"J.R.R. Tolkien - Farmer Giles of Ham" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tolkien J.R.R)

Garm slunk home and stayed there, and howled all the
night, and was beaten for it, and went on howling.

`Help, ow help!' he cried. `I'll never see dear master
again, and he was so terrible and splendid. I wish I had
gone with him, I do.'

`Shut up!' said the farmer's wife, `or you'll never live to
see if he comes back or he don't."

The blacksmith heard the howls. `A bad omen,' he said
cheerfully.

Many days passed and no news came. `No news is bad
news,' he said, and burst into song.

When Farmer Giles got to court he was tired and dusty.
But the knights, in polished mail and with shining helmets
on their heads, were all standing by their horses. The
King's summons and the inclusion of the farmer had
annoyed them, and so they insisted on obeying orders
literally, setting off the moment that Giles arrived. The
poor farmer had barely time to swallow a sop in a draught
of wine before he was off on the road again. The mare
was offended. What she thought of the King was luckily
unexpressed, as it was highly disloyal.

It was already late in the day. `Too late in the day to start
a dragon-hunt,' thought Giles. But they did not go far. The
knights were in no hurry, once they had started.

They rode along at their leisure, in a straggling line,
knights, esquires, servants, and ponies trussed with
baggage; and Farmer Giles jogging behind on his tired
mare.

When evening came, they halted and pitched their tents.
No provision had been made for Farmer Giles and he lead
to borrow what he could. The mare was indignant, and she
forswore her allegiance to the house of Augustus Bonifacius.

The next day they rode on, and all the day after. On the third day
they descried in the distance the dim and inhospitable
mountains. Before long they were in regions where the lordship
of Augustus Bonifacius was not universally acknowledged.
They rode then with more care and kept closer together.

On the fourth day they reached the Wild Hills and the borders of
the dubious lands where legendary creatures were reputed to
dwell. Suddenly, one of those riding ahead came upon ominous