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。 Twice the messenger has returned；
and has gone unanswered。 The third and last time； so he says； is soon to e；
before the ending of the year。
'And so I have been sent at last by Dáin to warn Bilbo that he is soughtby the Enemy； and to learn； if may be； why he desires this ring； this least ofrings。 Also we crave the advice of Elrond。 For the Shadow grows and drawsnearer。 We discover that messengers have e also to King Brand in Dale； andthat he is afraid。 We fear that he may yield。 Already war is gathering on hiseastern borders。 If we make no answer； the Enemy may move Men of his rule toassail King Brand； and Dáin also。'
‘You have done well to e；' said Elrond。 ‘You will hear today all thatyou need in order to understand the purposes of the Enemy。 There is naughtthat you can do； other than to resist； with hope or without it。 But you do notstand alone。 You will learn that your trouble is but part of the trouble ofall the western world。 The Ring！ What shall we do with the Ring； the least ofrings； the trifle that Sauron fancies？ That is the doom that we must deem。
‘That is the purpose for which you are called hither。 Called； I say。
though I have not called you to me； strangers from distant lands。 You havee and are here met； in this very nick of time； by chance as it may seem。
Yet it is not so。 Believe rather that it is so ordered that we； who sit here；
and none others； must now find counsel for the peril of the world。
‘Now； therefore； things shall be openly spoken that have been hidden fromall but a few until this day。 And first； so that all may understand what isthe peril； the Tale of the Ring shall be told from the beginning even to thispresent。 And I will begin that tale； though others shall end it。'
Then all listened while Elrond in his clear voice spoke of Sauron and the
Rings of Power； and their forging in the Second Age of the world long ago。 Apart of his tale was known to some there； but the full tale to none； and manyeyes were turned t= Elrond in fear and wonder as he told of the Elven…smithsof Eregion and their friendship with Moria； and their eagerness for knowledge；
by which Sauron ensnared them。 For in that time he was not yet evil to behold；
and they received his aid and grew mighty in craft； whereas he learned alltheir secrets； and betrayed them； and forged secretly in the Mountain of Firethe One Ring to be their master。 But Celebrimbor was aware of him； and hid theThree which he had made； and there was war； and the land was laid waste； andthe gate of Moria was shut。
Then through all the years that followed he traced the Ring； but sincethat history is elsewhere recounted； even as Elrond himself set it down in hisbooks of lore； it is not here recalled。 For it is a long tale； full of deedsgreat and terrible； and briefly though Elrond spoke； the sun rode up the sky；
and the morning was passing ere he ceased。
Of Númenor he spoke； its glory and its fall； and the return of the Kingsof Men to Middle…earth out of the deeps of the Sea； borne upon the wings ofstorm。 Then Elendil the Tall and his mighty sons； Isildur and Anárion； becamegreat lords； and the North…realm they made in Arnor； and the South…realm inGondor above the mouths of Anduin。 But Sauron of Mordor assailed them； andthey made the Last Alliance of Elves and Men； and the hosts of Gil…galad andElendil were mustered in Arnor。
Thereupon Elrond paused a while and sighed。 ‘I remember well thesplendour of their banners；' he said。 ‘It recalled to me the glory of theElder Days and the hosts of Beleriand； so many great princes and captains wereassembled。 And yet not so many； nor so fair； as when Thangorodrim was broken；
and the Elves deemed that evil was ended for ever； and it was not so。'
‘You remember？' said Frodo； speaking his thought aloud in hisastonishment。 ‘But I thought；' he stammered as Elrond turned towards him； 'Ithought that the fall of Gil…galad was a long age ago。'
'So it was indeed；' answered Elrond gravely。 ‘But my memory reaches backeven to the Elder Days。 E。rendil was my sire； who was born in Gondolin beforeits fall； and my mother was Elwing； daughter of Dior； son of Lúthien ofDoriath。 I have seen three ages in the West of the world； and many defeats；
and many fruitless victories。
‘I was the herald of Gil…galad and marched with his host。 I was at theBattle of Dagorlad before the Black Gate of Mordor； where we had the mastery：
for the Spear of Gil…galad and the Sword of Elendil； Aiglos and Narsil； nonecould withstand。 I beheld the last bat on the slopes of Orodruin； whereGil…galad died； and Elendil fell； and Narsil broke beneath him； but Sauronhimself was overthrown； and Isildur cut the Ring from his hand with the hilt…
