e tongs； and at once picked it up。 Frodo gasped。
It is quite cool；' said Gandalf。 'Take it！' Frodo received it on hisshrinking palm： it seemed to have bee thicker and heavier than ever。
'Hold it up！' said Gandalf。 'And look closely！'
As Frodo did so； he now saw fine lines； finer than the finest pen…
strokes； running along the ring； outside and inside： lines of fire that seemedto form the letters of a flowing script。 They shone piercingly bright； and yetremote； as if out of a great depth。
'I cannot read the fiery letters；' said Frodo in a quavering voice。
'No；' said Gandalf； 'but I can。 The letters are Elvish； of an ancientmode； but the language is that of Mordor； which I will not utter here。 Butthis in the mon Tongue is what is said； close enough：
_One Ring to rule them all； One Ring to find them；
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them。_
It is only two lines of a verse long known in Elven…lore：
_Three Rings for the Elven…kings under the sky；
Seven for the Dwarf…lords in their halls of stone；
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die；
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie。
One Ring to rule them all。 One Ring to find them；
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind themIn the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie。'_
He paused； and then said slowly in a deep voice： 'This is the Master…
ring； the One Ring to rule them all。 This is the One Ring that he lost manyages ago； to the great weakening of his power。 He greatly desires it – but hemust _not_ get it。'
Frodo sat silent and motionless。 Fear seemed to stretch out a vast hand；
like a dark cloud rising in the East and looming up to engulf him。 'Thisring！' he stammered。 'How； how on earth did it e to me？'
'Ah！' said Gandalf。 'That is a very long story。 The beginnings lie backin the Black Years； which only the lore…masters now remember。 If I were totell you all that tale； we should still be sitting here when Spring had passedinto Winter。
'But last night I told you of Sauron the Great； the Dark Lord。 Therumours that you have heard are true： he has indeed arisen again and left hishold in Mirkwood and returned to his ancient fastness in the Dark Tower of
Mordor。 That name even you hobbits have heard of； like a shadow on the bordersof old stories。 Always after a defeat and a respite； the Shadow takes another
shape and grows again。'
'I wish it need not have happened in my time；' said Frodo。
'So do I；' said Gandalf； 'and so do all who live to see such times。 Butthat is not for them to decide。 All we have to decide is what to do with the
time that is given； us。 And already； Frodo； our time is beginning to lookblack。 The Enemy is fast being very strong。 His plans are far from ripe； Ithink； but they are ripening。 We shall be hard put to it。 We should be veryhard put to it； even if it were not for this dreadful chance。
'The Enemy still lacks one thing to give him strength and knowledge tobeat down all resistance； break the last defences； and cover all the lands ina second darkness。 He lacks the One Ring。
'The Three； fairest of all； the Elf…lords hid from him； and his handnever touched them or sullied them。 Seven the Dwarf…kings possessed； but threehe has recovered； and the others the dragons have consumed。 Nine he gave toMortal Men； proud and great； and so ensnared them。 Long ago they fell underthe dominion of the One； and they became Ringwraiths； shadows under his greatShadow； his most terrible servants。 Long ago。 It is many a year since the Ninewalked abroad。 Yet who knows？ As the Shadow grows once more； they too may walkagain。 But e！ We will not speak of such things even in the morning of theShire。
'So it is now： the Nine he has gathered to himself； the Seven also； orelse they are destroyed。 The Three are hidden still。 But that no longertroubles him。 He only needs the One； for he made that Ring himself； it is his；
and he let a great part of his own former power pass into it； so that he couldrule all the others。 If he recovers it； then he will mand them all again；
wherever they be； even the Three； and all that has been wrought with them willbe laid bare； and he will be stronger than ever。
'And this is the dreadful chance； Frodo。 He believed that the One hadperished； that the Elves had destroyed it； as should have been done。 But heknows now that it has _not_ perished； that it has been found。 So he is seekingit； seeking it； and all his thought is bent on it。 It is his great hope andour great fear。'
'Why； why wasn't it destroyed？' cried Frodo。 'And how did the Enemy evere to lose it； if he was so strong； and it was so precious to him？' Heclutched the Ring in his hand； as if he saw already dark fingers stretchingout to seize it。
'It was taken from him；' said Gandalf。 'The strength of the Elves toresist him was greater long ago； and not all Men were estranged from them。 TheMen of Westernesse came to their aid。 That is a chapter of ancient historywhich it might be good to recall； for there was sorrow then too； and gatheringdark； but great valour； and great deeds that were not wholly vain。 One day；
perhaps； I will tell you all the tale； or you shall hear it told in full byone who knows it best。
'But for the moment； since most of all you need to know how this thingcame to you； and that will be tale enough； this is all that I will say。 It wasGil…galad； Elven…king and Elendil of Westernesse who overthrew Sauron； thoughthey themselves perished in the deed； and Isildur Elendil's son cut the Ringfrom Sauron's hand and took it for his own。 Then Sauron was vanquished and hisspirit fled and was hidden for long years； until his shadow took shape againin Mirkwood。
'But the Ring was lost。 It fell into the Great River； Anduin； andvanished。 For Isildur was marching north along the east banks of the River；
and near the Gladden Fields he was waylaid by the Orcs of the Mountains； andalmost all his folk were slain。 He leaped into the waters； but the Ringslipped from his finger as he swam； and then the Orcs saw him and killed himwith arrows。'
Gandalf paused。 'And there in the dark pools amid the Gladden Fields；' hesaid； 'the Ring passed out of knowledge and legend； and even so much of itshistory is known now only to a few； and the Council of the Wise could discoverno more。 But at last I can carry on the story； I think。
'Long after； but still very long ago； there lived by the banks of theGreat River on the edge of Wilderland a clever…handed and quiet…footed littlepeople。 I guess they were of hobbit…kind； akin to the fathers of the fathersof the Stoors； for they loved the River； and often swam in it； or made littleboats of reeds。 There was among them a family of high repute； for it was largeand wealthier than most； and it was ruled by a grandmother of the folk； sternand wise in old lore； such as they had。 The most inquisitive and curious…
minded of that family was called Sméagol。 He was interested in roots andbeginnings； he dived into deep pools； he burrowed under trees and growingplants； he tunnelled into green mounds； and he ceased to look up at the hilltops；
or the leaves on trees； or the flowers opening in the air： his head andhis eyes were dow