'Never you mind；' said Sam。 ‘If you can't guess； you'll soon find out。
And the sooner you fetch the water； the sooner you'll learn。 Don't you
damage one of my pans； or I'll carve you into mincemeat。'
While Gollum was away Sam took another look at Frodo。 He was still
sleeping quietly； but Sam was now struck most by the leanness of his face
and hands。 'Too thin and drawn he is；' he muttered。 'Not right for a hobbit。
If I can get these coneys cooked； I'm going to wake him up。'
Sam gathered a pile of the driest fern； and then scrambled up the bank
collecting a bundle of twigs and broken wood； the fallen branch of a cedar
at the top gave him a good supply。 He cut out some turves at the foot of the
bank just outside the fern…brake； and made a shallow hole and laid his fuel
in it。 Being handy with flint and tinder he soon had a small blaze going。 It
made little or no smoke but gave off an aromatic scent。 He was just stooping
over his fire； shielding it and building it up with heavier wood； when
Gollum returned； carrying the pans carefully and grumbling to himself。
He set the pans down； and then suddenly saw what Sam was doing。 He gave
a thin hissing shriek； and seemed to be both frightened and angry。 ‘Ach！ Sss
no！' he cried。 ‘No！ Silly hobbits； foolish； yes foolish！ They mustn't do
it！'
‘Mustn't do what？' asked Sam in surprise。
‘Not make the nassty red tongues；' hissed Gollum。 ‘Fire； fire！ It's
dangerous； yes it is。 It burns； it kills。 And it will bring enemies； yes it
will。'
'I don't think so；' said Sam。 ‘Don't see why it should； if you don't
put wet stuff on it and make a smother。 But if it does； it does。 I'm going
to risk it； anyhow。 I'm going to stew these coneys。'
'Stew the rabbits！' squealed Gollum in dismay。 ‘Spoil beautiful meat
Smjagol saved for you； poor hungry Smjagol！ What for？ What for； silly
hobbit？ They are young； they are tender； they are nice。 Eat them； eat them！'
He clawed at the nearest rabbit； already skinned and lying by the fire。
‘Now； now！ ' said Sam。 ‘Each to his own fashion。 Our bread chokes you；
and raw coney chokes me。 If you give me a coney； the coney's mine； see； to
cook； if I have a mind。 And I have。 You needn't watch me。 Go and catch
another and eat it as you fancy somewhere private and out o' my sight。
Then you won't see the fire； and I shan't see you； and we'll both be the
happier。 I'll see the fire don't smoke； if that's any fort to you。'
Gollum withdrew grumbling； and crawled into the fern。 Sam busied
himself with his pans。 ‘What a hobbit needs with coney；' he said to himself；
‘is some herbs and roots； especially taters not to mention bread。 Herbs
we can manage； seemingly。'
‘Gollum！' he called softly。 ‘Third time pays for all。 I want some
herbs。' Gollum's head peeped out of the fern； but his looks were neither
helpful nor friendly。 ‘A few bay…leaves； some thyme and sage； will do
before the water boils；' said Sam。
‘No！ ' said Gollum。 ‘Smjagol is not pleased。 And Smjagol doesn't like
smelly leaves。 He doesn't eat grasses or roots； no precious； not till he's
starving or very sick； poor Smjagol。 '
‘Smjagol'll get into real true hot water； when this water boils； if he
don't do as he's asked；' growled Sam。 ‘Sam'll put his head in it； yes
precious。 And I'd make him look for turnips and carrots； and taters too； if
it was the time o' the year。 I'll bet there's all sorts of good things
running wild in this country。 I'd give a lot for half a dozen taters。'
‘Smjagol won't go； O no precious； not this time；' hissed Gollum。 ‘He's
frightened； and he's very tired； and this hobbit's not nice； not nice at
all。 Smjagol won't grub for roots and carrotses and taters。 What's
taters； precious； eh； what's taters？
‘Po…ta…toes；' said Sam。 'The Gaffer's delight； and rare good ballast
for an empty belly。 But you won't find any； so you needn't look。 But be good
Smjagol and fetch me the herbs； and I'll think better of you。 What's more；
if you turn over a new leaf； and keep it turned； I'll cook you some taters
one of these days。 I will： fried fish and chips served by S。 Gamgee。 You
couldn't say no to that。'
‘Yes； yes we could。 Spoiling nice fish； scorching it。 Give me fish now；
and keep nassty chips！ '
‘Oh you're hopeless；' said Sam。 'Go to sleep！'
In the end he had to find what he wanted for himself； but he did not
have to go far； not out of sight of the place where his master lay； still
sleeping。 For a while Sam sat musing； and tending the fire till the water
boiled。 The daylight grew and the air became warm； the dew faded off turf
and leaf。 Soon the rabbits cut up lay simmering in their pans with the
bunched herbs。 Almost Sam fell asleep as the time went by。 He let them stew
for close on an hour； testing them now and again with his fork； and tasting
the broth。
When he thought all was ready he lifted the pans off the fire； and
crept along to Frodo。 Frodo half opened his eyes as Sam stood over him； and
then he wakened from his dreaming： another gentle； unrecoverable dream of
peace。
‘Hullo； Sam！ ' he said。 ‘Not resting？ Is anything wrong？ What is the
time？ '
‘About a couple of hours after daybreak；' said Sam； ‘and nigh on half
past eight by Shire clocks； maybe。 But nothing's wrong。 Though it ain't
quite what I'd call right： no stock； no onions； no taters。 I've got a bit of
a stew for you； and some broth； Mr。 Frodo。 Do you good。 You'll have to sup
it in your mug； or straight from the pan； when it's cooled a bit。 I haven't
brought no bowls； nor nothing proper。'
Frodo yawned and stretched。 'You should have been resting Sam；' he
said。 'And lighting a fire was dangerous in these parts。 But I do feel
hungry。 Hmm！ Can I smell it from here？ What have you stewed？ '
'A present from Smjagol；' said Sam： ‘a brace o' young coneys； though I
fancy Gollum's regretting them now。 But there's nought to go with them but a
few herbs。'
Sam and his master sat just within the fern…brake and ate their stew
from the pans； sharing the old fork and spoon。 They allowed themselves half
a piece of the Elvish waybread each。 It seemed a feast。
'Wheew！ Gollum！ ' Sam called and whistled softly。 'e on！ Still time
to change your mind。 There's some left； if you want to try stewed coney。'
There was no answer。
‘Oh well； I suppose he's gone off to find something for himself。 We'll
finish it；' said Sam。
‘And then you must take some sleep；' said Frodo。
‘Don't you drop off； while I'm nodding； Mr。 Frodo。 I don't feel too
sure of him。 There's a good deal of Stinker…the bad Gollum； if you
understand me…in him still； and it's getting stronger again。 Not but what I
think he'd try to throttle me first now。 We don't see eye to eye； and he's
not pleased with Sam； O no precious； not pleased at all。'
They finished； and Sam went off