He was cloaked and booted as if for a journey on horseback； and indeedthough his garments were rich； and his cloak was lined with fur； they werestained with long travel。 He had a collar of silver in which a single whitestone was set； his locks were shorn about his shoulders。 On a baldric he worea great horn tipped with silver that now was laid upon his knees。 He gazed atFrodo and Bilbo with sudden wonder。
‘Here；' said Elrond； turning to Gandalf； ‘is Boromir； a man from theSouth。 He arrived in the grey morning； and seeks for counsel。 I have biddenhim to be present； for here his questions will be answered。'
Not all that was spoken and debated in the Council need now be told。 Muchwas said of events in the world outside； especially in the South； and in thewide lands east of the Mountains。 Of these things Frodo had already heard manyrumours； but the tale of Glóin was new to him； and when the dwarf spoke helistened attentively。 It appeared that amid the splendour of their works ofhand the hearts of the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain were troubled。
‘It is now many years ago；' said Glóin； ‘that a shadow of disquiet fellupon our people。 Whence it came we did not at first perceive。 Words began tobe whispered in secret： it was said that we were hemmed in a narrow place； andthat greater wealth and splendour would be found in a wider world。 Some spokeof Moria： the mighty works of our fathers that are called in our own tongueKhazad…d。m； and they declared that now at last we had the power and numbers toreturn。'
Glóin sighed。 ‘Moria！ Moria！ Wonder of the Northern world！ Too deep wedelved there； and woke the nameless fear。 Long have its vast mansions lain
empty since the children of Durin fled。 But now we spoke of it again withlonging； and yet with dread； for no dwarf has dared to pass the doors ofKhazad…d。m for many lives of kings； save Thrór only； and he perished。 At last；
however； Balin listened to the whispers； and resolved to go； and though Dáindid not give leave willingly； he took with him Ori and óin and many of ourfolk； and they went away south。
〃That was nigh on thirty years ago。 For a while we had news and it seemedgood： messages reported that Moria had been entered and a great work begunthere。 Then there was silence； and no word has ever e from Moria since。
〃Then about a year ago a messenger came to Dáin； but not from Moria –
from Mordor： a horseman in the night； who called Dáin to his gate。 The LordSauron the Great； so he said； wished for our friendship。 Rings he would givefor it； such as he gave of old。 And he asked urgently concerning _hobbits_； ofwhat kind they were； and where they dwelt。 〃For Sauron knows；〃 said he； 〃thatone of these was known to you on a time。〃
'At this we were greatly troubled； and we gave no answer。 And then hisfell voice was lowered； and he would have sweetened it if he could。 〃As asmall token only of your friendship Sauron asks this；〃 he said： 〃that youshould find this thief；〃 such was his word； 〃and get from him； willing or no；
a little ring； the least of rings； that once he stole。 It is but a trifle thatSauron fancies； and an earnest of your good will。 Find it； and three ringsthat the Dwarf sires possessed of old shall be returned to you； and the realmof Moria shall be yours for ever。 Find only news of the thief； whether hestill lives and where； and you shall have great reward and lasting friendshipfrom the Lord。 Refuse； and things will not seem so well。 Do you refuse？〃
'At that his breath came like the hiss of snakes； and all who stood byshuddered； but Dáin said： 〃I say neither yea nor nay。 I must consider thismessage and what it means under its fair cloak。〃
' 〃Consider well； but not too long；〃 said he。
' 〃The time of my thought is my own to spend；〃 answered Dáin。
' 〃For the present；〃 said he； and rode into the darkness。
'Heavy have the hearts of our chieftains been since that night。 We needednot the fell voice of the messenger to warn us that his words held both menaceand deceit； for we knew already that the power that has re…entered Mordor hasnot changed； and ever it betrayed us of old。 Twice the messenger has returned；
and has gone unanswered。 The third and last time； so he says； is soon to e；
before the ending of the year。
'And so I have been sent at last by Dáin to warn Bilbo that he is soughtby the Enemy； and to learn； if may be； why he desires this ring； this least ofrings。 Also we crave the advice of Elrond。 For the Shadow grows and drawsnearer。 We discover that messengers have e also to King Brand in Dale； andthat he is afraid。 We fear that he may yield。 Already war is gathering on hiseastern borders。 If we make no answer； the Enemy may move Men of his rule toassail King Brand； and Dáin also。'
‘You have done well to e；' said Elrond。 ‘You will hear today all thatyou need in order to understand the purposes of the Enemy。 There is naughtthat you can do； other than to resist； with hope or without it。 But you do notstand alone。 You will learn that your trouble is but part of the trouble ofall the western world。 The Ring！ What shall we do with the Ring； the least ofrings； the trifle that Sauron fancies？ That is the doom that we must deem。
‘That is the purpose for which you are called hither。 Called； I say。
though I have not called you to me； strangers from distant lands。 You havee and are here met； in this very nick of time； by chance as it may seem。
Yet it is not so。 Believe rather that it is so ordered that we； who sit here；
and none others； must now find counsel for the peril of the world。
