Chapter 7 IN THE HOUSE OF TOM BOMBADIL The four hobbits stepped over the wide stone threshold, and stood still, blinking. They were in a long low room, filled with the light of lamps swinging from the beams of the roof; and on the table of dark polished wood stood many candles, tall and yellow, burning brightly. In a chair, at the far side of the room facing the outer door, sat a woman. Her long yellow hair rippled down her shoulders; her gown was green, green as young reeds, shot with silver like beads of dew; and her belt was of gold, shaped like a chain of flag-lilies set with the pale-blue eyes of forget-me-nots. About her feet in wide vessels of green and brown earthenware, white water-lilies were floating, so that she seemed to be enthroned in the midst of a pool. ‘Enter, good guests!’ she said, and as she spoke they knew that it was her clear voice they had heard singing. They came a few timid steps further into the room, and began to bow low, feeling strangely surprised and awkward, like folk that, knocking at a cottage door to beg for a drink of water, have been answered by a fair young elf-queen clad in living flowers. But before they could say anything, she sprang lightly up and over the lily-bowls, and ran laughing towards them; and as she ran her gown rustled softly like the wind in the flowering borders of a river. ‘Come dear folk!’ she said, taking Frodo by the hand. ‘Laugh and be merry! I am Goldberry, daughter of the River.’ Then lightly she passed them and closing the door she turned her back to it, with her white arms spread out across it. ‘Let us shut out the night!’ she said. ‘For you are still afraid, perhaps, of mist and tree-shadows and deep water, and untame things. Fear nothing! For tonight you are under the roof of Tom Bombadil.’ The hobbits looked at her in wonder; and she looked at each of them and smiled. ‘Fair lady Goldberry!’ said Frodo at last, feeling his heart moved with a joy that he did not understand. He stood as he had at times stood enchanted by fair elven-voices; but the spell that was now laid upon him was different: less keen and lofty was the delight, but deeper and nearer to mortal heart; marvellous and yet not strange. ‘Fair lady Goldberry!’ he said again. ‘Now the joy that was hidden in the songs we heard is made plain to me.
第七章 在湯姆·邦巴迪爾的家中 四個哈比人跨過寬闊的石門檻，靜靜地站著，眨著眼睛。他們身處一個低矮的長形房間，裡面充滿了從屋頂橫樑上搖曳的燈光；深色拋光木桌上擺放著許多高大黃色的蠟燭，熊熊燃燒著。一位女子坐在房間盡頭、面向外門的椅子上。她長長的黃髮如波浪般披散在肩上；她的長袍是綠色的，綠得像嫩蘆葦，點綴著銀光，如同露珠；她的腰帶是金色的，形狀像一串鳶尾花，鑲嵌著勿忘我的淡藍色花眼。她的腳邊，寬大的綠色和棕色陶器裡，漂浮著白色的睡蓮，使她看起來彷彿端坐在水池中央的寶座上。「請進，好客人！」她說，她一開口，他們就知道那是他們之前聽到的歌聲。他們怯生生地又往房間裡走了幾步，開始深深地鞠躬，感到既驚訝又尷尬，就像那些敲著小屋的門乞求一杯水，卻被一位身穿鮮花、美麗的年輕精靈女王應門的人一樣。但在他們開口之前，她輕盈地躍過睡蓮碗，笑著朝他們跑來；她跑動時，長袍輕柔地沙沙作響，如同風吹過河邊盛開的花叢。「來吧，親愛的朋友們！」她說，牽起佛羅多的手。「歡笑吧，盡情歡樂吧！我是金莓，河流的女兒。」然後她輕巧地從他們身邊走過，關上門，背對著門，張開白皙的雙臂橫亙在門上。「讓我們把黑夜關在外面！」她說。「因為你們或許仍然害怕薄霧、樹影、深水和那些未馴服的事物。什麼都別怕！因為今晚你們在湯姆·邦巴迪爾的屋簷下。」哈比人們驚奇地看著她；她也看著他們每一個人，微笑著。「美麗的金莓女士！」佛羅多終於開口，他感到自己的心被一種他無法理解的喜悅所感動。他站著，就像他有時被美麗的精靈歌聲所迷惑一樣；但現在降臨在他身上的魔咒卻不同：那份喜悅不那麼尖銳和高遠，卻更深沉，更貼近凡人的心；奇妙卻又不陌生。「美麗的金莓女士！」他又說了一次。「現在，我們聽到的歌聲中隱藏的喜悅，對我來說變得清晰明瞭了。
I24 THE LORD OF THE RINGS O slender as a willow-wand! O clearer than clear water! O reed by the living pool! Fair River-daughter! O spring-time and summer-time, and spring again after! O wind on the waterfall, and the leaves’ laughter!’ Suddenly he stopped and stammered, overcome with surprise to hear himself saying such things. But Goldberry laughed. ‘Welcome!’ she said. ‘I had not heard that folk of the Shire were so sweet-tongued. But I see that you are an Elf-friend; the light in your eyes and the ring in your voice tells it. This is a merry meeting! Sit now, and wait for the Master of the house! He will not be long. He is tending your tired beasts.’ The hobbits sat down gladly in low rush-seated chairs, while Goldberry busied herself about the table; and their eyes followed her, for the slender grace of her movement filled them with quiet delight. From somewhere behind the house came the sound of singing. Every now and again they caught, among many a derry dol and a merry dol and a ring a ding dillo the repeated words: Old Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow; Bright blue his jacket 1s, and his boots are yellow. ‘Fair lady!’ said Frodo again after a while. “Tell me, if my asking does not seem foolish, who is Tom Bombadil?’ ‘He is,’ said Goldberry, staying her swift movements and smiling. Frodo looked at her questioningly. ‘He is, as you have seen him,’ she said in answer to his look. ‘He is the Master of wood, water, and hill.’ “Then all this strange land belongs to him?’ ‘No indeed!’ she answered, and her smile faded. “That would indeed be a burden,’ she added in a low voice, as if to herself. “The trees and the grasses and all things growing or living in the land belong each to themselves. Tom Bombadil is the Master. No one has ever caught old Tom walking in the forest, wading in the water, leaping on the hill-tops under light and shadow. He has no fear. Tom Bombadil is master.’ A door opened and in came Tom Bombadil. He had now no hat and his thick brown hair was crowned with autumn leaves. He laughed, and going to Goldberry, took her hand. ‘Here’s my pretty lady!’ he said, bowing to the hobbits. ‘Here’s my Goldberry clothed all in silver-green with flowers in her girdle! Is the table laden? I see yellow cream and honeycomb, and white bread, and butter; milk, cheese, and green herbs and ripe berries gathered. Is that enough for us? Is the supper ready?’
