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 四位哈比人跨過寬闊的石門檻，眨著眼睛，靜靜地站著。他們身處一個狹長低矮的房間，屋頂橫樑上懸掛的油燈灑下光芒；深色拋光木桌上立著許多高大的黃色蠟燭，明亮地燃燒著。在房間遠端，一張面對著外門的椅子上，坐著一位女子。她金黃色的長髮如波浪般披洩在肩上；她的長袍是綠色的，像新生蘆葦那般翠綠，上面點綴著銀光，彷彿晶瑩的露珠；她的腰帶是黃金打造的，形狀如一串鳶尾花，花心鑲嵌著勿忘我那淺藍色的眼眸。在她的腳邊，寬口的綠色與棕色陶器皿中，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，貴客們！」她說道，而當她開口時，他們便知道先前聽到的清亮歌聲正是出自她口。他們膽怯地往房裡多走了幾步，開始深深鞠躬，心中感到一種奇異的驚訝與侷促，就像是有人到農舍門口想討杯水喝，開門的卻是一位身穿鮮花、美麗年輕的精靈女王。但他們還來不及說任何話，她便輕盈地躍起，越過那些睡蓮陶盆，笑著向他們跑來；她跑動時，長袍發出沙沙輕響，宛如微風拂過開滿花朵的河岸。「來吧，親愛的朋友們！」她說著，牽起佛羅多隻手。「笑吧，開心點！我是金莓夫人，河之女。」接著她輕快地經過他們，關上門，然後背對著門，張開雪白的雙臂橫在門上。「讓我們把黑夜關在門外吧！」她說。「因為你們或許還害怕著濃霧、樹影、深水和那些不受馴服的事物。什麼都別怕！今晚你們在湯姆·邦巴迪爾的屋簷下。」哈比人們驚奇地望著她；她也看著他們每一個人，並報以微笑。「美麗的金莓夫人！」佛羅多終於開口，心中湧起一股他自己也不明白的喜悅。他站著的模樣，就像他有時被美麗的精靈歌聲迷住時一樣；但此刻籠罩他的魔力卻有所不同：那份喜悅不那麼尖銳高遠，卻更為深沉，更貼近凡人之心；奇妙卻不陌生。「美麗的金莓夫人！」他又說了一次。「現在，我終於明白先前我們聽到的歌聲中所隱藏的喜悅了。
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?’
「噢，像柳枝一樣纖細！噢，比清水還要清澈！噢，活水池邊的蘆葦！美麗的河之女！噢，春天與夏天，然後又是春天！噢，瀑布上的風，還有葉子的笑聲！」他突然停下來，結結巴巴地，驚訝於自己竟說出這樣的話。但金莓笑了。「歡迎！」她說。「我從未聽說過夏爾的居民如此能言善道。但我看得出你是個精靈之友；你眼中的光芒和你聲音中的韻律都說明了這一點。這真是一次愉快的相遇！現在請坐，等候這家的主人吧！他不會太久的。他正在照料你們疲憊的牲口。」哈比人們高興地在低矮的燈心草座椅子上坐下，金莓則在桌邊忙碌著；他們的目光跟隨著她，因為她動作的纖細優雅讓他們心中充滿了寧靜的喜悅。從屋後某處傳來了歌聲。他們時不時地在許多「derry dol」、「merry dol」和「ring a ding dillo」的音節中，捕捉到重複的歌詞：「老湯姆・龐巴迪是個快活的傢伙；他的夾克是亮藍色，靴子是黃色。」過了一會兒，佛羅多又開口說：「美麗的女士！請告訴我，如果我的問題不顯得愚蠢的話，湯姆・龐巴迪是誰？」