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the field of cormallen 1249
seven glittering stars. On the throne sat a mail-clad man, a
great sword was laid across his knees, but he wore no helm.
As they drew near he rose. And then they knew him, changed
as he was, so high and glad of face, kingly, lord of Men,
dark-haired with eyes of grey.
Frodo ran to meet him, and Sam followed close behind.
‘Well, if this isn’t the crown of all!’ he said. ‘Strider, or I’m
still asleep!’
‘Yes, Sam, Strider,’ said Aragorn. ‘It is a long way, is it
not, from Bree, where you did not like the look of me? A
long way for us all, but yours has been the darkest road.’
And then to Sam’s surprise and utter confusion he bowed
his knee before them; and taking them by the hand, Frodo
upon his right and Sam upon his left, he led them to the
throne, and setting them upon it, he turned to the men and
captains who stood by and spoke, so that his voice rang over
all the host, crying:
‘Praise them with great praise!’
And when the glad shout had swelled up and died away
again, to Sam’s final and complete satisfaction and pure joy,
a minstrel of Gondor stood forth, and knelt, and begged leave
to sing. And behold! he said:
‘Lo! lords and knights and men of valour unashamed,
kings and princes, and fair people of Gondor, and Riders of
Rohan, and ye sons of Elrond, and Dúnedain of the North,
and Elf and Dwarf, and greathearts of the Shire, and all free
folk of the West, now listen to my lay. For I will sing to you
of Frodo of the Nine Fingers and the Ring of Doom.’
And when Sam heard that he laughed aloud for sheer
delight, and he stood up and cried: ‘O great glory and
splendour! And all my wishes have come 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,