《魔戒》第二十四章 「啊，你纖細如柳枝！啊，你清澈勝過流水！啊，你活水池畔的蘆葦！美麗的河谷女兒！啊，春天與夏天，以及之後的春天！啊，瀑布上的風，以及樹葉的笑聲！」他突然停了下來，結結巴巴地說著，驚訝於自己竟會說出這樣的話。但金莓笑了。「歡迎！」她說。「我從未聽說夏爾的居民如此能言善道。但我看出來你是個精靈之友；你眼中的光芒和你聲音中的迴響都說明了這點。這真是一場愉快的聚會！現在請坐，等候這屋子的主人！他不會等太久的。他正在照料你們疲憊的牲畜。」哈比人高興地坐在低矮的草編椅上，金莓則忙著整理餐桌；他們的目光追隨著她，因為她優雅的動作讓他們充滿了寧靜的喜悅。屋子後方某處傳來歌聲。他們不時聽到，在許多「derry dol」、「merry dol」和「ring a ding dillo」之中，重複著這些歌詞：「老湯姆·邦巴迪爾是個快樂的傢伙；他的夾克亮藍，他的靴子鮮黃。」「美麗的女士！」佛羅多過了一會兒又說。「如果我的問題不顯得愚蠢，請告訴我，湯姆·邦巴迪爾是誰？」 「他是，」金莓說，停下她敏捷的動作，微笑著。佛羅多疑惑地看著她。「他就是你所看到的他，」她回答他的眼神。「他是樹林、流水和山丘的主宰。」「那麼這片奇特的土地都屬於他嗎？」「不，當然不是！」她回答，笑容漸漸消失。「那確實會是一個負擔，」她低聲補充道，彷彿自言自語。「土地上的樹木、草地以及所有生長或活著的東西都屬於它們自己。湯姆·邦巴迪爾是主宰。從沒有人見過老湯姆在森林中漫步，在水中涉水，在光影下躍上山頂。他無所畏懼。湯姆·邦巴迪爾是主宰。」一扇門打開了，湯姆·邦巴迪爾走了進來。他現在沒有戴帽子，他濃密的棕髮上戴著秋天的樹葉。他笑了，走到金莓身邊，握住她的手。「這是我的漂亮女士！」他對哈比人鞠躬說。「這是我的金莓，全身銀綠，腰間繫著鮮花！餐桌擺好了嗎？我看到黃色的奶油和蜂巢，還有白麵包和奶油；牛奶、乳酪、綠色香草和成熟的漿果都已備齊。這些夠我們吃嗎？晚餐準備好了嗎？
IN THE HOUSE OF TOM BOMBADIL I25 ‘It is,’ said Goldberry; ‘but the guests perhaps are not?’ Tom clapped his hands and cried: “Tom, Tom! your guests are tired, and you had near forgotten! Come now, my merry friends, and Tom will refresh you! You shall clean grimy hands, and wash your weary faces; cast off your muddy cloaks and comb out your tangles!’ He opened the door, and they followed him down a short passage and round a sharp turn. They came to a low room with a sloping roof (a penthouse, it seemed, built on to the north end of the house). Its walls were of clean stone, but they were mostly covered with green hanging mats and yellow curtains. The floor was flagged, and strewn with fresh green rushes. There were four deep mattresses, each piled with white blankets, laid on the floor along one side. Against the opposite wall was a long bench laden with wide earthenware basins, and beside it stood brown ewers filled with water, some cold, some steaming hot. There were soft green slippers set ready beside each bed. Before long, washed and refreshed, the hobbits were seated at the table, two on each side, while at either end sat Goldberry and the Master. It was a long and merry meal. Though the hobbits ate, as only famished hobbits can eat, there was no lack. The drink in their drinking-bowls seemed to be clear cold water, yet it went to their hearts like wine and set free their voices. The guests became suddenly aware that they were singing merrily, as if it was easier and more natural than talking. At last Tom and Goldberry rose and cleared the table swiftly. The guests were commanded to sit quiet, and were set in chairs, each with a footstool to his tired feet. There was a fire in the wide hearth before them, and it was burning with a sweet smell, as if it were built of apple-wood. When everything was set in order, all the lights in the room were put out, except one lamp and a pair of candles at each end of the chimney-shelf. Then Goldberry came and stood before them, holding a candle; and she wished them each a good night and deep sleep. “Have peace now,’ she said, ‘until the morning! Heed no nightly noises! For nothing passes door and window here save moonlight and starlight and the wind off the hill-top. Good night!’ She passed out of the room with a glimmer and a rustle. The sound of her footsteps was like a stream falling gently away downhill over cool stones in the quiet of night. Tom sat on a while beside them in silence, while each of them tried to muster the courage to ask one of the many questions he had meant to ask at supper. Sleep gathered on their eyelids. At last Frodo spoke:
在湯姆·邦巴迪爾的家裡 I25 「是的，」金莓說道：「但客人們或許不是？」湯姆拍了拍手，大喊：「湯姆，湯姆！你的客人們累了，你差點就忘了！來吧，我的快樂朋友們，湯姆會讓你們恢復精神的！你們要洗淨髒手，洗去疲憊的臉龐；脫下沾滿泥濘的斗篷，梳理你們打結的頭髮！」他打開門，他們跟著他走過一條短走廊，然後轉了一個急彎。他們來到一間低矮的房間，屋頂傾斜（看起來像是在屋子北端加蓋的閣樓）。牆壁是乾淨的石頭，但大部分被綠色的掛毯和黃色的窗簾覆蓋。地板鋪著石板，上面散佈著新鮮的綠色燈心草。沿著一側地板放著四張厚厚的床墊，每張都堆滿了白色毯子。對面的牆邊有一張長凳，上面擺滿了寬大的陶盆，旁邊立著棕色的水壺，裡面裝著水，有些是冷的，有些是熱氣騰騰的。每張床邊都放著柔軟的綠色拖鞋。不久之後，洗漱完畢、恢復精神的哈比人坐在桌旁，每邊兩人，而金莓和主人則坐在兩端。這是一頓漫長而愉快的飯。儘管哈比人吃得狼吞虎嚥，如同只有飢餓至極的哈比人才能吃的那樣，但食物卻是應有盡有。他們飲碗裡的飲料似乎是清澈的冷水，但它卻像美酒一樣溫暖了他們的心，讓他們放開了歌喉。客人們突然意識到他們正在歡快地唱歌，彷彿唱歌比說話更容易、更自然。最後，湯姆和金莓起身迅速收拾了桌子。客人們被要求安靜地坐著，每個人都坐在椅子上，腳下放著一個腳凳，供他們疲憊的雙腳休息。他們面前的寬大壁爐裡燃著火，散發出甜美的氣味，彷彿是用蘋果木燃燒的。一切都整理妥當後，房間裡所有的燈都熄滅了，只剩下一個燈和壁爐架兩端的一對蠟燭。然後金莓走過來站在他們面前，手裡拿著一支蠟燭；她祝他們每個人晚安，睡個好覺。「現在安靜吧，」她說，「直到天亮！不要理會夜間的任何聲響！因為這裡除了月光、星光和山頂吹來的風之外，沒有任何東西能穿過門窗。晚安！」她帶著一絲微光和沙沙聲離開了房間。她的腳步聲就像一條小溪在夜晚的寂靜中輕輕地流下山坡，越過冰冷的石頭。湯姆在他們身邊靜靜地坐了一會兒，而他們每個人都試圖鼓起勇氣，問出許多他們本想在晚餐時問的問題中的一個。睡意漸漸爬上他們的眼瞼。最後，佛羅多開口了：
126 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ‘Did you hear me calling, Master, or was it just chance that brought you at that moment?’ Tom stirred like a man shaken out of a pleasant dream. ‘Eh, what?’ said he. ‘Did I hear you calling? Nay, I did not hear: I was busy singing. Just chance brought me then, if chance you call it. It was no plan of mine, though I was waiting for you. We heard news of you, and learned that you were wandering. We guessed you’d come ere long down to the water: all paths lead that way, down to Withywindle. Old grey Willow-man, he’s a mighty singer; and it’s hard for little folk to escape his cunning mazes. But Tom had an errand there, that he dared not hinder.’ Tom nodded as if sleep was taking him again; but he went on in a soft singing voice: I had an errand there: gathering water-lilies, green leaves and lilies white to please my pretty lady, the last ere the year’s end to keep them from the winter, to flower by her pretty feet till the snows are melted. Each year at summer’s end I go to find them for her, in a wide pool, deep and clear, far down Withywindle; there they open first in spring and there they linger latest. By that pool long ago I found the River-daughter, fair young Goldberry sitting in the rushes. Sweet was her singing then, and her heart was beating! He opened his eyes and looked at them with a sudden glint of blue: And that proved well for you — for now I shall no longer go down deep again along the forest-water, not while the year ts old. Nor shall I be passing Old Man Willow’s house this side of spring-time, not till the merry spring, when the River-daughter dances down the withy-path to bathe in the water. He fell silent again; but Frodo could not help asking one more question: the one he most desired to have answered. “Tell us, Master,’ he said, ‘about the Willow-man. What is he? I have never heard of him before.’ ‘No, don’t!’ said Merry and Pippin together, sitting suddenly upright. ‘Not now! Not until the morning!’ “That is right!’ said the old man. ‘Now is the time for resting. Some things are ill to hear when the world’s in shadow. Sleep till the morning-light, rest on the pillow! Heed no nightly noise! Fear no grey willow!’ And with that he took down the lamp and blew it out, and grasping a candle in either hand he led them out of the room.
126 魔戒 「你聽到我叫你了嗎，主人，還是那只是巧合，讓你在那一刻出現？」湯姆動了動，像一個從美夢中被搖醒的人。「嗯，什麼？」他說。「我聽到你叫我？不，我沒聽到：我正忙著唱歌。那只是巧合把我帶來，如果你稱之為巧合的話。這不是我的計劃，儘管我一直在等你。我們聽到了你的消息，得知你正在遊蕩。我們猜你很快就會來到水邊：所有的路都通向那裡，通向柳林河。老灰柳樹人，他是一個強大的歌手；小人物很難逃脫他狡猾的迷宮。但湯姆在那裡有個差事，他不敢耽擱。」湯姆點了點頭，彷彿睡意又襲上他；但他用輕柔的歌聲繼續說道：「我在那裡有個差事：採集睡蓮，綠葉和白色的百合花，為了取悅我美麗的夫人，在年底之前採集，以讓它們免受冬天的侵襲，在她的美麗腳邊綻放，直到冰雪融化。每年夏末我都會去為她尋找它們，在柳林河下游一個寬闊、深邃、清澈的水池裡；它們在那裡最早在春天開放，也在那裡最晚凋零。很久以前，我在那個水池邊找到了河之女，美麗年輕的金莓正坐在蘆葦叢中。那時她的歌聲多麼甜美，她的心跳動著！」他睜開眼睛，眼中閃過一絲藍光：「那對你們來說是件好事——因為現在我將不再深入森林水域，只要這一年還未老去。我也將不會在春天之前經過老柳樹人的房子，直到歡樂的春天，當河之女沿著柳樹小徑跳舞，去水中沐浴。」他又沉默了；但佛羅多忍不住又問了一個問題：他最想得到答案的問題。「告訴我們，主人，」他說，「關於柳樹人。他是什麼？我以前從未聽說過他。」「不，別說！」梅利和皮聘異口同聲地說，突然坐直了身子。「現在不行！要等到早上！」「說得對！」老人說。「現在是休息的時候了。有些事情在世界籠罩在陰影中時，聽起來令人不快。睡到天亮，枕著枕頭！別理會夜間的喧囂！別害怕灰柳樹！」說完，他取下燈，吹滅了它，然後一手拿著一支蠟燭，領著他們走出了房間。
IN THE HOUSE OF TOM BOMBADIL I27 Their mattresses and pillows were soft as down, and the blankets were of white wool. They had hardly laid themselves on the deep beds and drawn the light covers over them before they were asleep. In the dead night, Frodo lay in a dream without light. Then he saw the young moon rising; under its thin light there loomed before him a black wall of rock, pierced by a dark arch like a great gate. It seemed to Frodo that he was lifted up, and passing over he saw that the rock-wall was a circle of hills, and that within it was a plain, and in the midst of the plain stood a pinnacle of stone, like a vast tower but not made by hands. On its top stood the figure of a man. The moon as it rose seemed to hang for a moment above his head and glistened in his white hair as the wind stirred it. Up from the dark plain below came the crying of fell voices, and the howling of many wolves. Suddenly a shadow, like the shape of great wings, passed across the moon. The figure lifted his arms and a light flashed from the staff that he wielded. A mighty eagle swept down and bore him away. The voices wailed and the wolves yammered. There was a noise like a strong wind blowing, and on it was borne the sound of hoofs, galloping, galloping, galloping from the East. ‘Black Riders!’ thought Frodo as he wakened, with the sound of the hoofs still echoing in his mind. He wondered if he would ever again have the courage to leave the safety of these stone walls. He lay motionless, still listening; but all was now silent, and at last he turned and fell asleep again or wandered into some other unremembered dream. At his side Pippin lay dreaming pleasantly; but a change came over his dreams and he turned and groaned. Suddenly he woke, or thought he had waked, and yet still heard in the darkness the sound that had disturbed his dream: tip-tap, squeak: the noise was like branches fretting in the wind, twig-fingers scraping wall and window: creak, creak, creak. He wondered if there were willow-trees close to the house; and then suddenly he had a dreadful feeling that he was not in an ordinary house at all, but inside the willow and listening to that horrible dry creaking voice laughing at him again. He sat up, and felt the soft pillows yield to his hands, and he lay down again relieved. He seemed to hear the echo of words in his ears: ‘Fear nothing! Have peace until the morning! Heed no nightly noises!’ Then he went to sleep again. It was the sound of water that Merry heard falling into his quiet sleep: water streaming down gently, and then spreading, spreading irresistibly all round the house into a dark shoreless pool. It gurgled under the walls, and was rising slowly but surely. ‘I shall be drowned!’ he thought. ‘It will find its way in, and then I shall drown.’ He felt that he was lying in a soft slimy bog, and springing up he set his foot
