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the field of cormallen 1251
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 Company 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 be, 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 come of them than of a pot of beer.’