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glory and splendour！ And all my wishes have e true！' And then he wept。
And all the host laughed and wept； and in the midst of their merriment and tears the clear voice
of the minstrel rose like silver and gold； and all men were hushed。 And he sang to them； now in the
Elven…tongue； now in the speech of the West； until their hearts； wounded with sweet words；
overflowed； and their joy was like swords； and they passed in thought out to regions where pain
and delight flow together and tears are the very wine of blessedness。
And at the last； as the Sun fell from the noon and the shadows of the trees lengthened； he ended。
'Praise them with great praise！' he said and knelt。 And then Aragorn stood up； and all the host arose；
and they passed to pavilions made ready； to eat and drink and make merry while the day lasted。
Frodo and Sam were led apart and brought to a tent； and there their old raiment was taken off；
but folded and set aside with honour； and clean linen was given to them。 Then Gandalf came and in
his arms； to the wonder of Frodo； he bore the sword and the elven…cloak and the mithril…coat that
had been taken from him in Mordor。 For Sam he brought a coat of gilded mail； and his elven…cloak
all healed of the soils and hurts that it had suffered； and then he laid before them two swords。
'I do not wish for any sword；' said Frodo。
'Tonight at least you should wear one；' said Gandalf。
Then Frodo took the small sword that had belonged to Sam； and had been laid at his side in
Cirith Ungol。 'Sting I gave to you Sam；' he said。
'No； master！ Mr。 Bilbo gave it to you； and it goes with his silver coat； he would not wish anyone
else to wear it now。'
Frodo gave way； and Gandalf； as if he were their esquire； knelt and girt the sword…belts about
them； and then rising he set circlets of silver upon their heads。 And when they were arrayed they
went to the great feast； and they sat at the King's table with Gandalf； and King éomer of Rohan；
and the Prince Imrahil and all the chief captains； and there also were Gimli and Legolas。
But when； after the Standing Silence； wine was brought there came in two esquires to serve the
kings； or so they seemed to be： one was clad in the silver and sable of the Guards of Minas Tirith；
and the other in white and green。 But Sam wondered what such young boys were doing in an army
of mighty men。 Then suddenly as they drew near and he could see them plainly； he exclaimed：
'Why； look Mr。 Frodo！ Look here！ Well； if it isn't Pippin。 Mr。 Peregrin Took I should say； and
Mr。 Merry！ How they have grown！ Bless me！ But I can see there's more tales to tell than ours。'
'There are indeed；' said Pippin turning towards him。 'And we'll begin telling them； as soon as this
feast is ended。 In the meantime you can try Gandalf。 He's not so close as he used to be； though he
laughs now more than he talks。 For the present Merry and I are busy。 We are knights of the City
and of the Mark； as I hope you observe。'
At last the glad day ended； and when the Sun was gone and the round Moon rode slowly above
the mists of Anduin and flickered through the fluttering leaves； Frodo and Sam sat under the
whispering trees amid the fragrance of fair Ithilien； and they talked deep into the night with Merry
and Pippin and Gandalf； and after a while Legolas and Gimli joined them。 There Frodo and Sam
learned much of all that had happened to the pany after their fellowship was broken on the evil
day at Parth Galen by Rauros Falls； and still there was always more to ask and more to tell。
Orcs； and talking trees； and leagues of grass； and galloping riders。 and glittering caves； and
white towers and golden halls； and battles； and tall ships sailing； all these passed before Sam's mind
until he felt bewildered。 But amidst all these wonders he returned always to his astonishment at the
size of Merry and Pippin； and he made them stand back to back with Frodo and himself。 He
scratched his head。 'Can't understand it at your age！' he said。 'But there it is： you're three inches
taller than you ought to he； or I'm a dwarf。'
'That you certainly are not；' said Gimli。 'But what did I say？ Mortals cannot go drinking ent…
draughts and expect no more to e of them than of a pot of beer。'
'Ent…draughts？' said Sam。 'There you go about Ents again； but what they are beats me。 Why； it
will take weeks before we get all these things sized up！'
'Weeks indeed；' said Pippin。 'And then Frodo will have to be locked up in a tower in Minas
Tirith and write it all down。 Otherwise he will forget half of it； and poor old Bilbo will be
dreadfully disappointed。'
At length Gandalf rose。 'The hands of the King are hands of healing； dear friends；' he said。 'But
you went to the very brink of death ere he recalled you； putting forth all his power； and sent you
into the sweet forgetfulness of sleep。 And though you have indeed slept long and blessedly； still it
is now time to sleep again。'
And not only Sam and Frodo here； said Gimli； but you too； Pippin。 I love you； if only because of
the pains you have cost me； which I shall never forget。 Nor shall I forget finding you on the hill of
the last battle。 But for Gimli the Dwarf you would have been lost then。 But at least I know now the
look of a hobbit's foot； though it be all that can be seen under a heap of bodies。 And when I heaved
that great carcase off you； I made sure you were dead。 I could have。 torn out my beard。 And it is
only a day yet since you were first up and abroad again。 To bed now you go。 And so shall I。'
'And I；' said Legolas； 'shall walk in the woods of this fair land； which is rest enough。 In days to
e； if my Elven…lord allows； some of our folk shall remove hither； and when we e it shall be
blessed； for a while。 For a while： a month； a life； a hundred years of Men。 But Anduin is near； and
Anduin leads down to the Sea。 To the Sea！
_To the Sea； to the Sea！ The white gulls are crying；
The wind is blowing； and the white foam is flying。
West； west away； the round sun is falling。
Grey ship； grey ship； do you hear them calling。
The voices of my people that have gone before me？
I will leave； I will leave the woods that bore me；
For our days are ending and our years failing。
I will pass the wide waters lonely sailing。
Long are the waves on the Last Shore falling；
Sweet are the voices in the Lost Isle calling；
In Eress？a； in Elvenhome that no man can discover；
Where the leaves fall not： land of my people for ever！'_
And so singing Legolas went away down the hill。
Then the others also departed； and Frodo and Sam went to their beds and slept。 And in the
morning they rose again in hope and peace； and they spent many days in Ithilien。 For the Field of
Cormallen； where the host was now encamped was near to Henneth Ann？n； and the stream that
flowed from its falls could be heard in the night as it rushed down through its rocky gate； and
passed through the flowery meads into the tides of Anduin by the Isle of Cair Andros。 The hobbits
wandered here and there visiting again the places that they had passed before； and Sam hoped
always in some shadow of the woods or secret glade to catch； maybe； a glimpse of the great
Oliphaunt。 And when he learned that at the siege of Gondor there had been a great number of these
beasts but that they were all destroyed； he thought it a sad loss。
'Well； one can't be everywhere at once； I suppose；' he said。 'But I missed a lot； seemingly。'
In the meanwhile the host made ready for the return to Minas Tirith。 The weary rested and the
hurt were healed。 For some had laboured and fought much with the remnants of the Easterlings and
Southrons； until all were subdued。 And； latest of all； those returned who had passed into Mordor
and destroyed the fortresses in the north of the land。
But at the last when the month of May was drawing near the Captains of the West set out again；
and they went aboard ship with all their men； and they sailed fro