The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. Christina Scull

      Hurry up, hurry up! That’s the time for drinking!’

      Tom laughed to himself: ‘Maybe then I’ll go there.

      I might go by other ways, but today I’ll row there.’

      He shaved oars, patched his boat; from hidden creek he hauled her

      through reed and sallow-brake, under leaning alder,

      then down the river went, singing: ‘Silly-sallow,

      Flow withy-willow-stream over deep and shallow!’

      ‘Whee! Tom Bombadil! Whither be you going,

      bobbing in a cockle-boat, down the river rowing?’

      ‘Maybe to Brandywine along the Withywindle;

      maybe friends of mind fire for me will kindle

      down by the Hays-end. Little folk I know there,

      kind at the day’s end. Now and then I go there.’

      ‘Take word to my kin, bring me back their tidings!

      Tell me of diving pools and the fishes’ hidings!’

      ‘Nay then,’ said Bombadil, ‘I am only rowing

      just to smell the water like, not on errands going.’

      ‘Tee hee! Cocky Tom! Mind your tub don’t founder!

      Look out for willow-snags! I’d laugh to see you flounder.’

      ‘Talk less, Fisher Blue! Keep your kindly wishes!

      Fly off and preen yourself with the bones of fishes!

      Gay lord on your bough, at home a dirty varlet

      living in a sloven house, though your breast be scarlet.

      I’ve heard of fisher-birds beak in air a-dangling

      to show how the wind is set: that’s an end of angling!’

      The King’s fisher shut his beak, winked his eye, as singing

      Tom passed under bough. Flash! then he went winging;

      dropped down jewel-blue a feather, and Tom caught it

      gleaming in a sun-ray: a pretty gift he thought it.

      He stuck it in his tall hat, the old feather casting:

      ‘Blue now for Tom,’ he said, ‘a merry hue and lasting!’

      Rings swirled round his boat, he saw the bubbles quiver.

      Tom slapped his oar, smack! at a shadow in the river.

      ‘Hoosh! Tom Bombadil! ’Tis long since last I met you.

      Turned water-boatman, eh? What if I upset you?’

      ‘What? Why, Whisker-lad, I’d ride you down the river.

      My fingers on your back would set your hide a-shiver.’

      ‘Pish, Tom Bombadil! I’ll go and tell my mother;

      “Call all our kin to come, father, sister, brother!

      Tom’s gone mad as a coot with wooden legs: he’s paddling

      down Withywindle stream, an old tub a-straddling!”’

      ‘I’ll give your otter-fell to Barrow-wights. They’ll taw you!

      Then smother you in gold-rings! Your mother if she saw you,

      she’d never know her son, unless ’twas by a whisker.

      Nay, don’t tease old Tom, until you be far brisker!’

      ‘Whoosh!’ said otter-lad, river-water spraying

      over Tom’s hat and all; set the boat a-swaying,

      dived down under it, and by the bank lay peering,

      till Tom’s merry song faded out of hearing.

      Old Swan of Elvet-isle sailed past him proudly,

      gave Tom a black look, snorted at him loudly.

      Tom laughed: ‘You old cob, do you miss your feather?

      Give me a new one then! The old was worn by weather.

      Could you speak a fair word, I would love you dearer:

      long neck and dumb throat, but still a haughty sneerer!

      If one day the King returns, in upping he may take you,

      brand your yellow bill, and less lordly make you!’

      Old Swan huffed his wings, hissed, and paddled faster;

      in his wake bobbing on Tom went rowing after.

      Tom came to Withy-weir. Down the river rushing

      foamed into Windle-reach, a-bubbling and a-splashing;

      bore Tom over stone spinning like a windfall,

      bobbing like a bottle-cork, to the hythe at Grindwall.

      ‘Hoy! Here’s Woodman Tom with his billy-beard on!’

      laughed all the little folk of Hays-end and Breredon.

      ‘Ware, Tom! We’ll shoot you dead with our bows and arrows!

      We don’t let Forest-folk nor bogies from the Barrows

      cross over Brandywine by cockle-boat nor ferry.’

      ‘Fie, little fatbellies! Don’t ye make so merry!

      I’ve seen hobbit-folk digging holes to hide ’em,

      frightened if a horny goat or a badger eyed ’em,

      afeared of the moony-beams, their old shadows shunning.

      I’ll call the orks on you: that’ll send you running!’

      ‘You may call, Woodman Tom. And you can talk your beard off.

      Three arrows in your hat! You we’re not afeared of!

      Where would you go to now? If for beer you’re making,

      the barrels aint deep enough in Breredon for your slaking!’

      ‘Away over Brandywine by Shirebourn I’d be going,

      but too swift for cockle-boat the river now is flowing.

      I’d bless little folk that took me in their wherry,

      wish them evenings fair and many mornings merry.’

      Red flowed the Brandywine; with flame the river kindled,

      as sun sank beyond the Shire, and then to grey it dwindled.

      Mithe Steps empty stood. None was there to greet him.

      Silent the Causeway lay. Said Tom: ‘A merry meeting!’

      Tom stumped along the road, as the light was failing.

      Rushey lamps gleamed ahead. He heard a voice him hailing.

      ‘Whoa there!’ Ponies stopped, wheels halted sliding.

      Tom went plodding past, never looked beside him.

      ‘Ho there! beggarman tramping in the Marish!

      What’s your business here? Hat all stuck with arrows!

      Someone’s warned you off, caught you at your sneaking?

      Come here! Tell me now what it is you’re seeking!

      Shire-ale, I’ll be bound, though you’ve not a penny.

      I’ll bid them lock their doors, and then you won’t get any!’

      ‘Well,