「他就是，」金莓停下她迅速的動作，微笑著說。佛羅多用疑問的眼神看著她。「他就是，如你所見的他，」她回答他的眼神說。「他是森林、流水與山丘的主人。」「那麼這整片奇異的土地都屬於他嗎？」「當然不是！」她回答，笑容也消失了。「那確實會是個重擔，」她低聲補充道，彷彿自言自語。「樹木、草地以及這片土地上所有生長或活著的東西，都各自屬於自己。湯姆・龐巴迪是主人。從來沒有人能抓住老湯姆在森林裡行走、在水中跋涉、在光影下的山頂跳躍。他沒有恐懼。湯姆・龐巴迪是主人。」一扇門開了，湯姆・龐巴迪走了進來。他現在沒戴帽子，濃密的棕色頭髮上戴著秋葉編成的冠冕。他笑了，走向金莓，牽起她的手。「這是我美麗的女士！」他對哈比人們鞠躬說。「這是我穿著銀綠色衣裳、腰帶上插著花的金莓！桌上擺滿食物了嗎？我看到黃色的奶油、蜂巢蜜、白麵包和牛油；牛奶、起司、還有採集來的綠色香草和成熟的莓果。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:
「是的，」金莓說，「但客人們或許不是？」湯姆拍拍手喊道：「湯姆，湯姆！你的客人累了，你都差點忘了！來吧，我快樂的朋友們，湯姆要讓你們恢復精神！你們該洗洗髒手，洗洗疲憊的臉；脫下泥濘的斗篷，梳理打結的頭髮！」他打開門，他們跟著他走下一段短廊，轉過一個急彎。他們來到一間有斜屋頂的低矮房間（看起來像是加蓋在房屋北端的棚屋）。房間的牆壁是乾淨的石頭，但大多被綠色的掛毯和黃色的窗簾覆蓋。地板鋪著石板，上面散置著新鮮的綠色燈心草。沿著一側的地板上放著四張深厚的床墊，每張都堆著白色的毯子。對面的牆邊是一張長凳，上面滿是寬大的陶製臉盆，旁邊立著裝滿水的棕色大水壺，有些是冷的，有些是熱氣蒸騰的。每張床邊都備妥了柔軟的綠色拖鞋。不久，哈比人們洗漱一新，恢復了精神，圍著桌子坐下，每邊兩人，而金莓和主人則坐在桌子的兩端。那是一頓漫長而愉快的餐點。雖然哈比人以只有飢餓的哈比人才有的方式大吃大喝，但食物從未短缺。他們飲水碗裡的飲料似乎是清澈的冷水，卻像美酒一樣滲入他們的心扉，讓他們的歌喉得以解放。客人們突然意識到自己正在快樂地歌唱，彷彿唱歌比說話更容易、更自然。最後，湯姆和金莓站起來，迅速地收拾了桌子。客人們被吩咐安靜坐好，並被安排在椅子上，每個人疲憊的腳下都放了一個腳凳。他們面前寬大的壁爐裡生著火，燃燒時散發出甜美的香氣，彷彿是用蘋果木搭建的。當一切都整理妥當後，房間裡所有的燈都熄滅了，只剩下一盞油燈和壁爐架兩端的一對蠟燭。然後金莓走過來，手持一根蠟燭站在他們面前；她祝他們每個人晚安，睡個好覺。「現在安歇吧，」她說，「直到天明！別理會夜裡的聲響！因為除了月光、星光和山頂吹來的風，沒有什麼能穿過這裡的門窗。晚安！」她伴隨著一絲微光和沙沙聲走出了房間。她的腳步聲就像在靜夜裡，溪流從山坡上輕輕流過清涼的石頭。湯姆在他們身邊靜坐了一會兒，而他們每個人都試圖鼓起勇氣，提出晚飯時就想問的許多問題之一。睡意在他們的眼皮上凝聚。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.
