st sight of Men and theirtall houses quite enough； indeed too much for the dark end of a tiring day。 Hepictured black horses standing all saddled in the shadows of the inn…yard； andBlack Riders peering out of dark upper windows。
'We surely aren't going to stay here for the night； are we； sir？' heexclaimed。 'If there are hobbit…folk in these pans； why don't we look for somethat would be willing to take us in？ It would be more homelike。'
'What's wrong with the inn？' said Frodo。 'Tom Bombadil remended it。 Iexpect it's homelike enough inside。'
Even from the outside the inn looked a pleasant house to familiar eyes。
It had a front on the Road； and two wings running back on land partly cut outof the lower slopes of the hill； so that at the rear the second…floor windowswere level with the ground。 There was a wide arch leading to a courtyardbetween the two wings； and on the left under the arch there was a largedoorway reached by a few broad steps。 The door was open and light streamed outof it。 Above the arch there was a lamp； and beneath it swung a largesignboard： a fat white pony reared up on its hind legs。 Over the door waspainted in white letters： THE PRANCING PONY by BARLIMAN BUTTERBUR。 Many of thelower windows showed lights behind thick curtains。
As they hesitated outside in the gloom； someone began singing a merrysong inside； and many cheerful voices joined loudly in the chorus。 Theylistened to this encouraging sound for a moment and then got off their ponies。
The song ended and there was a burst of laughter and clapping。
They led their ponies under the arch； and leaving them standing in theyard they climbed up the steps。 Frodo went forward and nearly bumped into ashort fat man with a bald head and a red face。 He had a white apron on； andwas bustling out of one door and in through another； carrying a tray ladenwith full mugs。
'Can we…' began Frodo。
'Half a minute； if you please！' shouted the man over his shoulder； andvanished into a babel of voices and a cloud of smoke。 In a moment he was out
again； wiping his hands on his apron。
'Good evening； little master！' he said； bending down。 'What may you bewanting？'
'Beds for four； and stabling for five ponies； if that can be managed。 Areyou Mr。 Butterbur？'
'That's right！ Barliman is my name。 Barliman Butterbur at your service！
You're from the Shire； eh？' he said； and then suddenly he clapped his hand tohis forehead； as if trying to remember something。 'Hobbits！' he cried。 'Nowwhat does that remind me of？ Might I ask your names； sir？'
'Mr。 Took and Mr。 Brandybuck；' said Frodo； 'and this is Sam Gamgee。 Myname is Underhill。'
'There now！' said Mr。 Butterbur； snapping his fingers。 'It's gone again！
But it'll e back； when I have time to think。 I'm run off my feet； but I'llsee what I can do for you。 We don't often get a party out of the Shirenowadays； and I should be sorry not to make you wele。 But there is such acrowd already in the house tonight as there hasn't been for long enough。 Itnever rains but it pours； we say in Bree。
Nob！'
'Hi！ Nob！' he shouted。 'Where are you； you woolly…footed slow…coach？
'ing； sir！ ing！' A cheery…looking hobbit bobbed out of a door； andseeing the travellers； stopped short and stared at them with great interest。
'Where's Bob？' asked the landlord。 'You don't know？ Well find him！ Double
sharp！ I haven't got six legs； nor six eyes neither！ Tell Bob there's fiveponies that have to be stabled。 He must find room somehow。' Nob trotted offwith a grin and a wink。
'Well； now； what was I going to say？' said Mr。 Butterbur； tapping hisforehead。 'One thing drives out another； so to speak。 I'm that busy tonight；
my head is going round。 There's a party that came up the Greenway from downSouth last night – and that was strange enough to begin with。 Then there's atravelling pany of dwarves going West e in this evening。 And now there'syou。 If you weren't hobbits； I doubt if we could house you。 But we've got aroom or two in the north wing that were made special for hobbits； when thisplace was built。 On the ground floor as they usually prefer； round windows andall as they like it。 I hope you'll be fortable。 You'll be wanting supper； Idon't doubt。 As soon as may be。 This way now！'
He led them a short way down a passage； and opened a door。 'Here is anice little parlour！' he said。 'I hope it will suit。 Excuse me now。 I'm thatbusy。 No time for talking。 I must be trotting。 It's hard work for two legs；
but I don't get thinner。 I'll look in again later。 If you want anything； ringthe hand…bell； and Nob will e。 If he don't e； ring and shout！'
Off he went at last； and left them feeling rather breathless。 He seemedcapable of an endless stream of talk； however busy he might be。 They foundthemselves in a small and cosy room。 There was a bit of bright fire burning onthe hearth； and in front of it were some low and fortable chairs。 There wasa round table； already spread with a white cloth； and on it was a large handbell。
But Nob； the hobbit servant； came bustling in long before they thoughtof ringing。 He brought candles and a tray full of plates。
'Will you be wanting anything to drink； masters？' he asked。 'And shall Ishow you the bedrooms； while your supper is got ready？'
They were washed and in the middle of good deep mugs of beer when Mr。
Butterbur and Nob came in again。 In a twinkling the table was laid。 There washot soup； cold meats； a blackberry tart； new loaves； slabs of butter； and halfa ripe cheese： good plain food； as good as the Shire could show； and homelikeenough to dispel the last of Sam's misgivings （already much relieved by theexcellence of the beer）。