湯姆·邦巴迪爾之家 第27章 他們的床墊和枕頭像絨毛一樣柔軟，毯子是白色的羊毛。他們剛躺到深厚的床上，拉上輕薄的被子，就睡著了。在寂靜的深夜裡，佛羅多躺在一個沒有光明的夢境中。接著他看見新月升起；在它微弱的光芒下，一道黑色的岩壁赫然聳立在他面前，岩壁被一個像巨大拱門般的黑暗拱洞貫穿。佛羅多感覺自己被舉了起來，越過岩壁後，他看到那岩壁其實是一圈山丘，山丘之內是一片平原，平原中央矗立著一座石峰，像一座巨大的高塔，卻非人手所造。峰頂上站著一個人的身影。升起的月亮似乎在他頭頂懸停了一瞬，當風吹動他的白髮時，月光在他的髮間閃爍。從下方黑暗的平原傳來邪惡的哭喊聲，以及許多狼的嚎叫。突然，一個像巨大翅膀形狀的陰影掠過月亮。那身影舉起雙臂，一道光芒從他揮舞的法杖中閃現。一隻雄鷹俯衝而下，將他帶走。那些聲音哀嚎著，狼群狂吠。接著傳來一陣像強風吹拂的聲音，其上夾雜著馬蹄聲，從東方疾馳而來，蹄聲如雷。「黑騎士！」佛羅多在驚醒時心想，馬蹄聲仍在他的腦海中迴盪。他想知道自己是否還會有勇氣離開這些石牆的庇護。他一動不動地躺著，繼續傾聽；但一切都已歸於寂靜，最後他翻了個身，再次入睡，或者又進入了另一個不復記憶的夢境。在他身旁，皮聘正愉快地做著夢；但他的夢境突然起了變化，他翻了個身，發出呻吟。突然他醒了過來，或者以為自己醒了，卻仍在黑暗中聽到擾亂他夢境的聲音：滴答、吱呀：那聲音就像樹枝在風中摩擦，樹枝般的「手指」刮擦著牆壁和窗戶：吱嘎、吱嘎、吱嘎。他想知道房子附近是否有柳樹；然後他突然產生一種可怕的感覺，他根本不是在普通的房子裡，而是在柳樹內部，聽著那可怕的、乾燥的吱嘎聲再次嘲笑他。他坐了起來，感覺柔軟的枕頭在他的手下凹陷，然後他鬆了口氣，再次躺下。他似乎聽到耳邊迴盪著一些話語：「無所畏懼！安睡到天明！莫理會夜間的聲響！」接著他又睡著了。這是梅里在寧靜的睡夢中聽到的水聲：水輕柔地流淌下來，然後不可阻擋地蔓延開來，環繞著整座房子，變成一片黑暗無邊的池塘。水在牆壁下發出汩汩聲，緩慢而肯定地升高。「我要被淹死了！」他心想。「它會找到路進來，然後我就會溺斃。」他感覺自己躺在一個柔軟黏滑的沼澤裡，他猛地跳起來，把腳踩在
128 THE LORD OF THE RINGS on the corner of a cold hard flagstone. Then he remembered where he was and lay down again. He seemed to hear or remember hearing: ‘Nothing passes doors or windows save moonlight and starlight and the wind off the hill-top.’ A little breath of sweet air moved the curtain. He breathed deep and fell asleep again. As far as he could remember, Sam slept through the night in deep content, if logs are contented. They woke up, all four at once, in the morning light. , Tom was moving about the room whistling like a starling. When he heard them stir he clapped his hands, and cried: ‘Hey! Come merry dol! derry dol! My hearties!’ He drew back the yellow curtains, and the hobbits saw that these had covered the windows, at either end of the room, one looking east and the other looking west. They leapt up refreshed. Frodo ran to the eastern window, and found himself looking into a kitchen-garden grey with dew. He had half expected to see turf right up to the walls, turf all pocked with hoof-prints. Actually his view was screened by a tall line of beans on poles; but above and far beyond them the grey top of the hill loomed up against the sunrise. It was a pale morning: in the East, behind long clouds like lines of soiled wool stained red at the edges, lay glimmering deeps of yellow. The sky spoke of rain to come; but the light was broadening quickly, and the red flowers on the beans began to glow against the wet green leaves. Pippin looked out of the western window, down into a pool of mist. The Forest was hidden under a fog. It was like looking down on to a sloping cloud-roof from above. There was a fold or channel where the mist was broken into many plumes and billows: the valley of the Withywindle. The stream ran down the hill on the left and vanished into the white shadows. Near at hand was a flower-garden and a clipped hedge silver-netted, and beyond that grey shaven grass pale with dew-drops. There was no willow-tree to be seen. ‘Good morning, merry friends!’ cried Tom, opening the eastern window wide. A cool air flowed in; it had a rainy smell. ‘Sun won’t show her face much today, I’m thinking. I have been walking wide, leaping on the hill-tops, since the grey dawn began, nosing wind and weather, wet grass underfoot, wet sky above me. I wakened Goldberry singing under window; but naught wakes hobbit-folk in the early morning. In the night little folk wake up in the darkness, and sleep after light has come! Ring a ding dillo! Wake now, my merry friends! Forget the nightly noises! Ring a ding dillo del! derry del, my hearties! If you come soon you'll find breakfast on the table. If you come late you'll get grass and rain-water!’ Needless to say — not that Tom’s threat sounded very serious —
128 《魔戒》 躺在一塊冰冷堅硬的石板角落。然後他想起自己身在何處，便又躺了下去。他似乎聽到或記得曾聽過：「除了月光、星光和山頂的風，沒有什麼能穿過門窗。」一絲甜美的空氣輕輕吹動窗簾。他深吸一口氣，又睡著了。據他所能記起的，山姆整夜睡得香甜，如果木頭也能感到滿足的話。他們四人同時在晨光中醒來。湯姆正在房間裡走動，像隻八哥鳥一樣吹著口哨。當他聽到他們動靜時，他拍了拍手，喊道：「嘿！來吧，快樂的夥伴們！我的好朋友們！」他拉開黃色的窗簾，哈比人看到這些窗簾遮住了房間兩端的窗戶，一扇朝東，一扇朝西。他們精神抖滻地跳了起來。佛羅多跑到東邊的窗戶，發現自己正望著一個被露水染灰的菜園。他本以為會看到草皮一直延伸到牆邊，草皮上滿是蹄印。實際上，他的視線被一排高高的豆架遮擋住了；但在它們上方和遠處，灰色的山頂在日出中若隱若現。那是一個蒼白的早晨：東方，在像一條條邊緣染紅的髒羊毛般的長雲後面，閃爍著深黃色的光芒。天空預示著即將下雨；但光線迅速擴散開來，豆子上的紅花開始在濕潤的綠葉襯托下發光。皮聘從西邊的窗戶望出去，看到一片霧氣瀰漫。森林被濃霧籠罩。就像從上方俯瞰一片傾斜的雲海屋頂。霧氣在一個褶皺或通道處散開成許多羽狀和波浪狀：那是柳條河谷。小溪從左邊的山坡流下，消失在白色的陰影中。近處是一個花園和修剪整齊、銀光閃閃的樹籬，再遠處是灰色的、被露珠染白的修剪過的草地。看不到任何柳樹。「早安，快樂的朋友們！」湯姆喊道，同時把東邊的窗戶完全打開。一股涼爽的空氣流了進來；帶著雨水的氣味。「我看，今天太陽不會怎麼露臉了。我從灰濛濛的黎明開始，就一直在廣闊的大地上行走，在山頂上跳躍，嗅探著風和天氣，腳下是濕草，頭頂是濕漉漉的天空。我喚醒了窗下唱歌的金莓；但清晨什麼也喚不醒哈比人。夜裡，小人們在黑暗中醒來，等天亮了才睡！叮叮噹噹！現在醒來吧，我的快樂朋友們！忘掉夜裡的喧囂！叮叮噹噹！我的好朋友們！如果你們早點來，桌上就有早餐。如果你們來晚了，就只能吃草喝雨水了！」不用說——湯姆的威脅聽起來並不怎麼認真——
IN THE HOUSE OF TOM BOMBADIL 129 the hobbits came soon, and left the table late and only when it was beginning to look rather empty. Neither Tom nor Goldberry were there. Tom could be heard about the house, clattering in the kitchen, and up and down the stairs, and singing here and there outside. The room looked westward over the mist-clouded valley, and the window was open. Water dripped down from the thatched eaves above. Before they had finished breakfast the clouds had joined into an unbroken roof, and a straight grey rain came softly and steadily down. Behind its deep curtain the Forest was completely veiled. As they looked out of the window there came falling gently as if it was flowing down the rain out of the sky, the clear voice of Goldberry singing up above them. They could hear few words, but it seemed plain to them that the song was a rain-song, as sweet as showers on dry hills, that told the tale of a river from the spring in the highlands to the Sea far below. The hobbits listened with delight; and Frodo was glad in his heart, and blessed the kindly weather, because it delayed them from departing. The thought of going had been heavy upon him from the