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longer and stouter than the bows of Mirkwood； and strung with a string of elfhair。 With it went a quiver of arrows。
'For you little gardener and lover of trees；' she said to Sam； 'I have only a small gift。' She put into his hand a little box of plain grey wood； unadorned save for a single silver rune upon the lid。 'Here is set G for Galadriel；' she said； 'but also it may stand for garden in your tongue。 In this box there is earth from my orchard； and such blessing as Galadriel has still to bestow is upon it。 It will not keep you on your road； nor defend you against any peril； but if you keep it and see your home again at last； then perhaps it may reward you。 Though you should find all barren and laid waste； there will be few gardens in Middleearth that will bloom like your garden； if you sprinkle this earth there。 Then you may remember Galadriel； and catch a glimpse far off of Lórien； that you have seen only in our winter。 For our spring and our summer are gone by； and they will never be seen on earth again save in memory。'
Sam went red to the ears and muttered something inaudible； as he clutched the box and bowed as well as he could。
'And what gift would a Dwarf ask of the Elves？ ' said Galadriel turning to Gimli。
'None； Lady；' answered Gimli。 'It is enough for me to have seen the Lady of the Galadhrim； and to have heard her gentle words。'
'Hear all ye Elves！ ' she cried to those about her。 'Let none say again that Dwarves are grasping and ungracious！ Yet surely； Gimli son of Glóin； you desire something that I could give？ Name it； I bid you！ You shall not be the only guest without a gift。'
'There is nothing； Lady Galadriel；' said Gimli； bowing low and stammering。 'Nothing； unless it might be 。 unless it is permitted to ask； nay； to name a single strand of your hair； which surpasses the gold of the earth as the stars surpass the gems of the mine。 I do not ask for such a gift。 But you manded me to name my desire。'
The Elves stirred and murmured with astonishment； and Celeborn gazed at the Dwarf in wonder； but the Lady smiled。 'It is said that the skill of the Dwarves is in their hands rather than in their tongues ' she said； 'yet that is not true of Gimli。 For none have ever made to me a request so bold and yet so courteous。 And how shall I refuse； since I manded him to speak？ But tell me； what would you do with such a gift？ '
'Treasure it； Lady；' he answered； 'in memory of your words to me at our first meeting。 And if ever I return to the smithies of my home； it shall be set in imperishable crystal to be an heirloom of my house； and a pledge of good will between the Mountain and the Wood until the end of days。'
Then the Lady unbraided one of her long tresses； and cut off three golden hairs； and laid them in Gimli's hand。 'These words shall go with the gift；' she said。 'I do not foretell； for all foretelling is now vain： on the one hand lies darkness； and on the other only hope。 But if hope should not fail； then I say to you； Gimli son of Glóin； that your hands shall flow with gold； and yet over you gold shall have no dominion。
'And you； Ringbearer；' she said； turning to Frodo。 'I e to you last who are not last in my thoughts。 For you I have prepared this。' She held up a small crystal phial： it glittered as she moved it； and rays of white light sprang from her hand。 'In this phial；' she said； 'is caught the light of E。rendil's star； set amid the waters of my fountain。 It will shine still brighter when night is about you。 May it be a light to you in dark places； when all other lights go out。 Remember Galadriel and her Mirror！ '
Frodo took the phial； and for a moment as it shone between them； he saw her again standing like a queen； great and beautiful； but no longer terrible。 He bowed； but found no words to say。
Now the Lady arose； and Celeborn led them back to the hythe。 A yellow noon lay on the green land of the Tongue； and the water glittered with silver。 All at last was made ready。 The pany took their places in the boats as before。 Crying farewell； the Elves of Lórien with long grey poles thrust them out into the flowing stream； and the rippling waters bore them slowly away。 The travellers sat still without moving or speaking。 On the green bank near to the very point of the Tongue the Lady Galadriel stood alone and silent。 As they passed her they turned and their eyes watched her slowly floating away from them。 For so it seemed to them： Lórien was slipping backward； like a bright ship masted with enchanted trees； sailing on to fotten shores； while they sat helpless upon the margin of the grey and leafless world。
Even as they gazed； the Silverlode passed out into the currents of the Great River； and their boats turned and began to speed southwards。 Soon the white form of the Lady was small and distant。 She shone like a window of glass upon a far hill in the westering sun； or as a remote lake seen from a mountain： a crystal fallen in the lap of the land。 Then it seemed to Frodo that she lifted her arms in a final farewell； and far but piercingclear on the following wind came the sound of her voice singing。 But now she sang in the ancient tongue of the Elves beyond the Sea； and he did not understand the words： fair was the music； but it did not fort him。
Yet as is the way of Elvish words； they remained graven in his memory； and long afterwards he interpreted them； as well as he could： the language was that of Elvensong and spoke of things little known on Middleearth。
Ai！ lauri。 lantar lassi súrinen；
Yéni únótim。 ve rámar aldaron！
Yéni ve lint。 yuldar avánier
mi oromardi lissemiruvóreva
Andún。 pella； Vardo tellumar
nu luini yassen tintilar i eleni
ómaryo airetárilírinen。
Sí man i yulma nin enquantuva？
An sí Tintall。 Varda Oiolosslo
ve fanyar máryat Elentári ortanl
ar ily。 tier undulávl lumbull；
ar sindanóriello caita mornil
i falmalinnar imbl met； ar hísil
untúpa Calaciryo míri oiall。
Si vanwa ná； Rómello vanwa； Valimar！
Namári。！ Nai hiruvaly。 Valimar。
Nai ely。 hiruva。 Namáril！
'Ah！ like gold fall the leaves in the wind； long years numberless as the wings of trees！ The long years have passed like swift draughts of the sweet mead in lofty halls beyond the West； beneath the blue vaults of Varda wherein the stars tremble in the song of her voice； holy and queenly。 Who now shall refill the cup for me？ For now the Kindler； Varda； the Queen of the Stars； from Mount Everwhite has uplifted her hands like clouds； and all paths are drowned deep in shadow； and out of a grey country darkness lies on the foaming waves between us； and mist covers the jewels of Calacirya for ever。 Now lost； lost to those from the East is Valimar！ Farewell！ Maybe thou shalt find Valimar。 Maybe even thou shalt find it。 Farewell！ ' Varda is the name of that Lady whom the Elves in these lands of exile name Elbereth。
Suddenly the River swept round a bend； and the banks rose upon either side； and the light of Lórien was hidden。 To that fair land Frodo never came again。
The travellers now turned their faces to the journey； the sun was before them； and their eyes were dazzled； for all were filled with tears。 Gimli wept openly。
'I have looked the last upon that which was fairest；' he said to Legolas his panion。 'Henceforward I will call nothing fair； unless it be her gift。' He put his hand to his breast。
'Tell me； Legolas； why did I e on this Quest？ Little did I know where the chief peril lay！ Truly Elrond spoke； saying that we could not foresee what we might meet upon our road。 Torment in the dark was the danger that I feared； and it did not hold me back。 But I would not have e； had I known the danger of light and joy。 Now I have taken my worst wound in this parting； even if I were to go this night straight to the Dark Lord。 Alas for Gimli son of Glóin！ '
'Nay！' said Legolas。 'Alas for us all！ And for all that walk the world in these afterdays。 For such is the way of it： to find and lose； as it seems to those whose boat is on the running stream。 But I count you blessed； Gimli son of Glóin： for your loss you suffer of your own free will； and you might have chosen otherwise。 But you have not forsaken your panions； and the least reward that you shall have is that t