Things are not looking good for Frodo. He has dozed a bit but the wound causes him enormous pain, and a terrible chill has spread from the shoulder to his arm and side. Sam, Merry and Pippin anxiously wait over him. Strider returns and finds the weapon that has caused the wound; unfortunately, the blade is broken, which means that the missing fraction is in Frodo's shoulder. They cannot risk spending another night on the hill, and there is not much that Strider can do for Frodo other than force the company to continue the journey.
However, he can alleviate his pain, if only temporarily, by applying Athelas to the wound. After singing strange words to the dagger-hilt and to Frodo, Strider throws the leaves into boiling water, and just the fragrance has a calming effect on the hobbits; on Frodo's wound it lessens both the pain and the chill, but it is not enough to make life return to his arm. It is clear that they have to leave in full daylight and that Frodo cannot walk, so the hobbits and Strider share the load while Frodo rides the pony, which makes him feel even guiltier. Three is company, true, and four even more, but it is not difficult to imagine that Frodo must feel how much happier his friends would be back home.
 |
| Athelas |
The land is cheerles, the burden is heavy, and the cold voices in the distance chill their hearts. They know that the Enemy is treading on their footsteps but they cannot walk any faster. At the end of the day, Frodo's pain has just begun to wake again, and I have to leave them walking, in fear and pain, sore and heavy-hearted for four days, because it seems that they did nothing other than that during that period of time; or at least nothing that the narrator considered worth talking about. See you on the fifth day!
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