shard of his father's sword； and took it for his own。'
At this the stranger； Boromir； broke in。 ‘So that is what became of theRing！' he cried。 ‘If ever such a tale was told in the South； it has long beenforgotten。 I have heard of the Great Ring of him that we do not name； but webelieved that it perished from the world in the ruin of his first realm。
Isildur took it！ That is tidings indeed。'
‘Alas！ yes；' said Elrond。 ‘Isildur took it； as should not have been。 Itshould have been cast then into Orodruin's fire nigh at hand where it wasmade。 But few marked what Isildur did。 He alone stood by his father in thatlast mortal contest； and by Gil…galad only Círdan stood； and I。 But Isildurwould not listen to our counsel。
' 〃This I will have as weregild for my father； and my brother；〃 he said；
and therefore whether we would or no； he took it to treasure it。 But soon hewas betrayed by it to his death； and so it is named in the North Isildur'sBane。 Yet death maybe was better than what else might have befallen him。
'Only to the North did these tidings e； and only to a few。 Smallwonder it is that you have not heard them； Boromir。 From the ruin of theGladden Fields； where Isildur perished； three men only came ever back over themountains after long wandering。 One of these was Ohtar； the esquire of
Isildur； who bore the shards of the sword of Elendil； and he brought them toValandil； the heir of Isildur； who being but a child had remained here inRivendell。 But Narsil was broken and its light extinguished； and it has notyet been forged again。
‘Fruitless did I call the victory of the Last Alliance？ Not wholly so；
yet it did not achieve its end。 Sauron was diminished； but not destroyed。 HisRing was lost but not unmade。 The Dark Tower was broken； but its foundationswere not removed； for they were made with the power of the Ring； and while itremains they will endure。 Many Elves and many mighty Men； and many of theirfriends。 had perished in the war。 Anárion was slain； and Isildur was slain；
and Gil…galad and Elendil were no more。 Never again shall there be any suchleague of Elves and Men； for Men multiply and the Firstborn decrease； and thetwo kindreds are estranged。 And ever since that day the race of Númenor hasdecayed； and the span of their years has lessened。
'In the North after the war and the slaughter of the Gladden Fields theMen of Westernesse were diminished； and their city of Annúminas beside LakeEvendim fell into ruin； and the heirs of Valandil removed and dwelt at Fornoston the high North Downs； and that now too is desolate。 Men call it Deadmen'sDike； and they fear to tread there。 For the folk of Arnor dwindled； and theirfoes devoured them； and their lordship passed； leaving only green mounds inthe grassy hills。
'In the South the realm of Gondor long endured； and for a while itssplendour grew； recalling somewhat of the might of Númenor； ere it fell。 Hightowers that people built； and strong places。 and havens of many ships； and thewinged crown of the Kings of Men was held in awe by folk of many tongues。
Their chief city was Osgiliath； Citadel of the Stars。 through the midst ofwhich the River flowed。 And Minas Ithil they built； Tower of the Rising Moon；
eastward upon a shoulder of the Mountains of Shadow； and westward at the feetof the White Mountains Minas Anor they made； Tower of the Setting Sun。 Therein the courts of the King grew a white tree； from the seed of that tree whichIsildur brought over the deep waters； and the seed of that tree before camefrom Eress。a； and before that out of the Uttermost West in the Day before dayswhen the world was young。
‘But in the wearing of the swift years of Middle…earth the line ofMeneldil son of Anárion failed； and the Tree withered； and the blood of theNúmenoreans became mingled with that of lesser men。 Then the watch upon thewalls of Mordor slept； and dark things crept back to Gorgoroth。 And on a timeevil things came forth； and they took Minas Ithil and abode in it； and theymade it into a place of dread； and it is called Minas Morgul； the Tower ofSorcery。 Then Minas Anor was named anew Minas Tirith； the Tower of Guard； andthese two cities were ever at war； but Osgiliath which lay between wasdeserted and in its ruins shadows walked。
'So it has been for many lives of men。 But the Lords of Minas Tirithstill fight on； defying our enemies； keeping the passage of the River fromArgonath to the Sea。 And now that part of the tale that I shall tell is drawnto its close。 For in the days of Isildur the Ruling Ring passed out of allknowl