Fina and Ceo had tried to stay awake to hear the interesting talk of the old folk, but after a bowl of coney stew from the pot Frodo had hanging over the fire, they had given up and curled up in the hole like a couple of fox cubs, and fallen into exhausted sleep.
Without tears, for there were none left, Osle and Enid had told Frodo of the terrible death of Ruddoc, and the mysterious meeting with the "old peddler" and how he had helped them.
"I don't know why we trusted him, Frodo. By the One, I don't know how he even managed to approached us. I can usually hear a Big One coming from a mile away. But there he was, cart and all."
"I don't think anyone had a thought to run," said Enid, slowly and thoughtfully, "It was as if we just turned ourselves over to him, like a child trusting its Ma to make everything all right." She looked over and smiled at Avice, who smiled back as she nursed Enid's grandchild. "But you called him one of 'Big Folk', my son, and I don't think that's right. He may look like one, but the one we met two days ago is no Man, I think."
Frodo poked up the fire with a stick and chuckled. "You're right there, good Enid. That one is no Man. And how would I know? 'Cause the first time I ever saw the Grey Wanderer, I was all of ten years old. Ten! And he hasn't changed a bit from that day to this. I'll never forget it, either. There was something about him, as you said, though he plays the role of a kindly old peddler. I don't know what role he's really here for in Middle-earth, but have no doubts, he's a friend to Hobbits, one of the few we have." Frodo looked out on the broad, black river that he loved. "And he helped you do right by my friend Ruddoc. If I ever see him again, I'll thank him for that."
Osle made a noise in his throat, and looked down at his feet. Frodo waited a moment, then asked quietly. "And what of you all, now? What is this he told you about going to the West? Hobbits living in their own country? Living in a country with no Blind-Feet? And 'Messengers' coming out to look for us? Is this where you're thinkin' of going, Osle?"
[ September 15, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]
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