‘Now； therefore； things shall be openly spoken that have been hidden fromall but a few until this day。 And first； so that all may understand what isthe peril； the Tale of the Ring shall be told from the beginning even to thispresent。 And I will begin that tale； though others shall end it。'
Then all listened while Elrond in his clear voice spoke of Sauron and the
Rings of Power； and their forging in the Second Age of the world long ago。 Apart of his tale was known to some there； but the full tale to none； and manyeyes were turned t= Elrond in fear and wonder as he told of the Elven…smithsof Eregion and their friendship with Moria； and their eagerness for knowledge；
by which Sauron ensnared them。 For in that time he was not yet evil to behold；
and they received his aid and grew mighty in craft； whereas he learned alltheir secrets； and betrayed them； and forged secretly in the Mountain of Firethe One Ring to be their master。 But Celebrimbor was aware of him； and hid theThree which he had made； and there was war； and the land was laid waste； andthe gate of Moria was shut。
Then through all the years that followed he traced the Ring； but sincethat history is elsewhere recounted； even as Elrond himself set it down in hisbooks of lore； it is not here recalled。 For it is a long tale； full of deedsgreat and terrible； and briefly though Elrond spoke； the sun rode up the sky；
and the morning was passing ere he ceased。
Of Númenor he spoke； its glory and its fall； and the return of the Kingsof Men to Middle…earth out of the deeps of the Sea； borne upon the wings ofstorm。 Then Elendil the Tall and his mighty sons； Isildur and Anárion； becamegreat lords； and the North…realm they made in Arnor； and the South…realm inGondor above the mouths of Anduin。 But Sauron of Mordor assailed them； andthey made the Last Alliance of Elves and Men； and the hosts of Gil…galad andElendil were mustered in Arnor。
Thereupon Elrond paused a while and sighed。 ‘I remember well thesplendour of their banners；' he said。 ‘It recalled to me the glory of theElder Days and the hosts of Beleriand； so many great princes and captains wereassembled。 And yet not so many； nor so fair； as when Thangorodrim was broken；
and the Elves deemed that evil was ended for ever； and it was not so。'
‘You remember？' said Frodo； speaking his thought aloud in hisastonishment。 ‘But I thought；' he stammered as Elrond turned towards him； 'Ithought that the fall of Gil…galad was a long age ago。'
'So it was indeed；' answered Elrond gravely。 ‘But my memory reaches backeven to the Elder Days。 E。rendil was my sire； who was born in Gondolin beforeits fall； and my mother was Elwing； daughter of Dior； son of Lúthien ofDoriath。 I have seen three ages in the West of the world； and many defeats；
and many fruitless victories。
‘I was the herald of Gil…galad and marched with his host。 I was at theBattle of Dagorlad before the Black Gate of Mordor； where we had the mastery：
for the Spear of Gil…galad and the Sword of Elendil； Aiglos and Narsil； nonecould withstand。 I beheld the last bat on the slopes of Orodruin； whereGil…galad died； and Elendil fell； and Narsil broke beneath him； but Sauronhimself was overthrown； and Isildur cut the Ring from his hand with the hilt…
shard of his father's sword； and took it for his own。'
At this the stranger； Boromir； broke in。 ‘So that is what became of theRing！' he cried。 ‘If ever such a tale was told in the South； it has long beenforgotten。 I have heard of the Great Ring of him that we do not name； but webelieved that it perished from the world in the ruin of his first realm。
Isildur took it！ That is tidings indeed。'
‘Alas！ yes；' said Elrond。 ‘Isildur took it； as should not have been。 Itshould have been cast then into Orodruin's fire nigh at hand where it wasmade。 But few marked what Isildur did。 He alone stood by his father in thatlast mortal contest； and by Gil…galad only Círdan stood； and I。 But Isildurwould not listen to our counsel。
' 〃This I will have as weregild for my father； and my brother；〃 he said；
and therefore whether we would or no； he took it to treasure it。 But soon hewas betrayed by it to his death； and so it is named in the North Isildur'sBane。 Yet death maybe was better than what else might have befallen him。
'Only to the North did these tidings e； and only to a few。 Smallwonder it is that you have not heard them； Boromir。 From the ruin of theGladden Fields； where Isildur perished； three men only came ever back over themountains after long wandering。 One of these was Ohtar； the esquire of
Isildur； who bore the shards of the sword of Elendil； and he brought them toValandil； the heir of Isildur； who being but a child had remained here inRivendell。 But Narsil was broken and its light extinguished； and it has notyet been forged again。
‘Fruitless did I call the victory of the Last Alliance？ Not wholly so；
yet it did not achieve its end。 Sauron was diminished； but not destroyed。 HisRing was lost but not unmade。 The Dark Tower was broken； but its foundationswere not removed； for they were made with the power of the Ring； and while itremains they will endure。 Many Elves and many mighty Men； and many of theirfriends。 had perished in the war。 Anárion was slain； and Isildur was slain；
and Gil…galad and Elendil were no more。 Never again shall there be any suchleague of Elves and Men； for Men multiply and the Firstborn decrease； and thetwo kindreds are estranged。 And ever since that day the race of Númenor hasdecayed； and the span of their years has lessened。
'In the North after the war and the slaughter of the Gladden Fields theMen of Westernesse were diminished； and their city of Annúminas beside LakeEvendim fell into ruin； and the heirs