「主人，您是聽見我的呼喚，還是正好在那一刻偶然路過？」湯姆動了一下，像個從美夢中被搖醒的人。「欸，什麼？」他說。「我聽見你呼喚了嗎？不，我沒聽見：我正忙著唱歌呢。是偶然把我帶到那兒的，如果你要稱之為偶然的話。這並非我的計畫，雖然我一直在等你們。我們聽到了關於你們的消息，知道你們正在遊蕩。我們猜你們不久之後就會來到水邊：所有路都通往那裡，通往柳條河。灰色的老柳樹人，他可是個強大的歌者；小個子們很難逃出他狡猾的迷宮。但湯姆在那兒有件差事，他可不敢耽擱。」湯姆點點頭，彷彿睡意再次襲來；但他用柔和的歌聲繼續說道：「我到那兒有件差事：採集睡蓮，綠葉與白蓮，為了取悅我美麗的女士，在年底前採下最後一批，好讓它們免於冬寒，在她美麗的腳邊綻放，直到雪融。每年夏末，我都為她去尋覓，在柳條河下游遠方，一個寬闊、深邃又清澈的水潭裡；那裡的睡蓮春天最早綻放，也逗留到最晚。很久以前，就在那水潭邊，我遇見了河流之女，年輕貌美的金莓坐在蘆葦叢中。她當時的歌聲多麼甜美，她的心跳多麼有力！」他睜開雙眼，眼中閃過一道藍光，看著他們：「這對你們來說倒是好事——因為現在我不會再深入森林水域了，在這一年老去之時不會。在春天來臨之前，我也不會經過老柳樹人的屋子，要等到那歡樂的春天，當河流之女沿著柳樹小徑跳著舞去水中沐浴時才會。」他又沉默了下來；但佛羅多忍不住多問了一個問題：他最想知道答案的那個問題。「主人，」他說，「跟我們說說柳樹人的事吧。他是什麼？我以前從沒聽說過他。」「不，別說！」梅里和皮聘突然坐直，異口同聲地說。「不是現在！等明天早上再說！」「說得對！」老人說。「現在是休息的時候。有些事在世界籠罩於陰影中時，聽來不祥。睡到天亮吧，在枕上安歇！別理會夜裡的聲響！別怕那灰柳樹！」說完，他取下燈，將它吹熄，然後雙手各持一根蠟燭，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
他們的床墊和枕頭如羽絨般柔軟，毯子是白羊毛製的。他們幾乎是一躺上那厚實的床、把輕盈的被子拉到身上，就立刻睡著了。在死寂的夜裡，佛羅多做了一個沒有光線的夢。然後他看見一彎新月升起；在它微弱的光線下，他面前赫然出現一道黑色的岩壁，岩壁上有個像巨大門戶的黑暗拱門。佛羅多感覺自己被舉起，越過岩壁後，他看見那道岩壁其實是一圈環狀山丘，山丘內是一片平原，平原中央矗立著一座石峰，像一座巨大的高塔，卻非出自人手。石峰頂上站著一個男人的人影。月亮升起時，彷彿在他頭頂上懸掛了片刻，當風吹動他白色的頭髮時，月光在他髮間閃爍。從下方黑暗的平原傳來邪惡嗓音的哭喊，以及眾多惡狼的嚎叫。突然間，一個影子，形狀像是巨大的翅膀，劃過月亮。那人影舉起雙臂，他揮舞的法杖發出一道光芒。一隻巨鷹俯衝而下，將他帶走。那些嗓音哀號著，狼群也狂吠不已。一陣像是強風吹過的聲響傳來，風中夾帶著蹄聲，自東方奔騰而來，奔騰而來，奔騰而來。「黑騎士！」佛羅多驚醒時想著，蹄聲仍在腦海中迴盪。他懷疑自己是否還有勇氣再次離開這些石牆的安全之處。他一動不動地躺著，仍在傾聽；但現在一切都靜悄悄的，最後他轉過身，再度睡去，或遊蕩到某個不復記憶的夢境裡。在他身旁，皮聘正愉快地做著夢；但他的夢境起了變化，他翻了個身，呻吟起來。他突然醒了，或以為自己醒了，卻仍在黑暗中聽見那擾亂他夢境的聲音：滴答、吱嘎：那聲音像是樹枝在風中摩擦，枝枒如指頭般刮著牆壁和窗戶：嘎吱、嘎吱、嘎吱。他想著屋子旁是否有柳樹；然後他突然有種可怕的感覺，覺得自己根本不在一棟普通的房子裡，而是在柳樹的內部，聽著那可怕、乾枯的嘎吱聲再次嘲笑他。他坐起身，感覺到柔軟的枕頭在手中下陷，於是他鬆了口氣，又躺了下去。他耳邊似乎聽見話語的回音：「無所畏懼！安睡至天明！莫理會夜半噪音！」然後他又睡著了。梅里雅達克在他安靜的睡眠中聽到的是水聲：水流輕輕淌下，然後蔓延開來，無法抗拒地在屋子四周擴散成一片無邊的黑色水池。水在牆下咕嚕作響，緩慢卻確實地上漲。「我會被淹死！」他想。「水會找到路進來，然後我就會被淹死。」他感覺自己正躺在一片柔軟黏滑的泥沼中，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》 他撞到一塊冰冷堅硬石板的角落。然後他想起自己身在何處，於是又躺了下來。他似乎聽見或憶起曾聽過：「除了月光、星光與山頂吹來的風，沒有什麼能穿過門窗。」