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'I suppose we haven't got an axe among our luggage； Mr。 Frodo？' asked Sam。
'I brought a little hatchet for chopping firewood；' said Frodo。 'That wouldn't be much use。'
'Wait a minute！' cried Sam； struck by an idea suggested by firewood。 'We might do something with fire！'
'We might；' said Frodo doubtfully。 'We might succeed in roasting Pippin alive inside。'
'We might try to hurt or frighten this tree to begin with；' said Sam fiercely。 'If it don't let them go； I'll have it down； if I have to gnaw it。' He ran to the ponies and before long came back with two tinderboxes and a hatchet。
Quickly they gathered dry grass and leaves； and bits of bark； and made a pile of broken twigs and chopped sticks。 These they heaped against the trunk on the far side of the tree from the prisoners。 As soon as Sam had struck a spark into the tinder； it kindled the dry grass and a flurry of flame and smoke went up。 The twigs crackled。 Little fingers of fire licked against the dry scored rind of the ancient tree and scorched it。 A tremor ran through the whole willow。 The leaves seemed to hiss above their heads with a sound of pain and anger。 A loud scream came from Merry； and from far inside the tree they heard Pippin give a muffled yell。
'Put it out！ Put it out！' cried Merry。 'He'll squeeze me in two； if you don't。 He says so！'
'Who？ What？' shouted Frodo； rushing round to the other side of the tree。
'Put it out！ Put it out！' begged Merry。 The branches of the willow began to sway violently。 There was a sound as of a wind rising and spreading outwards to the branches of all the other trees round about； as though they had dropped a stone into the quiet slumber of the rivervalley and set up ripples of anger that ran out over the whole Forest。 Sam kicked at the little fire and stamped out the sparks。 But Frodo； without any clear idea of why he did so； or what he hoped for； ran along the path crying help！ help！ help！ It seemed to him that he could hardly hear the sound of his own shrill voice： it was blown away from him by the willowwind and drowned in a clamour of leaves； as soon as the words left his mouth。 He felt desperate： lost and witless。
Suddenly he slopped。 There was an answer； or so he thought； but it seemed to e from behind him； away down the path further back in the Forest。 He turned round and listened； and soon there could be no doubt： someone was singing a song； a deep glad voice was singing carelessly and happily； but it was singing nonsense：
Hey dol！ merry dol！ ring a dong dillo！
Ring a dong！ hop along！ fal lal the willow！
Tom Bom； jolly Tom； Tom Bombadillo！
Half hopeful and half afraid of some new danger； Frodo and Sam now both stood still。 Suddenly out of a long string of nonsensewords （or so they seemed） the voice rose up loud and clear and burst into this song：
Hey！ e merry dot！ derry dol！ My darling！
Light goes the weatherwind and the feathered starling。
Down along under Hill； shining in the sunlight；
Waiting on the doorstep for the cold starlight；
There my pretty lady is。 Riverwoman's daughter；
Slender as the willowwand； clearer than the water。
Old Tom Bombadil waterlilies bringing
es hopping home again。 Can you hear him singing？
Hey！ e merry dol！ deny dol！ and merryo；
Goldberry； Goldberry； merry yellow berryo！
Poor old Willowman； you tuck your roots away！
Tom's in a hurry now。 Evening will follow day。
Tom's going home again waterlilies bringing。
Hey！ e derry dol！ Can you hear me singing？
Frodo and Sam stood as if enchanted。 The wind puffed out。 The leaves hung silently again on stiff branches。 There was another burst of song； and then suddenly； hopping and dancing along the path； there appeared above the reeds an old battered hat with a tall crown and a long blue feather stuck in the band。 With another hop and a bound there came into view a man； or so it seemed。 At any rate he was too large and heavy for a hobbit； if not quite tall enough for one of the Big People； though he made noise enough for one； slumping along with great yellow boots on his thick legs； and charging through grass and rushes like a cow going down to drink。 He had a blue coat and a long brown beard； his eyes were blue and bright； and his face was red as a ripe apple； but creased into a hundred wrinkles of laughter。 In his hands he carried on a large leaf as on a tray a small pile of white waterlilies。
'Help！' cried Frodo and Sam running towards him with their hands stretched out。
'Whoa！ Whoa！ steady there！' cried the old man； holding up one hand； and they stopped short； as if they had been struck stiff。 'Now； my little fellows； where be you agoing to； puffing like a bellows？ What's the matter here then？ Do you know who I am？ I'm Tom Bombadil。 Tell me what's your trouble！ Tom's in a hurry now。 Don't you crush my lilies！'
'My friends are caught in the willowtree；' cried Frodo breathlessly。
'Master Merry's being squeezed in a crack！' cried Sam。
'What？' shouted Tom Bombadil； leaping up in the air。 'Old Man Willow？ Naught worse than that； eh？ That can soon be mended。 I know the tune for him。 Old grey Willowman！ I'll freeze his marrow cold； if he don't behave himself。 I'll sing his roots off。 I'll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away。 Old Man Willow！' Setting down his lilies carefully on the grass； he ran to the tree。 There he saw Merry's feet still sticking out 。 the rest had already been drawn further inside。 Tom put his mouth to the crack and began singing into it in a low voice。 They could not catch the words； but evidently Merry was aroused。 His legs began to kick。 Tom sprang away； and breaking off a hanging branch smote the side of the willow with it。 'You let them out again； Old Man Willow！' he said。 'What be you athinking of？ You should not be waking。 Eat earth！ Dig deep！ Drink water！ Go to sleep！ Bombadil is talking！' He then seized Merry's feet and drew him out of the suddenly widening crack。
There was a tearing creak and the other crack split open； and out of it Pippin sprang； as if he had been kicked。 Then with a loud snap both cracks closed fast again。 A shudder ran through the tree from root to tip； and plete silence fell。
'Thank you！' said the hobbits； one after the other。
Tom Bombadil burst out laughing。 'Well； my little fellows！' said he； stooping so that he peered into their faces。 'You shall e home with me！ The table is all laden with yellow cream； honeyb； and white bread and butter。 Goldberry is waiting。 Time enough for questions around the supper table。 You follow after me as quick as you are able！' With that he picked up his lilies； and then with a beckoning wave of his hand went hopping and dancing along the path eastward； still singing loudly and nonsensically。
Too surprised and too relieved to talk； the hobbits followed after him as fast as they could。 But that was not fast enough。 Tom soon disappeared in front of them； and the noise of his singing got fainter and further away。 Suddenly his voice came floating back to them in a loud halloo！
Hop along； my little friends； up the Withywindle！
Tom's going on ahead candles for to kindle。
Down west sinks the Sun： soon you will be groping。
When the nightshadows fall； then the door will open；
Out of the windowpanes light will twinkle yellow。
Fear no alder black！ Heed no hoary willow！
Fear neither root nor bough！ Tom goes on before you。
Hey now！ merry dot！ We'll be waiting for you！
After that the hobbits heard no more。 Almost at once the sun seemed to sink into the trees behind them。 They thought of the slanting light of evening glittering on the Brandywine River； and the windows of Bucklebury beginning to gleam with hundreds of lights。 Great shadows fell across them； trunks and branches of trees hung dark and threatening over the path。 White mists began to rise and curl on the surface of the river and stray about the roots of the trees upon its borders。 Out of the very ground at their feet a shadowy steam arose and mingled with the swiftly falling dusk。
It became difficult to follow the path； and they were very tired。 Their legs seemed leaden。 Strange furtive noises ran among the bushes and reeds on either side of them； and if they looked up to the pale sky； they caught sight of queer gnarled and knobbly face