The landlord hovered round for a link； and then prepared to leave them。
'I don't know whether you would care to join the pany； when you havesupped；' he said； standing at the door。 'Perhaps you would rather go to your
beds。 Still the pany would be very pleased to wele you_；_ if you had amind。 We don't get Outsiders – travellers from the Shire； I should say；
begging your pardon – often； and we like to hear a bit of news； or any storyor song you may have in mind。 But as you please！ Ring the bell； if you lackanything！'
So refreshed and encouraged did they feel at the end of their supper（about three quarters of an hour's steady going； not hindered by unnecessarytalk） that Frodo； Pippin； and Sam decided to join the pany。 Merry said itwould be too stuffy。 'I shall sit here quietly by the fire for a bit； andperhaps go out later for a sniff of the air。 Mind your Ps and Qs； and don'tforget that you are supposed to be escaping in secret； and are still _on_ thehigh…road and not very far from the Shire！'
'All right！' said Pippin。 'Mind yourself！ Don't get lost； and don'tforget that it is safer indoors！'
The pany was in the big mon…room of the inn。 The gathering waslarge and mixed； as Frodo discovered； when his eyes got used to the light。
This came chiefly from a blazing log…fire； for the three lamps hanging fromthe beams were dim； and half veiled in smoke。 Barliman Butterbur was standingnear the fire； talking to a couple of dwarves and one or two strange…lookingmen。 On the benches were various folk： men of Bree； a collection of localhobbits （sitting chattering together）； a few more dwarves； and other vaguefigures difficult to make out away in the shadows and ers。
As soon as the Shire…hobbits entered； there was a chorus of wele fromthe Bree…landers。 The strangers； especially those that had e up theGreenway； stared at them curiously。 The landlord introduced the newers tothe Bree…folk； so quickly that； though they caught many names； they wereseldom sure who the names belonged to。 The Men of Bree seemed all to haverather botanical （and to the Shire…folk rather odd） names； like Rushlight；
Goatleaf； Heathertoes； Appledore； Thistlewool and Ferny （not to mentionButterbur）。 Some of the hobbits had similar names。 The Mugworts； for instance；
seemed numerous。 But most of them had natural names； such as Banks；
Brockhouse； Longholes； Sandheaver； and Tunnelly； many of which were used inthe Shire。 There were several Underhills from Saddle； and as they could notimagine sharing a name without being related； they took Frodo to their heartsas a long…lost cousin。
The Bree…hobbits were； in fact； friendly and inquisitive； and Frodo soonfound that some explanation of what he was doing would have to be given。 Hegave out that he was interested in history and geography （at which there wasmuch wagging of heads； although neither of these words were much used in theBree…dialect）。 He said he was thinking of writing a book （at which there wassilent astonishment）； _and_ that he and his friends wanted to collectinformation about hobbits living outside the Shire； especially in the easternlands。
At this a chorus of voices broke out。 If Frodo had really wanted to writea book； and had had many ears； he would have learned enough for severalchapters in a few minutes。 And if that was not enough； he was given a wholelist of names； beginning with 'Old Barliman here'； to whom he could go forfurther information。 But after a time； as Frodo did not show any _sign_ ofwriting a book on the spot； the hobbits returned to their questions aboutdoings in the Shire。 Frodo did not prove very municative； and he soon foundhimself sitting alone in a er； listening and looking around。
The Men and Dwarves were mostly talking of distant events and tellingflews of a kind that was being only too familiar。 There was trouble away inthe South； and it seemed that the Men who had e up the Greenway were on themove； looking for lands where they could find some peace。 The Bree…folk weresympathetic； but plainly not very ready to take a large number of strangersinto their little land。 One of the travellers； a squint…eyed ill…favouredfellow； was foretelling that more and more people would be ing north in thenear future。 'If room isn't found for them； they'll find it for themselves。
They've a right to live； same as other folk；' he said loudly。 The localinhabitants did not look pleased at the prospect。
The hobbits did not pay much attention to all this； and it did not at themoment seem to concern hobbits。 Big Folk could hardly beg for lodgings inhobbit…holes。 They were more interested in Sam and Pippin； who were nowfeeling quite at home； and were chatting gaily about events in the Shire。
Pippin roused a good deal of laughter with an account of the collapse of theroof of the Town Hole in Michel Delving： Will Whitfoot； the Mayor； and thefattest hobbit in the Westfarthing； had been buried in chalk； and came outlike a floured dumpling。 But there were several questions asked that madeFrodo a little uneasy。 One of the Bree…landers； who seemed to have been in theShire several times； wanted to know where the Underhills lived and who theywere related to。
Suddenly Frodo noticed that a strange…looking weather…beaten man； sittingin the shadows near the wall； was also listening intently to the hobbit…talk。
He had a tall tankard in front of him； and was smoking a long…stemmed pipecuriously carved。 His legs were stretched out before him； showing high bootsof supple leather that fitted him well； but had seen much wear and were nowcaked with mud。 A travel…stained cloak of heavy dark…green cloth was drawnclose about him； and in spite of the