一絲帶著香氣的微風吹動了窗簾。他深吸一口氣，再度沉沉睡去。據他所能記得的，山姆整晚都睡得心滿意足，如果木頭也會心滿意足的話。早晨的陽光中，他們四個同時醒來。湯姆正在房裡走動，像八哥鳥一樣吹著口哨。當他聽見他們翻身的聲音，便拍拍手，喊道：「嘿！來吧，快樂多！啦啦多！我的夥伴們！」他拉開黃色的窗簾，哈比人們這才看見窗簾遮住了房間兩頭的窗戶，一扇朝東，一扇朝西。 他們精神飽滿地跳下床。佛羅多跑到東邊的窗戶，發現自己正望著一個因露水而呈灰色的菜園。他本來半預期會看到直抵牆邊的草皮，一片滿是蹄印凹坑的草皮。實際上，他的視線被一排高高的、爬在竿子上的豆子給擋住了；但在那之上和遠方，山的灰色頂峰在日出的映襯下赫然聳現。那是一個灰濛的早晨：在東方，長長的雲朵像是一條條邊緣染紅的髒羊毛線，其後是閃爍著微光的深黃色天空。天空預示著即將下雨；但光線正迅速擴散，豆子上的紅花在濕潤的綠葉映襯下開始發光。 皮聘望向西窗，俯瞰著一池霧氣。老林隱藏在濃霧之下。那感覺就像從上方俯瞰一片傾斜的雲頂。有一道摺痕或溝渠，霧氣在那裡碎成許多縷、許多波，那正是柳條河的河谷。溪流從左邊的山丘流下，消失在白色的陰影中。近處是一個花園和一道修剪過的樹籬，像是罩上了一層銀網，再過去是灰色的短草，因露珠而顯得蒼白。看不到任何柳樹。 「早安，快樂的朋友們！」湯姆大喊著，把東窗完全推開。一股涼爽的空氣流了進來，帶著雨的氣味。「我看今天太陽大概不會怎麼露臉了。從灰濛的黎明開始，我便四處遊蕩，在山頂上跳躍，嗅聞著風與天氣，腳下是濕草，頭上是濕漉漉的天空。我用歌聲喚醒了金莓，但沒什麼能在清晨喚醒哈比人。小傢伙們在黑暗中醒來，卻在天亮後睡去！鈴個叮咚噹！快醒醒，我快樂的朋友們！忘掉夜晚的噪音吧！鈴個叮咚噹啦！啦啦的，我的夥伴們！如果你們快點來，桌上就有早餐。要是來晚了，你們就只能吃草喝雨水啦！」不用說——倒也不是說湯姆的威脅聽起來有多嚴重——
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·龐巴迪的家中，哈比人們很快就來到餐桌前，直到桌上幾乎空無一物時才依依不捨地離開。湯姆和金莓都不在。屋子裡可以聽見湯姆的聲音，在廚房裡鏗鏘作響，在樓梯上上下下，還在屋外四處歌唱。房間朝西，俯瞰著雲霧繚繞的山谷，窗戶開著。水滴從上方的茅草屋簷滴落。他們還沒吃完早餐，雲層已連成一片不間斷的屋頂，筆直的灰雨輕柔而穩定地落下。在這片深沉的雨幕後，老林完全被遮蔽了。當他們望向窗外時，金莓清澈的歌聲從他們頭頂上方傳來，溫柔地飄落，彷彿是順著雨水從天而降。他們聽不清幾個詞，但顯然那是一首雨之歌，甜美如乾旱山丘上的陣雨，訴說著一條河從高地源頭流向遠方大海的故事。哈比人們欣喜地聆聽著；佛羅多心中感到高興，並慶幸這仁慈的天氣，因為它延遲了他們的離去。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；但他現在猜想他們今天不會再前進了。高空的風向轉為西風，更深更濕的雲層翻滾而來，將滿載的雨水傾瀉在光禿禿的丘陵頂上。屋子四周除了落下的水花，什麼也看不見。佛羅多站在敞開的門邊，看著那條白色石灰小徑變成一條牛奶小河，冒著泡泡流向山谷。湯姆·龐巴迪從屋角小跑步過來，揮舞著手臂，彷彿在抵擋雨水——而事實上，當他跳過門檻時，除了靴子，他似乎完全是乾的。他脫下靴子，把它們放在壁爐角落。然後他坐進最大的椅子裡，招呼哈比人們圍攏過來。「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——讓他們能休息就盡量休息吧！這是個適合說長篇故事、提問與回答的好日子，所以湯姆要開始說故事了。」接著，他給他們講了許多奇特的故事，有時像在自言自語，有時又用他深邃眉毛下明亮的藍眼睛突然看著他們。他的聲音常常會轉為歌唱，他會從椅子上站起來跳舞。他告訴他們關於蜜蜂與花朵、樹木的習性、森林裡奇異生物的故事，關於邪惡與善良的事物，友好與不友好的事物，殘酷與仁慈的事物，以及藏在荊棘叢下的秘密。聽著聽著，他們開始理解森林自身的生命，甚至感覺到自己才是外來者。
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.
