Old Forest and its inhabitants can be scary, can't they? How was Merry Brancybuck's first visit to the Old Forest? I own nothing, especially not the poems which were written by Tolkien himself. Enjoy and rate!
The Ominous Old Forest
Tall trees hung over the path blocking all sunlight that would have streamed trough the foliage. Darkness enfolded the bushes, deceptive roots stuck up from the moss, and the few flowers that were to be seen seemed to lack the colour they would normally have had. But the looks weren't the only suspicious detail of the atmosphere in the Old Forest. It was eerily silent, too. With the few exceptions of some scattered croaks of ravens here and there no singing of birds was to be heard. The leaves rustled as in wind, and yet, the air was still. Old branches creaked and twigs rasped. Small creatures of the night tapped the moist ground as they disappeared to their food hunting...
Young Meriadoc Brandybuck was dubious, dubious indeed. Not all that far away were the gentle sunny hills of Buckland and the warm holes and houses of the hobbits, but this forest seemed to live in an eternal twilight. He wondered how the forest was by night-time - and shuddered at the thought. But who is the Master-of-Buckland-to-be if he is too frightened to visit the Old Forest? No one, that's who.
Merry's small hobbit feet rustled the dry leaves covering the ground and bugs fled under stones as their roofs were kicked away. Trying to ease the grinding silence, Merry attempted to sing something.
Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate,
And though we pass them by today,
Tomorrow -
His voice broke off as he turned around. He thought he had heard a sound other than those he had heard before. He glanced suspiciously at the trees expecting to see something behind the thick trunks. Then he perceived something. Not behind but in the trunks he saw something resembling eyes. A shout died in his throat. Merry realised that he was unable to oppress the ghastly trees surrounding him. Whispers of evil lurked behind every knot and a weird stench seemed to creep from within the undergrowth.
Just as the poor hobbit thought this was it, he heard the most peculiar noise. From somewhere deep in the woods a sound echoed in a valley.
Hey dol!
Merry stiffened. It was by no means a hobbit and yet no bird or beast. But who spoke a nonsensical language like that?
"Hello?" he cried out into the unknown.
Ring a dong dillo!
The menacing singing came now from closer at hand. Singing it was, but for some reason it wasn't muffled like Merry's singing had been earlier.
"Who is it?" Merry asked with a small voice. There was no answer. Did the trees loom closer than before?
Come Merry dol! Derry dol! and Merry-o!
"He knows my name," Merry thought and started to panic. "And now he is calling for me to come with him to the dark glades of this horrible forest." The trees seemed to have moved closer again.
"What do you want?" Merry summoned all his courage to shout but his voice carried nowhere and the trees continued to assemble their blockade.
Merry dol! Can you hear me singing?
Merry could take it no more. He ran as fast as hit short legs could carry him. He jumped over tree trunks fallen across the path; he dodged branches that tried to hit him; he tripped but didn't stop - he just wanted out before the trees would force him to stay and meet the ominous singer in the dark.
Finally he stumbled out from the woods. He panted as he drew fresh air into his lungs. He had made it; Buckland had its heir back.. A Master of Buckland has to be courageous or else his title is vain.