moment he awoke; but he guessed now that they would not go further that day. The upper wind settled in the West and deeper and wetter clouds rolled up to spill their laden rain on the bare heads of the Downs. Nothing could be seen all round the house but falling water. Frodo stood near the open door and watched the white chalky path turn into a little river of milk and go bubbling away down into the valley. Tom Bombadil came trotting round the corner of the house, waving his arms as if he was warding off the rain — and indeed when he sprang over the threshold he seemed quite dry, except for his boots. These he took off and put in the chimney-corner. Then he sat in the largest chair and called the hobbits to gather round him. ‘This is Goldberry’s washing day,’ he said, ‘and her autumncleaning. Too wet for hobbit-folk — let them rest while they are able! It’s a good day for long tales, for questions and for answers, so Tom will start the talking.’ He then told them many remarkable stories, sometimes half as if speaking to himself, sometimes looking at them suddenly with a bright blue eye under his deep brows. Often his voice would turn to song, and he would get out of his chair and dance about. He told them tales of bees and flowers, the ways of trees, and the strange creatures of the Forest, about the evil things and good things, things friendly and things unfriendly, cruel things and kind things, and secrets hidden under brambles. As they listened, they began to understand the lives of the Forest, apart from themselves, indeed to feel themselves as the strangers
在湯姆·邦巴迪爾的屋子裡 129 哈比人很快就來了，直到餐桌看起來相當空的時候才遲遲離席。湯姆和金莓都不在。可以聽到湯姆在屋子裡走動，在廚房裡叮叮噹噹，上下樓梯，還在外面這裡那裡唱歌。房間朝西，俯瞰著霧氣瀰漫的山谷，窗戶開著。水從上方的茅草屋簷滴落下來。在他們吃完早餐之前，雲層已經連成一片，形成一道完整的「屋頂」，細密的灰色雨水輕柔而穩定地落下。在它深厚的帷幕後，森林完全被遮蔽了。當他們望向窗外時，金莓清澈的歌聲從上方輕輕飄落，彷彿雨水從天而降。他們聽不清幾個字，但他們很清楚那是一首雨歌，像乾旱山丘上的陣雨一樣甜美，講述了一條河流從高地泉源流向遠方大海的故事。哈比人聽得津津有味；佛羅多心裡很高興，並感謝這宜人的天氣，因為它延遲了他們的啟程。從他醒來的那一刻起，離開的念頭就一直沉重地壓在他心頭；但他現在猜想他們那天不會再前進了。高空的風向西邊穩定下來，更深更濕的雲層翻滾而來，將它們滿載的雨水傾瀉在荒蕪的丘陵頂上。屋子四周除了落下的水之外，什麼也看不見。佛羅多站在敞開的門邊，看著白色的粉筆小徑變成一條乳白色的小河，然後咕嚕咕嚕地流向山谷。湯姆·邦巴迪爾小跑著繞過屋角，揮舞著手臂，彷彿在驅趕雨水——事實上，當他躍過門檻時，除了靴子之外，他看起來完全是乾的。他脫下靴子，放在壁爐旁。然後他坐在最大的椅子上，招呼哈比人圍攏過來。「今天是金莓的洗衣日，」他說，「也是她的秋季大掃除。對哈比人來說太濕了——讓他們趁能休息的時候好好休息吧！這是講長故事、提問題和回答問題的好日子，所以湯姆要開始講了。」然後他給他們講了許多精彩的故事，有時半像自言自語，有時又突然用他深邃眉毛下那雙明亮的藍眼睛看著他們。他的聲音常常會變成歌唱，他會從椅子上站起來跳舞。他給他們講了蜜蜂和花朵的故事，樹木的習性，以及森林裡奇特的生物，關於邪惡的事物和美好的事物，友善的事物和不友善的事物，殘酷的事物和善良的事物，以及藏在荊棘下的秘密。當他們聆聽時，他們開始理解森林的生命，獨立於他們自身之外，甚至感覺自己是陌生人。
130 THE LORD OF THE RINGS where all other things were at home. Moving constantly in and out of his talk was Old Man Willow, and Frodo learned now enough to content him, indeed more than enough, for it was not comfortable lore. Tom’s words laid bare the hearts of trees and their thoughts, which were often dark and strange, and filled with a hatred of things that go free upon the earth, gnawing, biting, breaking, hacking, burning: destroyers and usurpers. It was not called the Old Forest without reason, for it was indeed ancient, a survivor of vast forgotten woods; and in it there lived yet, ageing no quicker than the hills, the fathers of the fathers of trees, remembering times when they were lords. The countless years had filled them with pride and rooted wisdom, and with malice. But none were more dangerous than the Great Willow: his heart was rotten, but his strength was green; and he was cunning, and a master of winds, and his song and thought ran through the woods on both sides of the river. His grey thirsty spirit drew power out of the earth and spread like fine root-threads in the ground, and invisible twig-fingers in the air, till it had under its dominion nearly all the trees of the Forest from the Hedge to the Downs. Suddenly Tom’s talk left the woods and went leaping up the young stream, over bubbling waterfalls, over pebbles and worn rocks, and among small flowers in close grass and wet crannies, wandering at last up on to the Downs. They heard of the Great Barrows, and the green mounds, and the stone-rings upon the hills and in the hollows among the hills. Sheep were bleating in flocks. Green walls and white walls rose. There were fortresses on the heights. Kings of little kingdoms fought together, and the young Sun shone like fire on the red metal of their new and greedy swords. There was victory and defeat; and towers fell, fortresses were burned, and flames went up into the sky. Gold was piled on the biers of dead kings and queens; and mounds covered them, and the stone doors were shut; and the grass grew over all. Sheep walked for a while biting the grass, but soon the hills were empty again. A shadow came out of dark places far away, and the bones were stirred in the mounds. Barrow-wights walked in the hollow places with a clink of rings on cold fingers, and gold chains in the wind. Stone rings grinned out of the ground like broken teeth in the moonlight. The hobbits shuddered. Even in the Shire the rumour of the Barrow-wights of the Barrow-downs beyond the Forest had been heard. But it was not a tale that any hobbit liked to listen to, even by a comfortable fireside far away. These four now suddenly remembered what the joy of this house had driven from their minds: the house of Tom Bombadil nestled under the very shoulder of those dreaded hills. They lost the thread of his tale and shifted uneasily, looking aside at one another.
