reminds me； somehow； of the old room in the Great Place of the Tooks away
back in the Smials at Tuckborough： a huge place； where the furniture has
never been moved or changed for generations。 They say the Old Took lived in
it year after year； while he and the room got older and shabbier
together…and it has never changed since he died； a century ago。 And Old
Gerontius was my great…great…grandfather： that puts it back a bit。 But that
is nothing to the old feeling of this wood。 Look at all those weeping；
trailing； beards and whiskers of lichen！ And most of the trees seem to be
half covered with ragged dry leaves that have never fallen。 Untidy。 I can't
imagine what spring would look like here； if it ever es； still less a
spring…cleaning。'
'But the Sun at any rate must peep in sometimes。' said Merry。 'It does
not look or feel at all like Bilbo's description of Mirkwood。 That was all
dark and black； and the home of dark black things。 This is just dim； and
frightfully tree…ish。 You can't imagine animals living here at all； or
staying for long。'
'No； nor hobbits；' said Pippin。 'And I don't like the thought of trying
to get through it either。 Nothing to cat for a hundred miles； I should
guess。 How are our supplies？'
'Low；' said Merry。 'We ran off with nothing but a couple of spare
packets of lembas； and left everything else behind。' They looked at what
remained of the elven…cakes： broken fragments for about five meagre days；
that was all。 'And not a wrap or a blanket；' said Merry。 'We shall be cold
tonight； whichever way we go。'
'Well； we'd better decide on the way now；' said Pippin。 'The morning
must be getting on。'
Just then they became aware of a yellow light that had appeared； some
way further on into the wood： shafts of sunlight seemed suddenly to have
pierced the forest…roof。
'Hullo！' said Merry。 'The Sun must have run into a cloud while we've
been under these trees； and now she has run out again； or else she has
climbed high enough to look down through some opening。 It isn't far let's go
and investigate！'
They found it was further than they thought。 The ground was rising
steeply still； and it was being increasingly stony。 The light grew
broader as they went on； and soon they saw that there was a rock…wall before
them： the side of a hill； or the abrupt end of some long root thrust out by
the distant mountains。 No trees grew on it； and the sun was falling full on
its stony face。 The twigs of the trees at its foot were stretched out stiff
and still； as if reaching out to the warmth。 Where all had looked so shabby
and grey before； the wood now gleamed with rich browns； and with the smooth
black…greys of bark like polished leather。 The boles of the trees glowed
with a soft green like young grass： early spring or a fleeting vision of it
was about them。
In the face of the stony wall there was something like a stair： natural
perhaps； and made by the weathering and splitting of the rock； for it was
rough and uneven。 High up； almost level with the tops of forest…trees； there
was a shelf under a cliff。 Nothing grew there but a few grasses and weeds at
its edge； and one old stump of a tree with only two bent branches left： it
looked almost like the figure of some gnarled old man； standing there；
blinking in the morning…light。
'Up we go！' said Merry joyfully。 'Now for a breath of air； and a sight
of the land！'
They climbed and scrambled up the rock。 If the stair had been made it
was for bigger feet and longer legs than theirs。 They were too eager to be
surprised at the remarkable way in which the cuts and sores of their
captivity had healed and their vigour had returned。 They came at length to
the edge of the shelf almost at the feet of the old stump； then they sprang
up and turned round with their backs to the hill； breathing deep； and
looking out eastward。 They saw that they had only e some three or four
miles into the forest： the heads of the trees marched down the slopes
towards the plain。 There； near the fringe of the forest； tall spires of
curling black smoke went up； wavering and floating towards them。
'The wind's changing；' said Merry。 'It's turned east again。 It feels
cool up here。'
'Yes；' said Pippin； 'I'm afraid this is only a passing gleam； and it
will all go grey again。 What a pity！ This shaggy old forest looked so
different in the sunlight。 I almost felt I liked the place。'
'Almost felt you liked the Forest！ That's good！ That's unmonly kind
of you；' said a strange voice。 'Turn round and let me have a look at your
faces。 I almost feel that I dislike you both； but do not let us be hasty。
Turn round！' A large knob…knuckled hand was laid on each of their shoulders；
and they were twisted round； gently but irresistibly； then two great arms
lifted them up。
They found that they were looking at a most extraordinary face。 It
belonged to a large Man…like； almost Troll…like； figure； at least fourteen
foot high； very sturdy； with a tall head； and hardly any neck。 Whether it
was clad in stuff like green and grey bark； or whether that was its hide；
was difficult to say。 At any rate the arms； at a short distance from the
trunk； were not wrinkled； but covered with a brown smooth skin。 The large
feet had seven toes each。 The lower part of the long face was covered with a
sweeping grey beard； bushy； almost twiggy at the roots； thin and mossy at
the ends。 But at the moment the hobbits noted little but the eyes。 These
deep eyes were now surveying them； slow and solemn； but very penetrating。
They were brown； shot with a green light。 Often afterwards Pippin tried to
describe his first impression of them。
'One felt as if there was an enormous well behind them； filled up with
ages of memory and long； slow； steady thinking； but their surface was
sparkling with the present： like sun shimmering on the outer leaves of a
vast tree； or on the ripples of a very deep lake。 I don't know but it felt
as if something that grew in the ground…asleep； you might say； or just
feeling itself as something between roof…tip and leaf…tip； between deep
earth and sky had suddenly waked up； and was considering you with the same
slow care that it had given to its own inside affairs for endless years。'
'Hrum； Hoom；' murmured the voice； a deep voice like a very deep
woodwind instrument。 'Very odd indeed！ Do not be hasty； that is my motto。
But if I had seen you； before I heard your voices…I liked them： nice little
voices： they reminded me of something I cannot remember…if I had seen you
before I heard you； I should have just trodden on you； taking you for little
Orcs； and found out my mistake afterwards。 Very odd you are； indeed。 Root
and twig； very odd！'
Pippin； though still amazed； no longer felt afraid。 Under those eyes he
felt a curious susp