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ees； Sam and Pippin crouched behind alarge tree…bole； while Frodo crept back a few yards towards the lane。 Itshowed grey and pale； a line of fading light through the wood。 Above it thestars were thick in the dim sky； but there was no moon。
The sound of hoofs stopped。 As Frodo watched he saw something dark passacross the lighter space between two trees； and then halt。 It looked like theblack shade of a horse led by a smaller black shadow。 The black shadow stoodclose to the point where they had left the path； and it swayed from side toside。 Frodo thought he heard the sound of snuffling。 The shadow bent to theground； and then began to crawl towards him。
Once more the desire to slip on the Ring came over Frodo； but this timeit was stronger than before。 So strong that； almost before he realized what hewas doing； his hand was groping in his pocket。 But at that moment there came asound like mingled song and laughter。 Clear voices rose and fell in thestarlit air。 The black shadow straightened up and retreated。 It climbed on tothe shadowy horse and seemed to vanish across the lane into the darkness onthe other side。 Frodo breathed again。
'Elves！' exclaimed Sam in a hoarse whisper。 'Elves； sir！' He would haveburst out of the trees and dashed off towards the voices； if they had notpulled him back。
'Yes； it is Elves；' said Frodo。 'One can meet them sometimes in the WoodyEnd。 They don't live in the Shire； but they wander into it in Spring andAutumn； out of their own lands away beyond the Tower Hills。 I am thankful thatthey do！ You did not see； but that Black Rider stopped just here and wasactually crawling towards us when the song began。 As soon as he heard thevoices he slipped away。'
'What about the Elves？' said Sam； too excited to trouble about the rider。
'Can't we go and see them？'
'Listen！ They are ing this way；' said Frodo。 'We have only to wait。'
The singing drew nearer。 One clear voice rose now above the others。 It wassinging in the fair elven…tongue； of which Frodo knew only a little； and theothers knew nothing。 Yet the sound blending with the melody seemed to shapeitself in their thought into words which they only partly understood。 This wasthe song as Frodo heard it：
Snow…white！ Snow…white！ O Lady clear！
O Queen beyond the Western Seas！
O Light to us that wander here
Amid the world of woven trees！
Gilthoniel！ O Elbereth！
Clear are thy eyes and bright thy breath！
Snow…white！ Snow…white！ We sing to thee
In a far land beyond the Sea。
O stars that in the Sunless Year
With shining hand by her were sawn；
In windy fields now bright and clear
We see your silver blossom blown！
O Elbereth！ Gilthoniel！
We still remember； we who dwell
In this far land beneath the trees；
Thy starlight on the Western Seas。
The song ended。 'These are High Elves！ They spoke the name of Elbereth！'
said Frodo in amazement； 'Few of that fairest folk are ever seen in the Shire。
Not many now remain in Middle…earth； east of the Great Sea。 This is indeed astrange chance！'
The hobbits sat in shadow by the wayside。 Before long the Elves came downthe lane towards the valley。 They passed slowly； and the hobbits could see thestarlight glimmering on their hair and in their eyes。 They bore no lights； yetas they walked a shimmer； like the light of the moon above the rim of thehills before it rises； seemed to fall about their feet。 They were now silent；
and as the last Elf passed he turned and looked towards the hobbits andlaughed。
'Hail； Frodo！' he cried。 'You are abroad late。 Or are you perhaps lost？'
Then he called aloud to the others； and all the pany stopped and gatheredround。
'This is indeed wonderful！' they said。 'Three hobbits in a wood at night！
We have not seen such a thing since Bilbo went away。 What is the meaning ofit？'
'The meaning of it； fair people；' said Frodo； 'is simply that we seem tobe going the same way as you are。 I like walking under the stars。 But I wouldwele your pany。'
'But we have no need of other pany； and hobbits are so dull；' theylaughed。 'And how do you know that we go the same way as you； for you do notknow whither we are going？'
'And how do you know my name？' asked Frodo in return。
'We know many things；' they said。 'We have seen you often before withBilbo； though you may not have seen us。'
'Who are you； and who is your lord？' asked Frodo。
'I am Gildor；' answered their leader； the Elf who had first hailed him。
'Gildor Inglorion of the House of Finrod。 We are Exiles； and most of ourkindred have long ago departed and we too are now only tarrying here a while；
ere we return over the Great Sea。 But some of our kinsfolk dwell still in
peace in Rivendell。 e now； Frodo； tell us what you are doing？ For we seethat there is some shadow of fear upon you。'
'O Wise People！' interrupted Pippin eagerly。 'Tell us about the BlackRiders！'
'Black Riders？' they said in low voices。 'Why do you ask about BlackRiders？'
'Because two Black Riders have overtaken us today； or one has done sotwice；' said Pippin； 'only a little while ago he slipped away as you drewnear。'
The Elves did not answer at once； but spoke together softly in their owntongue。 At length Gildor turned to the hobbits。 'We will not speak of thishere；' he said。 'We think you had best e now with us。 It is not our custom；
but for this time we will lake you on our road； and you shall lodge with ustonight； if you will。'
'O Fair Folk！ This is good fortune beyond my hope；' said Pippin。 Sam wasspeechless。 'I thank you indeed； Gildor Inglorion；' said Frodo bowing。 _'Elensíla lúmenn' omentielvo；_ a star shines on the hour of our meeting；' he addedin the high…elven speech。
'Be careful； friends！' cried Gildor laughing。 'Speak no secrets！ Here isa scholar in the Ancient Tongue。 Bilbo was a good master。 Hail； Elf…friend！'
he said； bowing to Frodo。 'e now with your friends and join our pany！
You had best walk in the middle so that you may not stray。 You may be wearybefore we halt。'
'Why？ Where are you going？' asked Frodo。
'For tonight we go to the woods on the hills above Woodhall。 It is somemiles； but you shall have rest at the end of it； and it will shorten yourjourney tomorrow。'
They now marched on again in silence； and passed like shadows and faintlights： for Elves （even more than hobbits） could walk when they wished withoutsound or footfall。 Pippin soon began to feel sleepy； and staggered once ortwice； but each time a tall Elf at his side put out his arm and saved him froma fall。 Sam walked along at Frodo's side； as if in a dream； with an expressionon his face half of fear and half of astonished joy。
The woods on either side became denser； the trees were now younger andthicker； and as the lane went lower； running down into a fold of the hills；
there were many deep brakes of hazel on the rising slopes at either hand。 Atlast the Elves turned aside from the path。 A green ride lay almost unseenthrough the thickets on the right； and this they followed as it wound awayback up the wooded slopes on to the top of a shoulder of the hills that stoodout into the lower land of the river…valley。 Suddenly they came out of theshadow of the trees； and before them lay a wide space of grass； grey unde