For a while the three companions remained silent, gazing after him. Then Aragorn spoke. 'They will look for him from the White Tower,' he said, 'but he will not return from mountain or from sea.' Then slowly he began to sing:
Through Rohan over fen and field where the long grass grows
The West Wind comes walking, and about the walls it goes.
'What news from the West, O wandering wind, do you bring to me tonight?
Have you seen Boromir the Tall by moon or by starlight?'
'I saw him ride over seven streams, over waters wide and grey;
I saw him walk in empty lands, until he passed away
Into the shadows of the North. I saw him then no more.
The North Wind may have heard the horn of the son of Denethor.'
'O Boromir! From the high walls westward I looked afar,
But you came not from the empty lands where no men are.'
Then Legolas sang:
From the mouths of the Sea the South Wind flies, from the sandhills and the stones;
The wailing of the gulls it bears, and at the gate it moans.
'What news from the South, O sighing wind, do you bring to me at eve?
Where now is Boromir the Fair? He tarries and I grieve.'
'Ask not of me where he doth dwell-so many bones there lie
On the white shores and the dark shores under the stormy sky;
So many have passed down Anduin to find the flowing Sea.
Ask of the North Wind news of them the North Wind sends to me!'
'O Boromir! Beyond the gate the seaward road runs south,
But you came not with the wailing gulls from the grey sea's mouth.'
Then there was a brief pause. Aragorn looked down at Gimli, who tried to avoid his glance. He couldn't last long. He looked up shyly at Aragorn, who then looked to Legolas.
Gimli anxiously began to sing. However, Aragorn had begun again at the same time. They bothed stopped immediately. Gimli gestured to Aragorn that he should continue, but he did not. Legolas stared at the dwarf. Understanding his situation, Gimli cleared his throat and began, slowly:
From the top of a mountain the North wind comes, from the rocks and from the snow;
It is a very chilly wind, because of all the snow.
What news from the north, oh wind from there, do you bring to me today?
Where now is Boromir the man, I can't find him no way.
Ask not of me where he doth lie, I'll tell you that he's dead;
We put him in a boat just now, he looks like he's in bed.
We pushed him down the big river, I don't really know why,
In Gondor lords are put in stone, but Boromir's a special guy.
He was a very strong man, his bones will never rot;
He was very tough indeed, and I'll miss him a lot.'
There was a long pause. 'I never really liked singing', said Gimli. 'Unless it's about caves and such', he said a moment after.
'I think the Hobbits were taken that way', Said Legolas, pointing south.
'I agree', said Aragorn. 'We should be off, they've gotten a large start on us'.
Aragorn and Legolas started off at a moderate pace, while Gimli lagged behind muttering to himself.
