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.A power was therethat we have not felt before.`Some said that it could be seen, like a great black horseman, a dark shadowunder the moon.Wherever he came a madness filled our foes, but fear fell onour boldest, so that horse and man gave way and fled.Only a remnant of oureastern force came back, destroying the last bridge that still stood amid theruins of Osgiliath.'I was in the company that held the bridge, until it was cast down behind us.Four only were saved by swimming: my brother and myself and two others.Butstill we fight on, holding all the west shores of Anduin; and those who shelterbehind us give us praise, if ever they hear our name: much praise but littlehelp.Only from Rohan now will any men ride to us when we call.`In this evil hour I have come on an errand over many dangerous leagues toElrond: a hundred and ten days I have journeyed all alone.But I do not seekallies in war.The might of Elrond is in wisdom not in weapons, it is said.Icome to ask for counsel and the unravelling of hard words.For on the eve ofthe sudden assault a dream came to my brother in a troubled sleep; andafterwards a like dream came oft to him again, and once to me.'In that dream I thought the eastern sky grew dark and there was a growingthunder, but in the West a pale light lingered, and out of it I heard a voice,remote but clear, crying:Seek for the Sword that was broken:In Imladris it dwells;There shall be counsels takenStronger than Morgul-spells.There shall be shown a tokenThat Doom is near at hand,For Isildur's Bane shall waken,And the Halfling forth shall stand.Of these words we could understand little, and we spoke to our father,Denethor, Lord of Minas Tirith, wise in the lore of Gondor.This only would hesay, that Imladris was of old the name among the Elves of a far northern dale,where Elrond the Halfelven dwelt, greatest of lore-masters.Therefore mybrother, seeing how desperate was our need, was eager to heed the dream andseek for Imladris; but since the way was full of doubt and danger, I took thejourney upon myself.Loth was my father to give me leave, and long have Iwandered by roads forgotten, seeking the house of Elrond, of which many hadheard, but few knew where it lay.''And here in the house of Elrond more shall be made clear to you' said Aragorn,standing up.He cast his sword upon the table that stood before Elrond, and theblade was in two pieces.`Here is the Sword that was Broken!' he said.`And who are you, and what have you to do with Minas Tirith?' asked Boromir,looking in wonder at the lean face of the Ranger and his weather-stainedcloak.`He is Aragorn son of Arathorn,' said Elrond; `and he is descended through manyfathers from Isildur Elendil's son of Minas Ithil.He is the Chief of theDúnedain in the North, and few are now left of that folk.'`Then it belongs to you, and not to me at all!' cried Frodo in amazement,springing to his feet, as if he expected the Ring to be demanded at once.'It does not belong to either of us,' said Aragorn; `but it has been ordainedthat you should hold it for a while.''Bring out the Ring, Frodo!' said Gandalf solemnly.`The time has come.Hold itup, and then Boromir will understand the remainder of his riddle.'There was a hush, and all turned their eyes on Frodo.He was shaken by a suddenshame and fear; and he felt a great reluctance to reveal the Ring, and aloathing of its touch.He wished he was far away.The Ring gleamed andflickered as he held it up before them in his trembling hand.'Behold Isildur's Bane!' said Elrond.Boromir's eyes glinted as he gazed at the golden thing.`The Halfling!' hemuttered.`Is then the doom of Minas Tirith come at last? But why then shouldwe seek a broken sword?''The words were not the doom of Minas Tirith,' said Aragorn.`But doom andgreat deeds are indeed at hand.For the Sword that was Broken is the Sword ofElendil that broke beneath him when he fell.It has been treasured by his heirswhen all other heirlooms were lost; for it was spoken of old among us that itshould be made again when the Ring, Isildur's Bane, was found.Now you haveseen the sword that you have sought, what would you ask? Do you wish for theHouse of Elendil to return to the Land of Gondor?'`I was not sent to beg any boon, but to seek only the meaning of a riddle,'answered Boromir proudly.`Yet we are hard pressed, and the Sword of Elendilwould be a help beyond our hope-if such a thing could indeed return out of theshadows of the past.' He looked again at Aragorn, and doubt was in his eyes.Frodo felt Bilbo stir impatiently at his side.Evidently he was annoyed on hisfriend's behalf.Standing suddenly up he burst out:All that is gold does not glitter,Not all those who wander are lost;The old that is strong does not wither,Deep roots are not reached by the frost.From the ashes a fire shall be woken,A light from the shadows shall spring;Renewed shall be blade that was broken:The crownless again shall be king.`Not very good perhaps, but to the point – if you need more beyond the word ofElrond.If that was worth a journey of a hundred and ten days to hear, you hadbest listen to it.' He sat down with a snort.`I made that up myself,' he whispered to Frodo, `for the Dúnadan, a long timeago when he first told me about himself.I almost wish that my adventures werenot over, and that I could go with him when his day comes.'Aragorn smiled at him; then he turned to Boromir again.`For my part I forgiveyour doubt,' he said.'Little do I resemble the figures of Elendil and Isilduras they stand carven in their majesty in the halls of Denethor.I am but theheir of Isildur, not Isildur himself.I have had a hard life and a long; andthe leagues that lie between here and Gondor are a small part in the count ofmy journeys.I have crossed many mountains and many rivers, and trodden manyplains, even into the far countries of Rhûn and Harad where the stars arestrange.'But my home, such as I have, is in the North.For here the heirs of Valandilhave ever dwelt in long line unbroken from father unto son for manygenerations.Our days have darkened, and we have dwindled; but ever the Swordhas passed to a new keeper.And this I will say to you, Boromir, ere I end.Lonely men are we, Rangers of the wild, hunters--but hunters ever of theservants of the Enemy; for they are found in many places, not in Mordor only.`If Gondor, Boromir, has been a stalwart tower, we have played another part.Many evil things there are that your strong walls and bright swords do notstay.You know little of the lands beyond your bounds.Peace and freedom, doyou say? The North would have known them little but for us.Fear would havedestroyed them.But when dark things come from the houseless hills, or creepfrom sunless woods, they fly from us.What roads would any dare to tread, whatsafety would there be in quiet lands, or in the homes of simple men at night,if the Dúnedain were asleep, or were all gone into the grave?`And yet less thanks have we than you.Travellers scowl at us, and countrymengive us scornful names
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