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Chapter¡¡06
The¡¡Old¡¡Forest
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Frodo¡¡woke¡¡suddenly¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡still¡¡dark¡¡in¡¡the¡¡room¡£¡¡Merry¡¡was¡¡standing¡¡there¡¡with¡¡a¡¡candle¡¡in¡¡one¡¡hand£»¡¡and¡¡banging¡¡on¡¡the¡¡door¡¡with¡¡the¡¡other¡£¡¡'All¡¡right£¡¡¡What¡¡is¡¡it£¿'¡¡said¡¡Frodo£»¡¡still¡¡shaken¡¡and¡¡bewildered¡£
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Soon¡¡after¡¡six¡¡o'clock¡¡the¡¡five¡¡hobbits¡¡were¡¡ready¡¡to¡¡start¡£¡¡Fatty¡¡Bolger¡¡was¡¡still¡¡yawning¡£¡¡They¡¡stole¡¡quietly¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡house¡£¡¡Merry¡¡went¡¡in¡¡front¡¡leading¡¡a¡¡laden¡¡pony£»¡¡and¡¡took¡¡his¡¡way¡¡along¡¡a¡¡path¡¡that¡¡went¡¡through¡¡a¡¡spinney¡¡behind¡¡the¡¡house£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡cut¡¡across¡¡several¡¡fields¡£¡¡The¡¡leaves¡¡of¡¡trees¡¡were¡¡glistening£»¡¡and¡¡every¡¡twig¡¡was¡¡dripping£»¡¡the¡¡grass¡¡was¡¡grey¡¡with¡¡cold¡¡dew¡£¡¡Everything¡¡was¡¡still£»¡¡and¡¡faraway¡¡noises¡¡seemed¡¡near¡¡and¡¡clear£º¡¡fowls¡¡chattering¡¡in¡¡a¡¡yard£»¡¡someone¡¡closing¡¡a¡¡door¡¡of¡¡a¡¡distant¡¡house¡£
In¡¡their¡¡shed¡¡they¡¡found¡¡the¡¡ponies£»¡¡sturdy¡¡little¡¡beasts¡¡of¡¡the¡¡kind¡¡loved¡¡by¡¡hobbits£»¡¡not¡¡speedy£»¡¡but¡¡good¡¡for¡¡a¡¡long¡¡day's¡¡work¡£¡¡They¡¡mounted£»¡¡and¡¡soon¡¡they¡¡were¡¡riding¡¡off¡¡into¡¡the¡¡mist£»¡¡which¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡open¡¡reluctantly¡¡before¡¡them¡¡and¡¡close¡¡forbiddingly¡¡behind¡¡them¡£¡¡After¡¡riding¡¡for¡¡about¡¡an¡¡hour£»¡¡slowly¡¡and¡¡without¡¡talking£»¡¡they¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡Hedge¡¡looming¡¡suddenly¡¡ahead¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡tall¡¡and¡¡ted¡¡over¡¡with¡¡silver¡¡cobwebs¡£¡¡'How¡¡are¡¡you¡¡going¡¡to¡¡get¡¡through¡¡this£¿'¡¡asked¡¡Fredegar¡£¡¡'Follow¡¡me£¡'¡¡said¡¡Merry£»¡¡'and¡¡you¡¡will¡¡see¡£'¡¡He¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡the¡¡left¡¡along¡¡the¡¡Hedge£»¡¡and¡¡soon¡¡they¡¡came¡¡to¡¡a¡¡point¡¡where¡¡it¡¡bent¡¡inwards£»¡¡running¡¡along¡¡the¡¡lip¡¡of¡¡a¡¡hollow¡£¡¡A¡¡cutting¡¡had¡¡been¡¡made£»¡¡at¡¡some¡¡distance¡¡from¡¡the¡¡Hedge£»¡¡and¡¡went¡¡sloping¡¡gently¡¡down¡¡into¡¡the¡¡ground¡£¡¡It¡¡had¡¡walls¡¡of¡¡brick¡¡at¡¡the¡¡sides£»¡¡which¡¡rose¡¡steadily£»¡¡until¡¡suddenly¡¡they¡¡arched¡¡over¡¡and¡¡formed¡¡a¡¡tunnel¡¡that¡¡dived¡¡deep¡¡under¡¡the¡¡Hedge¡¡and¡¡came¡¡out¡¡in¡¡the¡¡hollow¡¡on¡¡the¡¡other¡¡side¡£