《魔戒》130頁，那裡是所有其他生物的家園。老柳樹人不斷地穿插在他的話語中，佛羅多現在聽到的足以讓他滿足，甚至遠超滿足，因為那並不是令人愉快的知識。湯姆的話語揭示了樹木的內心和思想，它們常常是陰暗而奇特的，充滿了對那些在地上自由活動、啃咬、撕裂、破壞、砍伐、焚燒的生物的憎恨：那些破壞者和篡奪者。它被稱為「老林」並非沒有原因，因為它確實古老，是廣闊被遺忘的森林的倖存者；其中還住著那些比山丘衰老得更慢的樹中之祖，它們記得自己曾是這片土地的主宰。無數歲月讓它們充滿了驕傲、根深蒂固的智慧，以及惡意。但沒有任何一棵樹比大柳樹更危險：它的心已腐爛，但力量卻依然旺盛；它狡猾，是風的主宰，它的歌聲和思想在河流兩岸的樹林中流淌。它那灰暗乾渴的靈魂從大地汲取力量，像細密的根鬚般在地下蔓延，又像無形的樹枝指尖在空氣中伸展，直到將森林中從籬笆到丘陵的所有樹木都納入其掌控。突然間，湯姆的話題離開了樹林，跳躍著沿著年輕的溪流而上，越過潺潺的瀑布，越過鵝卵石和磨損的岩石，穿過茂密的草叢中的小花和潮濕的縫隙，最終漫遊到了丘陵地帶。他們聽說了「大塚」，以及山丘上的綠色土堆和石圈，還有山間窪地裡的石圈。羊群咩咩地叫著。綠色的牆和白色的牆拔地而起。高處有堡壘。小王國的國王們互相征戰，年輕的太陽像火焰般照耀在他們嶄新而貪婪的紅色金屬劍上。有勝利也有失敗；高塔倒塌，堡壘被焚毀，火焰直衝雲霄。黃金堆積在已故國王和王后的靈柩上；土堆將他們覆蓋，石門緊閉；青草長滿了一切。羊群啃食了一陣子青草，但很快山丘又變得空蕩蕩。一個陰影從遠方黑暗之地降臨，墳塚中的骸骨被驚動。塚屍在窪地中行走，冰冷的手指上戒指叮噹作響，金鍊在風中搖曳。石圈在月光下從地裡露出，如同斷裂的牙齒般猙獰。哈比人們不寒而慄。即使在夏爾，關於森林外塚丘上的塚屍的傳聞也曾被聽聞。但這並不是任何哈比人喜歡聽的故事，即使是在遙遠的舒適爐火旁。這四人此刻突然想起，這屋子的歡樂曾讓他們忘卻的事：湯姆·邦巴迪爾的屋子就依偎在那些令人畏懼的山丘腳下。他們聽故事聽得心不在焉，不安地挪動著，互相瞥視。
IN THE HOUSE OF TOM BOMBADIL I3I When they caught his words again they found that he had now wandered into strange regions beyond their memory and beyond their waking thought, into times when the world was wider, and the seas flowed straight to the western Shore; and still on and back Tom went singing out into ancient starlight, when only the Elf-sires were awake. Then suddenly he stopped, and they saw that he nodded as if he was falling asleep. The hobbits sat still before him, enchanted; and it seemed as if, under the spell of his words, the wind had gone, and the clouds had dried up, and the day had been withdrawn, and darkness had come from East and West, and all the sky was filled with the light of white stars. Whether the morning and evening of one day or of many days had passed Frodo could not tell. He did not feel either hungry or tired, only filled with wonder. The stars shone through the window and the silence of the heavens seemed to be round him. He spoke at last out of his wonder and a sudden fear of that silence: ‘Who are you, Master?’ he asked. ‘Eh, what?’ said Tom sitting up, and his eyes glinting in the gloom. ‘Don’t you know my name yet? That’s the only answer. Tell me, who are you, alone, yourself and nameless? But you are young and Tam old. Eldest, that’s what I am. Mark my words, my friends: Tom was here before the river and the trees; Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn. He made paths before the Big People, and saw the little People arriving. He was here before the Kings and the graves and the Barrow-wights. When the Elves passed westward, Tom was here already, before the seas were bent. He knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless — before the Dark Lord came from Outside.’ A shadow seemed to pass by the window, and the hobbits glanced hastily through the panes. When they turned again, Goldberry stood in the door behind, framed in light. She held a candle, shielding its flame from the draught with her hand; and the light flowed through it, like sunlight through a white shell. “The rain has ended,’ she said; ‘and new waters are running downhill, under the stars. Let us now laugh and be glad!’ ‘And let us have food and drink!’ cried Tom. ‘Long tales are thirsty. And long listening’s hungry work, morning, noon, and evening!’ With that he jumped out of his chair, and with a bound took a candle from the chimney-shelf and lit it in the flame that Goldberry held; then he danced about the table. Suddenly he hopped through the door and disappeared. Quickly he returned, bearing a large and laden tray. Then Tom and Goldberry set the table; and the hobbits sat half in wonder and half in laughter: so fair was the grace of Goldberry and so merry and
在湯姆·邦巴迪爾的家裡 I3I 當他們再次聽到他的話語時，他們發現他已經漫遊到他們記憶和清醒思緒之外的奇異領域，進入了世界更廣闊、海洋直通西方海岸的時代；湯姆依然來來回回地唱著歌，進入古老的星光之中，那時只有精靈始祖們醒著。然後他突然停了下來，他們看到他點著頭，彷彿快要睡著了。哈比人靜靜地坐在他面前，被深深地吸引住了；彷彿在他的話語魔力下，風已停歇，雲已消散，白晝已逝去，黑暗從東方和西方降臨，整個天空都充滿了白色星光。佛羅多無法分辨，究竟是一天的早晨和夜晚，還是許多天的時光已經流逝。他既不覺得餓也不覺得累，只是充滿了驚奇。星光透過窗戶灑落，天際的寂靜似乎環繞著他。他終於從驚奇和對那寂靜的突如其來的恐懼中開口問道：「您是誰，主人？」 「嗯，什麼？」湯姆坐起身來，眼睛在昏暗中閃爍著光芒。「你還不知道我的名字嗎？這就是唯一的答案。告訴我，你是誰，孤身一人，無名無姓？但你年輕，而湯姆老了。我就是最古老的。記住我的話，我的朋友們：湯姆在河流和樹木之前就在這裡了；湯姆記得第一滴雨水和第一顆橡子。他在大人物們之前開闢了道路，也看到了小人物們的到來。他在國王們、墳墓和古墓屍妖之前就在這裡了。當精靈們向西方遷徙時，湯姆已經在這裡了，在海洋被彎曲之前。他知道星空下的黑暗，那時它是無所畏懼的——在黑暗魔君從外界到來之前。」一道陰影似乎從窗邊掠過，哈比人匆忙地透過窗格望去。當他們再次轉身時，金莓站在後面的門口，身形被光線勾勒出來。她手持蠟燭，用手遮擋著燭火，不讓它被氣流吹滅；光線透過她的手流瀉而出，就像陽光穿透白色貝殼一樣。「雨停了，」她說道，「新的水流正沿著山坡而下，在星光之下。讓我們現在歡笑，感到高興吧！」 「我們來吃喝吧！」湯姆喊道。「長篇故事會讓人口渴。長時間的聆聽是件耗費精力的事，無論是早上、中午還是晚上！」說罷，他跳下椅子，一躍而起，從壁爐架上取下一支蠟燭，用金莓手中的燭火點燃；然後他在桌子旁跳起舞來。他突然跳出門外，消失了。他很快就回來了，端著一個巨大而裝滿食物的托盤。然後湯姆和金莓擺好了餐桌；哈比人半是驚奇半是歡笑地坐著：金莓的優雅是如此美麗，她的歡樂是如此