湯姆的話語中，不斷穿插出現的是老柳頭，而佛羅多現在聽到的已足以讓他滿足，事實上是綽綽有餘了，因為那並不是什麼令人舒坦的學問。湯姆的話語揭示了樹木的內心與思緒，那通常是黑暗而奇異的，充滿了對大地上自由來去之物的仇恨，那些啃噬、咬囓、破壞、砍伐、焚燒的生物：毀滅者與篡奪者。老林之所以被如此稱呼不是沒有原因的，因為它確實古老，是廣袤被遺忘森林的倖存者；林中至今仍居住著老化速度不比山丘更快的、樹的祖先的祖先，牠們記得自己曾是大地主宰的時代。無數的歲月讓牠們充滿了驕傲、根深蒂固的智慧，以及惡意。但沒有誰比大柳樹更危險：他的心已腐爛，但力量依舊青翠；他狡猾，是風的主人，他的歌聲與意念在河兩岸的林間流竄。他那灰色而飢渴的靈魂從大地汲取力量，如細微的根絲在地下蔓延，又如無形的嫩枝手指伸向空中，直到它將森林裡從樹籬到古塚崗幾乎所有的樹木都置於其統治之下。突然，湯姆的話題離開了森林，跳躍到年輕的溪流上，越過冒泡的瀑布、鵝卵石和磨損的岩石，穿梭在密草與潮濕石縫中的小花之間，最後漫遊到了古塚崗上。他們聽說了大古墓、綠色的小丘，以及山丘上和山谷中窪地的環狀石陣。羊群在咩咩叫。綠牆和白牆升起。高地上有堡壘。小王國的國王們互相爭戰，年輕的太陽像火一樣照在他們嶄新而貪婪的劍的紅色金屬上。有勝利也有失敗；高塔倒塌，堡壘被焚毀，火焰直衝天際。黃金堆放在已故國王與女王的靈柩上；土堆覆蓋了他們，石門被關上；青草長滿了一切。羊群走了一陣子，啃食著青草，但很快山丘又空無一人。一個陰影從遠方的黑暗之處走來，土堆裡的骸骨被驚動了。古墓屍妖在窪地裡行走，冰冷手指上的戒指發出叮噹聲，金鍊在風中作響。石環在月光下從地面咧嘴而笑，像破碎的牙齒。哈比人們不寒而慄。即使在夏爾，也曾聽說過森林之外古塚崗的古墓屍妖的謠言。但那不是任何哈比人喜歡聽的故事，即使是遠在舒適的壁爐邊也不例外。這四個人現在突然想起了這棟房子的歡樂氣氛讓他們忘卻的事情：湯姆・龐巴迪的房子，就座落在那些可怕山丘的臂彎之下。他們跟不上他故事的思路了，不安地挪動身子，彼此對望。
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
當他們再次聽清他的話語時，他們發現他已漫遊到他們記憶與清醒思緒之外的奇異境地，回到世界更寬廣、海洋徑直流向西方海岸的時代；湯姆繼續回溯歌唱，唱到遠古的星光下，只有精靈先祖們醒著的時刻。然後他突然停下，他們看見他點著頭，彷彿快要睡著了。哈比人們靜靜地坐在他面前，心醉神迷；在他的話語魔力下，彷彿風已止，雲已散，白日已退，黑暗從東西方降臨，整個天空佈滿了白星之光。究竟是過了一天還是許多天的晨昏，佛羅多也說不出來。他不覺得餓也不覺得累，心中只有滿滿的驚奇。星光透過窗戶灑進來，諸天的寂靜似乎環繞著他。他終於在驚奇與對那份寂靜的突來恐懼中開口問道：「主人，您是誰？」「欸，什麼？」湯姆坐起身，雙眼在幽暗中閃爍。「你還不知道我的名字嗎？那便是唯一的答案。告訴我，你是誰，孤身一人，無名無姓的你？但你年輕，而湯姆年老。我是『最長者』。