Here¡¡Fatty¡¡Bolger¡¡halted¡£¡¡'Goodbye£»¡¡Frodo£¡'¡¡he¡¡said¡£¡¡'I¡¡wish¡¡you¡¡were¡¡not¡¡going¡¡into¡¡the¡¡Forest¡£¡¡I¡¡only¡¡hope¡¡you¡¡will¡¡not¡¡need¡¡rescuing¡¡before¡¡the¡¡day¡¡is¡¡out¡£¡¡But¡¡good¡¡luck¡¡to¡¡you¡¡¡£¡¡today¡¡and¡¡every¡¡day£¡'
'If¡¡there¡¡are¡¡no¡¡worse¡¡things¡¡ahead¡¡than¡¡the¡¡Old¡¡Forest£»¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡be¡¡lucky£»'¡¡said¡¡Frodo¡£¡¡'Tell¡¡Gandalf¡¡to¡¡hurry¡¡along¡¡the¡¡East¡¡Road£º¡¡we¡¡shall¡¡soon¡¡be¡¡back¡¡on¡¡it¡¡and¡¡going¡¡as¡¡fast¡¡as¡¡we¡¡can¡£'¡¡'Goodbye£¡'¡¡they¡¡cried£»¡¡and¡¡rode¡¡down¡¡the¡¡slope¡¡and¡¡disappeared¡¡from¡¡Fredegar's¡¡sight¡¡into¡¡the¡¡tunnel¡£
It¡¡was¡¡dark¡¡and¡¡damp¡£¡¡At¡¡the¡¡far¡¡end¡¡it¡¡was¡¡closed¡¡by¡¡a¡¡gate¡¡of¡¡thickset¡¡iron¡¡bars¡£¡¡Merry¡¡got¡¡down¡¡and¡¡unlocked¡¡the¡¡gate£»¡¡and¡¡when¡¡they¡¡had¡¡all¡¡passed¡¡through¡¡he¡¡pushed¡¡it¡¡to¡¡again¡£¡¡It¡¡shut¡¡with¡¡a¡¡clang£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡lock¡¡clicked¡£¡¡The¡¡sound¡¡was¡¡ominous¡£
'There£¡'¡¡said¡¡Merry¡£¡¡'You¡¡have¡¡left¡¡the¡¡Shire£»¡¡and¡¡are¡¡now¡¡outside£»¡¡and¡¡on¡¡the¡¡edge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Old¡¡Forest¡£'
'Are¡¡the¡¡stories¡¡about¡¡it¡¡true£¿'¡¡asked¡¡Pippin¡£
'I¡¡don't¡¡know¡¡what¡¡stories¡¡you¡¡mean£»'¡¡Merry¡¡answered¡£¡¡'If¡¡you¡¡mean¡¡the¡¡old¡¡bogeystories¡¡Fatty's¡¡nurses¡¡used¡¡to¡¡tell¡¡him£»¡¡about¡¡goblins¡¡and¡¡wolves¡¡and¡¡things¡¡of¡¡that¡¡sort£»¡¡I¡¡should¡¡say¡¡no¡£¡¡At¡¡any¡¡rate¡¡I¡¡don't¡¡believe¡¡them¡£¡¡But¡¡the¡¡Forest¡¡is¡¡queer¡£¡¡Everything¡¡in¡¡it¡¡is¡¡very¡¡much¡¡more¡¡alive£»¡¡more¡¡aware¡¡of¡¡what¡¡is¡¡going¡¡on£»¡¡so¡¡to¡¡speak£»¡¡than¡¡things¡¡are¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Shire¡£¡¡And¡¡the¡¡trees¡¡do¡¡not¡¡like¡¡strangers¡£¡¡They¡¡watch¡¡you¡£¡¡They¡¡are¡¡usually¡¡content¡¡merely¡¡to¡¡watch¡¡you£»¡¡as¡¡long¡¡as¡¡daylight¡¡lasts£»¡¡and¡¡don't¡¡do¡¡much¡£¡¡Occasionally¡¡the¡¡most¡¡unfriendly¡¡ones¡¡may¡¡drop¡¡a¡¡branch£»¡¡or¡¡stick¡¡a¡¡root¡¡out£»¡¡or¡¡grasp¡¡at¡¡you¡¡with¡¡a¡¡long¡¡trailer¡£¡¡But¡¡at¡¡night¡¡things¡¡can¡¡be¡¡most¡¡alarming£»¡¡or¡¡so¡¡I¡¡am¡¡told¡£¡¡I¡¡have¡¡only¡¡once¡¡or¡¡twice¡¡been¡¡in¡¡here¡¡after¡¡dark£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡only¡¡near¡¡the¡¡hedge¡£¡¡I¡¡thought¡¡all¡¡the¡¡trees¡¡were¡¡whispering¡¡to¡¡each¡¡other£»¡¡passing¡¡news¡¡and¡¡plots¡¡along¡¡in¡¡an¡¡unintelligible¡¡language£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡branches¡¡swayed¡¡and¡¡groped¡¡without¡¡any¡¡wind¡£¡¡They¡¡do¡¡say¡¡the¡¡trees¡¡do¡¡actually¡¡move£»¡¡and¡¡can¡¡surround¡¡strangers¡¡and¡¡hem¡¡them¡¡in¡£¡¡In¡¡fact¡¡long¡¡ago¡¡they¡¡attacked¡¡the¡¡Hedge£º¡¡they¡¡came¡¡and¡¡planted¡¡themselves¡¡right¡¡by¡¡it£»¡¡and¡¡leaned¡¡over¡¡it¡£¡¡But¡¡the¡¡hobbits¡¡came¡¡and¡¡cut¡¡down¡¡hundreds¡¡of¡¡trees£»¡¡and¡¡made¡¡a¡¡great¡¡bonfire¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Forest£»¡¡and¡¡burned¡¡all¡¡the¡¡ground¡¡in¡¡a¡¡long¡¡strip¡¡east¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Hedge¡£¡¡After¡¡that¡¡the¡¡trees¡¡gave¡¡up¡¡the¡¡attack£»¡¡but¡¡they¡¡became¡¡very¡¡unfriendly¡£¡¡There¡¡is¡¡still¡¡a¡¡wide¡¡bare¡¡space¡¡not¡¡far¡¡inside¡¡where¡¡the¡¡bonfire¡¡was¡¡made¡£'
'Is¡¡it¡¡only¡¡the¡¡trees¡¡that¡¡are¡¡dangerous£¿'¡¡asked¡¡Pippin¡£
'There¡¡are¡¡various¡¡queer¡¡things¡¡living¡¡deep¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Forest£»¡¡and¡¡on¡¡the¡¡far¡¡side£»'¡¡said¡¡Merry£»¡¡'or¡¡at¡¡least¡¡I¡¡have¡¡heard¡¡so£»¡¡but¡¡I¡¡have¡¡never¡¡seen¡¡any¡¡of¡¡them¡£¡¡But¡¡something¡¡makes¡¡paths¡£¡¡Whenever¡¡one¡¡es¡¡inside¡¡one¡¡finds¡¡open¡¡tracks£»¡¡but¡¡they¡¡seem¡¡to¡¡shift¡¡and¡¡change¡¡from¡¡time¡¡to¡¡time¡¡in¡¡a¡¡queer¡¡fashion¡£¡¡Not¡¡far¡¡from¡¡this¡¡tunnel¡¡there¡¡is£»¡¡or¡¡was¡¡for¡¡a¡¡long¡¡time£»¡¡the¡¡beginning¡¡of¡¡quite¡¡a¡¡broad¡¡path¡¡leading¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Bonfire¡¡Glade£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡on¡¡more¡¡or¡¡less¡¡in¡¡our¡¡direction£»¡¡east¡¡and¡¡a¡¡little¡¡north¡£¡¡That¡¡is¡¡the¡¡path¡¡I¡¡am¡¡going¡¡to¡¡try¡¡and¡¡find¡£'
The¡¡hobbits¡¡now¡¡left¡¡the¡¡tunnelgate¡¡and¡¡rode¡¡across¡¡the¡¡wide¡¡hollow¡£¡¡On¡¡the¡¡far¡¡side¡¡was¡¡a¡¡faint¡¡path¡¡leading¡¡up¡¡on¡¡to¡¡the¡¡floor¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Forest£»¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡yards¡¡and¡¡more¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡Hedge£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡vanished¡¡as¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡it¡¡brought¡¡them¡¡under¡¡the¡¡trees¡£¡¡Looking¡¡back¡¡they¡¡could¡¡see¡¡the¡¡dark¡¡line¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Hedge¡¡through¡¡the¡¡stems¡¡of¡¡trees¡¡that¡¡were¡¡already¡¡thick¡¡about¡¡them¡£¡¡Looking¡¡ahead¡¡they¡¡could¡¡see¡¡only¡¡treetrunks¡¡of¡¡innumerable¡¡sizes¡¡and¡¡shapes£º¡¡straight¡¡or¡¡bent£»¡¡tooth¡¡or¡¡gnarled¡¡and¡¡branched£»¡¡and¡¡all¡¡the¡¡stems¡¡were¡¡green¡¡or¡¡grey¡¡with¡¡moss¡¡and¡¡slimy£»¡¡shaggy¡¡growths¡£
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'I¡¡should¡¡not¡¡shout£»¡¡if¡¡I¡¡were¡¡you£»'¡¡said¡¡Merry¡£¡¡It¡¡does¡¡more¡¡harm¡¡than¡¡good¡£'
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