132 THE LORD OF THE RINGS odd the caperings of Tom. Yet in some fashion they seemed to weave a single dance, neither hindering the other, in and out of the room, and round about the table; and with great speed food and vessels and lights were set in order. The boards blazed with candles, white and yellow. Tom bowed to his guests. ‘Supper is ready,’ said Goldberry; and now the hobbits saw that she was clothed all in silver with a white girdle, and her shoes were like fishes’ mail. But Tom was all in clean blue, blue as rain-washed forget-me-nots, and he had green stockings. It was a supper even better than before. The hobbits under the spell of Tom’s words may have missed one meal or many, but when the food was before them it seemed at least a week since they had eaten. They did not sing or even speak much for a while, and paid close attention to business. But after a time their hearts and spirits rose high again, and their voices rang out in mirth and laughter. After they had eaten, Goldberry sang many songs for them, songs that began merrily in the hills and fell softly down into silence; and in the silences they saw in their minds pools and waters wider than any they had known, and looking into them they saw the sky below them and the stars like jewels in the depths. Then once more she wished them each good night and left them by the fireside. But Tom now seemed wide awake and plied them with questions. He appeared already to know much about them and all their families, and indeed to know much of all the history and doings of the Shire down from days hardly remembered among the hobbits themselves. It no longer surprised them; but he made no secret that he owed his recent knowledge largely to Farmer Maggot, whom he seemed to regard as a person of more importance than they had imagined. “There’s earth under his old feet, and clay on his fingers; wisdom in his bones, and both his eyes are open,’ said Tom. It was also clear that Tom had dealings with the Elves, and it seemed that in some fashion, news had reached him from Gildor concerning the flight of Frodo. Indeed so much did Tom know, and so cunning was his questioning, that Frodo found himself telling him more about Bilbo and his own hopes and fears than he had told before even to Gandalf. Tom wagged his head up and down, and there was a glint in his eyes when he heard of the Riders. ‘Show me the precious Ring!’ he said suddenly in the midst of the story: and Frodo, to his own astonishment, drew out the chain from his pocket, and unfastening the Ring handed it at once to Tom. It seemed to grow larger as it lay for a moment on his big brownskinned hand. Then suddenly he put it to his eye and laughed. For
132 魔戒 湯姆的跳躍動作奇特。然而，它們似乎以某種方式編織成一支單一的舞蹈，彼此不相妨礙，進出房間，繞著桌子轉；食物、器皿和燈具都以極快的速度擺放整齊。桌面上燭光閃耀，白黃相間。湯姆向他的客人們鞠躬。「晚餐準備好了，」金莓說；此時哈比人看到她全身銀裝，繫著一條白色腰帶，她的鞋子像魚鱗甲。但湯姆則穿著一身潔淨的藍色，藍得像雨洗過的勿忘我，他還穿著綠色的襪子。這頓晚餐甚至比之前更好。哈比人可能因為湯姆的話語而錯過了一餐或多餐，但當食物擺在他們面前時，他們感覺至少一個星期沒吃東西了。他們一時沒有唱歌，甚至很少說話，專心致志地用餐。但過了一會兒，他們的心情和精神又高昂起來，他們的聲音在歡樂和笑聲中迴盪。吃完飯後，金莓為他們唱了許多歌，歌聲從山丘上歡快地開始，然後輕柔地沉入寂靜；在寂靜中，他們在腦海中看到了比他們所知任何水域都更寬廣的水池和湖泊，凝視其中，他們看到了腳下的天空和深處如珠寶般的星星。然後她再次祝他們晚安，讓他們留在爐火旁。但湯姆此時似乎完全清醒了，並不斷地向他們提問。他似乎已經對他們和他們的家人了解很多，甚至對夏爾從哈比人自己幾乎不記得的時代以來的歷史和所有事情都知之甚詳。這不再讓他們感到驚訝；但他毫不掩飾地表示，他最近的知識很大程度上歸功於農夫馬格特，他似乎認為馬格特是個比他們想像中更重要的人物。「他腳下有泥土，指尖有黏土；骨子裡有智慧，雙眼都睜得雪亮，」湯姆說。湯姆顯然也與精靈有往來，而且似乎有消息從吉爾多那裡傳來，關於佛羅多的逃亡。事實上，湯姆知道的太多了，他的提問也太過狡猾，以至於佛羅多發現自己向他透露了更多關於比爾博以及他自己的希望和恐懼，比他之前告訴甘道夫的還要多。當他聽到關於騎士們的事情時，湯姆上下搖了搖頭，眼中閃爍著光芒。「把那枚珍貴的戒指給我看看！」他在故事講到一半時突然說道：佛羅多驚訝地從口袋裡掏出項鍊，解開戒指，立刻遞給了湯姆。戒指在他的大手上躺了一會兒，似乎變大了。然後他突然把它放到眼前，笑了起來。因為