記住我的話，我的朋友們：湯姆在河流與樹木出現前就在這裡了；湯姆記得第一滴雨和第一顆橡實。他在大個兒民族出現前就開闢了道路，也看見小個兒民族的到來。他在君王、墳墓和古塚屍妖出現前就在這裡了。當精靈們西遷時，湯姆早已在此，在海洋被扭曲之前。他認識星空下無畏的黑暗——在黑暗魔君從『外界』到來之前。」一個影子似乎掠過窗外，哈比人們急忙透過窗玻璃瞥了一眼。當他們再轉過頭時，金莓站在後方的門口，身後是框著的光。她手持一根蠟燭，用手護著燭火不被穿堂風吹熄；光線穿透她的手，就像陽光穿過白色的貝殼。「雨停了，」她說，「新的流水在星空下奔向山腳。現在讓我們歡笑，讓我們高興吧！」「也讓我們來點吃的喝的！」湯姆喊道。「說長篇故事會口渴，聽長篇故事可是會餓的，不論早中晚！」說著他從椅子上跳起來，一躍就從壁爐架上取下一根蠟燭，就著金莓手中的火焰點燃；然後他繞著桌子跳起舞來。他突然蹦蹦跳跳地穿過門消失了。很快地，他又回來了，端著一個裝得滿滿的大托盤。接著湯姆和金莓佈置好餐桌；哈比人們半是驚奇半是歡笑地坐著：金莓的優雅是如此美麗，而湯姆是如此快活
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
《魔戒》132頁 湯姆蹦蹦跳跳的樣子很古怪。然而，他們倆的舞步在某種程度上似乎交織成一支獨一無二的舞蹈，彼此毫不妨礙，在房間裡進進出出，繞著桌子轉；食物、器皿和燈火以極快的速度被擺放整齊。餐桌上燭光閃耀，有白的也有黃的。湯姆向他的客⼈們鞠躬。「晚餐準備好了，」金莓說；這時哈比人才看到她身穿一襲銀衣，繫著一條白色腰帶，腳上的鞋子宛如魚鱗甲。而湯姆則穿著一身乾淨的藍色，像被雨水洗過的勿忘我花那樣藍，還穿著綠色的長襪。這頓晚餐甚至比之前那頓更好。哈比人們在湯姆話語的魔力下，可能錯過了一餐或許多餐，但當食物擺在他們面前時，感覺好像至少一個星期沒吃東西了。他們一時間沒有唱歌，甚至沒怎麼說話，只專心處理眼前的要事。但過了一會兒，他們的心情和精神又高昂起來，歡聲笑語不絕於耳。吃完飯後，金莓為他們唱了許多歌，歌聲始於山丘間的歡快，而後輕柔地落入寂靜；在寂靜中，他們在腦海裡看到了比他們所知更為寬廣的池塘與水域，望入其中，他們看見底下是天空，星星如寶石般嵌在深處。然後她再次向他們一一道晚安，留下他們在爐火邊。但湯姆這時似乎精神抖擻，不斷地向他們提問。他似乎已經對他們及他們所有的家庭瞭若指掌，甚至對夏爾自哈比人自己都幾乎不記得的遠古時代以來的歷史和事蹟都知之甚詳。他們對此已不再感到驚訝；但他毫不掩飾地表示，他最近的這些知識主要得自於馬嘎農夫，他似乎認為這個人的重要性遠超乎他們的想像。「他的老腳下有泥土，手指上有黏土；他的骨子裡有智慧，而且雙眼都是睜開的。」湯姆說。同樣清楚的是，湯姆與精靈有往來，而且似乎以某種方式，他從吉爾多那裡得到了關於佛羅多出逃的消息。湯姆知道的實在太多，提問的技巧又如此高明，以至於佛羅多發現自己告訴他的，比告訴甘道夫的還多，包括關於比爾博以及他自己的希望與恐懼。當聽到黑騎士的事時，湯姆上下點著頭，眼中閃過一道光芒。「把那珍貴的魔戒拿給我看！」他在故事講到一半時突然說道：而佛羅多，在自己也感到驚訝的情況下，從口袋裡掏出鍊子，解下魔戒，立刻遞給了湯姆。當魔戒在他那巨大、棕色的手掌上停留片刻時，它似乎變大了。然後他突然把魔戒放到眼前，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
