying round Bree…hill andthe villages was a small country of fields and tamed woodland only a few milesbroad。
The Men of Bree were brown…haired； broad； and rather short； cheerful andindependent： they belonged to nobody but themselves； but they were morefriendly and familiar with Hobbits； Dwarves； Elves； and other inhabitants ofthe world about them than was （or is） usual with Big People。 According totheir own tales they were the original inhabitants and were the descendants ofthe first Men that ever wandered into the West of the middle…world。 Few had
survived the turmoils of the Elder Days； but when the Kings returned againover the Great Sea they had found the Bree…men still there； and they werestill there now； when the memory of the old Kings had faded into the grass。
In those days no other Men had settled dwellings so far west； or within ahundred leagues of the Shire。 But in the wild lands beyond Bree there weremysterious wanderers。 The Bree…folk called them Rangers； and knew nothing oftheir origin。 They were taller and darker than the Men of Bree and werebelieved to have strange powers of sight and hearing； and to understand thelanguages of beasts and birds。 They roamed at will southwards； and eastwardseven as far as the Misty Mountains； but they were now few and rarely seen。
When they appeared they brought news from afar； and told strange forgottentales which were eagerly listened to； but the Bree…folk did not make friendsof them。
There were also many families of hobbits in the Bree…land and_they_claimed to be the oldest settlement of Hobbits in the world； one thatwas founded long before even the Brandywine was crossed and the Shire
colonized。 They lived mostly in Staddle though there were some in Bree itself；
especially on the higher slopes of the hill； above the houses of the Men。 TheBig Folk and the Little Folk （as they called one another） were on friendlyterms； minding their own affairs in their own ways； but both rightly regardingthemselves as necessary parts of the Bree…folk。 Nowhere else in the world wasthis peculiar （but excellent） arrangement to be found。
The Bree…folk； Big and Little； did not themselves travel much； and theaffairs of the four villages were their chief concern。 Occasionally theHobbits of Bree went as far as Buckland； or the Eastfarthing； but though theirlink land was not much further than a day's riding east of the BrandywineBridge； the Hobbits of the Shire now seldom visited it。 An occasionalBucklander or adventurous Took would e out to the Inn for a night or two；
but even that was being less and less usual。 The Shire…hobbits referred tothose of Bree； and to any others that lived beyond the borders； as Outsiders；
and took very little interest in them； considering them dull and uncouth。
There were probably many more Outsiders scattered about in the West of theWorld in those days than the people of the Shire imagined。 Some； doubtless；
were no better than tramps； ready to dig a hole in any bank and stay only aslong as it suited them。 But in the Bree…land； at any rate； the hobbits weredecent and prosperous； and no more rustic than most of their distant relativesInside。 It was not yet forgotten that there had been a time when there wasmuch ing and going between the Shire and Bree。 There was Bree…blood in theBrandybucks by all accounts。
The village of Bree had some hundred stone houses of the Big Folk； mostlyabove the Road； nestling on the hillside with windows looking west。 On thatside； running in more than half a circle from the hill and back to it； therewas a deep dike with a thick hedge on the inner side。 Over this the Roadcrossed by a causeway； but where it pierced the hedge it was barred by a greatgate。 There was another gate in the southern er where the Road ran out ofthe village。 The gates were closed at nightfall； but just inside them weresmall lodges for the gatekeepers。
Down on the Road； where it swept to the right to go round the foot of thehill； there was a large inn。 It had been built long ago when the traffic onthe roads had been far greater。 For Bree stood at an old meeting of ways；
another ancient road crossed the East Road just outside （he dike at thewestern end of the village； and in former days Men and other folk of varioussorts had travelled much on it。 _Strange as News from Bree_ was still a sayingin the Eastfarthing； descending from those days； when news from North； South；
and East could be heard in the inn； and when the Shire…hobbits used to go moreoften to hear it。 But the Northern Lands had long been desolate； and the NorthRoad was now seldom used： it was grass…grown； and the Bree…folk called it theGreenway。
The Inn of Bree was still there； however； and the innkeeper was animportant person。 His house was a meeting place for the idle； talkative； andinquisitive among the inhabitants； large and small； of the four villages； anda resort of Rangers and other wanderers； and for such travellers （mostlydwarves） as still journeyed on the East Road； to and from the Mountains。
It was dark； and white stars were shining； when Frodo and his panionscame at last to the Greenway…crossing and drew near the village。 They came tothe West…gate and found it shut； but at the door of the lodge beyond it； therewas a man sitting。 He jumped up and fetched a lantern and looked over the gateat them in surprise。
'What do you want； and where do you e from？' he asked gruffly。
'We are making for the inn here；' answered Frodo。 'We are journeying eastand cannot go further tonight。'
'Hobbits！ Four hobbits！ And what's more； out of the Shire by theirtalk；' said the gatekeeper； softly as if speaking to himself。 He stared atthem darkly for a moment； and then slowly opened the gate and let them ride
through。
'We don't often see Shire…folk riding on the Road at night；' he went on；
as they halted a moment by his door。 'You'll pardon my wondering what businesstakes you away east of Bree！ What may your names be； might I ask？'
'Our names and our business are our own； and this does not seem a goodplace to discuss them；' said Frodo； not liking the look of the man or the toneof his voice。
'Your business is your own； no doubt；' said the man； 'but it's mybusiness to ask questions after nightfall。'
'We are hobbits from Buckland； and we have a fancy to travel and to stayat the inn here；' put in Merry。 'I am Mr。 Brandybuck。 Is that enough for you？
The Bree…folk used to be fair…spoken to travellers； or so I had heard。'
'All right； all right！' said the man。 'I meant no offence。 But you'llfind maybe that more folk than old Harry at the gate will be asking youquestions。 There's queer folk about。 If you go on to _The Pony；_ you'll findyou're oat the only guests。'
He wished them good night； and they said no more； but Frodo could see inthe lantern…light that the man was still eyeing them curiously。 He was glad tohear the gate clang to behind them； as they rode forward。 He wondered why theman was so suspicious； and whether any one had been asking for _news of_ aparty of hobbits。 Could it have been Gandalf？ He might have arrived； whilethey were delayed in the Forest and the Downs。 But there was something in thelook and the voice of the gatekeeper that made him uneasy。
The man stared after the hobbits for a moment； and then he went back tohis house。 As soon as his back was turned； a dark figure climbed quickly inover the gate and melted into the shadows of the village street。
The hobbits rode on up a gentle slope； passing a few detached houses； anddrew up outside the inn。 The houses looked large and strange to them。 Samstared up at the inn with its three storeys and many windows； and felt hisheart sink。 He had imagined himself meeting giants taller than trees； andother creatures even more terrifying； some time or other in the course of hisjourney； but at the moment he was finding his first sight of Men and theirtall houses quite enough； indeed too much for the dark end of a tiring day。