IN THE HOUSE OF TOM BOMBADIL 133 a second the hobbits had a vision, both comical and alarming, of his bright blue eye gleaming through a circle of gold. Then Tom put the Ring round the end of his little finger and held it up to the candlelight. For a moment the hobbits noticed nothing strange about this. Then they gasped. There was no sign of Tom disappearing! Tom laughed again, and then he spun the Ring in the air — and it vanished with a flash. Frodo gave a cry — and Tom leaned forward and handed it back to him with a smile. Frodo looked at it closely, and rather suspiciously (like one who has lent a trinket to a juggler). It was the same Ring, or looked the same and weighed the same: for that Ring had always seemed to Frodo to weigh strangely heavy in the hand. But something prompted him to make sure. He was perhaps a trifle annoyed with Tom for seeming to make so light of what even Gandalf thought so perilously important. He waited for an opportunity, when the talk was going again, and Tom was telling an absurd story about badgers and their queer ways — then he slipped the Ring on. Merry turned towards him to say something and gave a start, and checked an exclamation. Frodo was delighted (in a way): it was his own ring all right, for Merry was staring blankly at his chair, and obviously could not see him. He got up and crept quietly away from the fireside towards the outer door. ‘Hey there!’ cried Tom, glancing towards him with a most seeing look in his shining eyes. ‘Hey! Come Frodo, there! Where be you a-going? Old Tom Bombadil’s not as blind as that yet. Take off your golden ring! Your hand’s more fair without it. Come back! Leave your game and sit down beside me! We must talk a while more, and think about the morning. Tom must teach the right road, and keep your feet from wandering.’ Frodo laughed (trying to feel pleased), and taking off the Ring he came and sat down again. Tom now told them that he reckoned the Sun would shine tomorrow, and it would be a glad morning, and setting out would be hopeful. But they would do well to start early; for weather in that country was a thing that even Tom could not be sure of for long, and it would change sometimes quicker than he could change his jacket. ‘I am no weather-master,’ said he; ‘nor is aught that goes on two legs.’ By his advice they decided to make nearly due North from his house, over the western and lower slopes of the Downs: they might hope in that way to strike the East Road in a day’s journey, and avoid the Barrows. He told them not to be afraid — but to mind their own business. ‘Keep to the green grass. Don’t you go a-meddling with old stone or cold Wights or prying in their houses, unless you be strong folk
在湯姆·邦巴迪爾的屋子裡，哈比人一瞬間看到了一個既滑稽又令人警惕的景象：他那明亮的藍眼睛透過一個金色的圓環閃爍著。接著湯姆把魔戒套在他小指的指尖上，舉到燭光前。有一會兒，哈比人沒覺得這有什麼奇怪。然後他們倒抽一口氣。湯姆竟然沒有消失的跡象！湯姆又笑了，然後他把魔戒拋向空中——它隨著一道閃光消失了。佛羅多驚呼一聲——湯姆俯身向前，笑著把它還給了他。佛羅多仔細地看著它，而且相當懷疑（就像一個把小飾品借給雜耍藝人的人）。那是同一枚魔戒，或者看起來和重量都一樣：因為那枚魔戒對佛羅多來說，拿在手上總是異常沉重。但有什麼東西促使他要確認一下。他或許對湯姆似乎對甘道夫都認為極其危險重要的事情如此輕視，感到有些惱火。他等待一個機會，當談話再次進行，湯姆正在講一個關於獾及其古怪習性的荒謬故事時——他把魔戒戴上了。梅里轉向他想說什麼，卻嚇了一跳，並忍住了驚呼。佛羅多（某種程度上）感到高興：那確實是他自己的魔戒，因為梅里正茫然地盯著他的椅子，顯然看不到他。他站起來，悄悄地從爐火邊溜向外門。「嘿，那邊！」湯姆喊道，閃爍的眼睛帶著一種極其洞察的目光瞥向他。「嘿！佛羅多，過來！你要去哪裡？老湯姆·邦巴迪爾還沒那麼瞎呢。把你的金戒指脫下來！你的手沒有它更漂亮。回來！別玩了，坐到我旁邊！我們還得再聊一會兒，想想明天的事。湯姆必須教你正確的路，讓你的腳不再亂跑。」佛羅多笑了（努力讓自己感到高興），然後脫下魔戒，回來坐下。湯姆現在告訴他們，他估計明天太陽會出來，會是一個令人高興的早晨，出發會充滿希望。但他們最好早點出發；因為那個地方的天氣，連湯姆也無法長期確定，有時它變化的速度比他換外套還快。「我不是什麼天氣大師，」他說；「兩條腿走路的生物都不是。」根據他的建議，他們決定從他家向正北方行進，越過丘陵地帶的西部和較低的斜坡：他們希望這樣能在一天之內到達東路，並避開古塚。他告訴他們不要害怕——但要管好自己的事。「走在綠草地上。不要去干涉古老的石頭或冰冷的屍妖，也不要窺探他們的房子，除非你們是強壯的人。
134 THE LORD OF THE RINGS with hearts that never falter!’ He said this more than once; and he advised them to pass barrows by on the west-side, if they chanced to stray near one. Then he taught them a rhyme to sing, if they should by ill-luck fall into any danger or difficulty the next day. Ho! Tom Bombadil, Tom Bombadillo! By water, wood and hill, by the reed and willow, By fire, sun and moon, harken now and hear us! Come, Tom Bombadil, for our need is near us! When they had sung this altogether after him, he clapped them each on the shoulder with a laugh, and taking candles led them back to their bedroom.
134 魔戒 帶著永不退縮的心！他不止一次這麼說；他還建議他們，如果偶然走到墳塚附近，就從西邊繞過去。然後他教他們唱一首童謠，萬一他們第二天不幸遇到任何危險或困難時可以唱。嘿！湯姆·邦巴迪爾，湯姆·邦巴迪洛！憑藉水、樹林和山丘，憑藉蘆葦和柳樹，憑藉火、太陽和月亮，現在請聽我們說！來吧，湯姆·邦巴迪爾，因為我們急需你的幫助！他們跟著他一起唱完這首歌後，他笑著拍了拍每個人的肩膀，然後拿起蠟燭把他們帶回了臥室。