一瞬間，哈比人們看到了一個既滑稽又驚人的景象：他那明亮的藍眼睛在一圈金環中閃閃發光。然後，湯姆將戒指套在他小指的指尖上，舉到燭光前。起初，哈比人們沒注意到有什麼奇怪之處。接著他們倒抽了一口氣。湯姆完全沒有消失的跡象！湯姆又笑了起來，然後他把戒指在空中一旋——戒指便在一道閃光中消失了。佛羅多叫了一聲——湯姆則向前傾身，微笑著將戒指遞還給他。佛羅多仔細地端詳著它，帶著幾分懷疑（就像把小飾品借給了雜耍師的人一樣）。這確實是同一枚戒指，或看起來、掂起來都一樣：因為佛羅多總覺得這枚戒指在手裡重得有些奇怪。但有什麼促使他想要確認一下。他或許對湯姆似乎如此輕視連甘道夫都認為極度危險重要的東西感到有那麼一點惱火。他等待著機會，當談話再次熱絡起來，湯姆正在講一個關於獾及其古怪習性的荒誕故事時——他悄悄戴上了戒指。梅里轉向他想說些什麼，卻嚇了一跳，忍住了一聲驚呼。佛羅多（在某種程度上）很高興：這確實是他自己的戒指，因為梅里正茫然地盯著他的椅子，顯然看不見他。他站起來，悄悄地從壁爐邊溜向外門。「嘿，在那兒！」湯姆喊道，他那雙閃亮的眼睛以極具穿透力的目光瞥向他。「嘿！過來，佛羅多！你這是要去哪兒啊？老湯姆·龐巴迪還沒那麼瞎呢。脫下你的金戒指！沒有它，你的手更好看。回來！別玩你的遊戲了，到我身邊坐下！我們得再聊一會兒，想想早上的事。湯姆得教你們走正路，免得你們的腳走偏了。」佛羅多笑了（試圖讓自己顯得高興），他脫下戒指，回來重新坐下。湯姆接著告訴他們，他估計明天太陽會出來，將會是個晴朗的早晨，出發會充滿希望。但他們最好早點動身；因為那個地方的天氣，連湯姆也無法長時間確定，有時變化比他換夾克還快。「我不是什麼天氣大師，」他說，「任何用兩條腿走路的生物也都不是。」根據他的建議，他們決定從他的房子出發，幾乎朝正北方走，越過古墓崗西面較低的山坡：他們希望這樣能在一天的路程內到達東大道，並避開古墓。他告訴他們不要害怕——但要管好自己的事。「沿著綠草地走。除非你們是強大的人，否則別去招惹古老的石頭、冰冷的屍妖，或窺探他們的屋子。
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.
「要帶著永不畏懼的心！」這句話他不只說了一次；他還建議他們，萬一不小心走近古墓，要從西邊繞過去。然後，他教了他們一首詩歌，以防隔天不幸陷入任何危險或困境時可以唱。「嘿！湯姆·龐巴迪，湯姆·龐巴迪羅！憑藉流水、林木與山丘，憑藉蘆葦與楊柳，憑藉火焰、太陽與月亮，現在請聽我們的呼喚！來吧，湯姆·龐巴迪，我們正迫切需要你！」當他們跟著他一起唱完後，他大笑著拍了拍每個人的肩膀，然後拿著蠟燭帶他們回臥室。