Day XXX: A whiff of woodsmoke
I was up before dawn and went down to the lake,
Leaving the others in bed.
On the shore, staring outwards across the dark mere,
Stood the Gaffer, a hat on his head.
‘It’s to keep my ears warm,’ he said when I asked.
‘It’s so chilly out here to be sure,’
I nodded and pulled my cloak tightly around,
As we gazed to the opposite shore.
‘So what are our plans?’ I asked Kandral at last.
‘Do we know where it is we should seek?’
‘We do, thanks to you, young hobbit,’ he said.
‘By the Stone, of which you’ve heard speak.’
But although we’d almost finished our quest,
He seemed to me quite downcast;
And we stood for a while, saying nothing at all
Then Kandral, he spoke up at last.
‘You know that this lake is holy to us?’
I said that I’d heard that was so.
‘It is here on this shore that the first Durin stood,’
‘Gazing out on the waters below.’
‘In the water, it’s said, he saw a fine crown,’
‘Made up of stars, shining bright.’
‘One day, it is said, another will see them,’
‘A new Durin will come forth that night.’
Then Kandral gazed up to the dawn sky above,
‘You see felak gabil?’ he said.
‘I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about,’
Said I, scratching my head.
‘Ah, my dear Ponso! I’m forgetting myself.’
‘I talk of the Sickle and Moon.’
‘Ah yes,’ I replied, ‘I see ‘em quite clearly.’
‘But the Sun shall be rising up soon.’
‘Well some dwarrow believe that the sickle and moon,’
‘Determine your luck for the day.’
‘When the moon sits itself at the head of the sickle,’
‘It presages badly, they say.’
Well the moon, it was full and was ringed by the stars,
The sight of it made his face fall.
‘Let us hope the old tales are not true then,’ he said.
‘And this doesn’t spell doom for us all.’
Well this was a shock to see him so stricken
By doubt; it made me feel sad.
So I resolved to cook the lads a great breakfast:
After eating, nothing seems bad.
I ran off to find me some bacon and eggs
As the dwarfies emerged from the tent.
I heated my pans in the flames of the fire
As usual, the rations soon went.
So with breakfast all done, we mustered the dwarves
And Kandral, he gave a fine speech.
After eight weeks of trekking o’er plains and through mountains,
The Axe was almost in reach.
‘None of us thought when we started our journey,’
‘Leaving our Halls in the West,’
‘That our road would lead us evermore into danger,’
‘Before we could finish our quest.’
He reached into his shirt, pulled the chain o’er his head
And the Key caught the early sunlight.
It flashed in our eyes as the dwarves all fell silent
Subdued by this marvellous sight.
‘We came here to find where this key would lead us.’
‘And the road has brought us all here.’
‘We have faced up to perils where most would have faltered,’
‘And others turn back, in fear.’
‘In the depths found we Scrolls that told of the Axe,’
‘Of the Lake of Stars and the Stone.’
‘And now that prize is within our grasp.’
‘I call on you, every one.’
‘Sharpen your axes and ready your armour.’
‘Pack your belongings away.’
‘We set out as one for doom or for glory.’
‘Who knows what awaits us this day?’
The dwarves gave a cheer and went back to the tent
To ready themselves for a fight.
But I stayed behind to speak with the Gaffer,
I’d a sense of something not right.
He was looking out over the plains to the Stone
And the way ahead seemed so clear,
But the wind brought my nose a faint whiff of woodsmoke,
As if a camp was quite near.
‘Gaffer,’ I said, ‘I know you are eager,’
‘To press on ahead with the quest.’
‘But I feel the need to move with some caution,’
‘We have to do what is best.’
‘So let me go on ahead of the lads’
‘And check that it’s safe to proceed.’
But the Gaffer said no, we should all go together,
To my warnings he payed little heed.
So I went to the tent and got myself ready
And we gathered once more for the fray.
And I pleaded again for the Gaffer to let me
At least scout ahead for the way.
This time he relented and I climbed a small hillock
Wrapping myself in my cloak
There was naught to be seen, not even a footprint,
But again the faint smell of woodsmoke.
And with it, an odour that gave me no doubt
That our quest was far from complete.
A reek I had smelled in the dark caves of Moria:
The stench of an orc’s smelly feet!
I got back to the Gaffer and gave him the news.
But he was resolved to go on.
And we marched forth in silence along the lake’s shore,
Deep in our thoughts, everyone.
Missed the earlier verses?
They can all be found here
