Chapter 14 – The Box

Lady Espinal, though elf and aristocrat, was sympathetic to Cola and the two had a long and wide-ranging conversation. Lady Espinal, though she had lived many years on the continent, knew a lot about the animals of the area, the River Bankers, the Wild Wooders and the rest. She explained to Cola, rather apologetically, that it was elves who had 'awakened' the animals.

"The world is changing, the great fourth age is finally coming to an end, and each of you has to make a choice: to become fully human or to become fully animal. Your dual nature is not possible in the new order, so the Valar have decreed. You and your husband have already taken an unconscious decision, and that is the best way to do it.

"Toad and Fox, Portly and his father and many others have already made their decision: they are – or will soon be - human. From what I hear, the stoats have chosen one and all to embrace the new order, to become men and leave for the new world. May good fortune go with them all!"

"Many will choose the other way; most squirrels I think will not abandon the tree tops; the more timid of the mice will remain as mice." She sighed, "It is not for us to direct their choice; we have meddled too much already."

They discussed various individuals and groups for sometime, for Cola was well acquainted with the animals in the village, and her husband had told her a great deal about the Wild Wood and its inhabitants. Finally she asked the question that had been bothering her for some time. "What of Radagast, what does he have to do with all this? Will he too be leaving?"

"My dear, it is not done to discuss the affairs of wizards in their absence."

Meanwhile, Portly and Radagast were half a mile away, descending at great pace the little hill from which the wizard had been surveying the area. He had quickly found three likely locations within the Toad Hall estate where his chest might be concealed.

"I don't know why those goblins are here, Portly, and it might have nothing to do with me; a gathering of elves is bound to interest them, but I fear that they too after the chest. They must not get it! It is fortunate indeed that the elves are still here."

Radagast strode to the rose garden, one of the finest features of the grounds, and circled it slowly, keeping his staff pointed to the centre throughout. Then he walked to the ornate - and dry – fountain at the centre and examined it carefully. "It may have been here for a while, but it is not here now."

Next was the 'old grotto', a dilapidated folly which one of Toad's antecedents had built over the small stream which fed into the boathouse creek. It too was soon eliminated, but not before several elves had arrived, curious to see what was happening. The third location was the boathouse itself. The old timber structure looked decidedly neglected, for Toad's interest in boats and boating had long since lapsed. Radagast was more interested in the floor, the brickwork and the stone foundations. "It is here close by," he grumbled, "but I can't seem to pinpoint it." He stomped around getting more and more frustrated, at one point ordering the elves to clear the area in case their weapons – for most were armed with dwarf-wrought blades – were the problem. Portly finally asked what seemed obvious to him: "Could it be under the water, it's several feet deep here?"

The wizard grunted thanks at the suggestion and began dipping the head of his staff into the water here and there, working his way along the water's edge. At one end of the boathouse there were steps leading down into the water. He stood on the top step and struck the next one hard with the butt of his staff: "stone." He stepped down and struck the next step: "stone." He stepped down again, boot-clad feet in the water and struck once more: "stone". Once more, the water now over his boot tops: "stone". Another step, the murky water nearly to his knees: "metal?" He stood where he was and struck down again, both hands gripping the staff, with full force: "that's it!"

Though they looked doubtfully at the unclean water the elves did not hesitate to help. Without being asked tools and strong ropes were brought. In less than an hour, but after much hammering, chiselling and heaving, a filthy metal box of great weight, similar in size and shape to a travelling trunk had been wrestled from its hiding place and was being ported, with stout oars in the role of carrying poles, to the stable yard of Toad Hall. There, clean water from the pump was applied, together with scrubbing brushes, and bright untarnished metal revealed. The chest was very ornate, covered with an intricate relief pattern except for a circular area, flat as mirror, in the middle of the top.

"Thank you everyone," Radagast called out, "Can we move the chest indoors, we are none too private here?"

This was duly done by six muscular elves. Other elves stood guard at the door and small groups of armed elves were organised and sent to patrol the grounds and guard the Hall. Portly was amazed at this sudden change in demeanour: the elves had shown no military inclination before, indeed he had thought them languorous, even effete, but now they all carried weapons: light bows, wicked looking knives and even some pistols. His father, who together with the water rats, had come out to see what was going on, explained to Portly: "It's because of those goblins down by the road. Their numbers were re-enforced during the night and it's thought that the newcomers have hidden weapons. The elves reckon that they are here either to grab the wizard or his box, probably both. I told them what Toad said about installing a telephone line, but they think that is just a cover story."

"They think Mr Toad lied to you?"

"No. They know Toad pretty well, some of them. They think that he is a dupe, and that the government people he mentioned to me are at the root of this. None of us are certain about Fox. I think he is a schemer who tried to defraud everybody and came unstuck."

Meanwhile, the wizard's chest was set on a low table in a small room with windows giving onto an inner courtyard. Several high-ranking elves, Lady Espinal amongst them, crowded into the room to witness Radagast open his box. There was no key; when all were ready and quiet he placed both hands palms down on the polished circle on the top of the box and waited, eyes closed. It seemed that everyone was holding their breath, the room was so quiet. The ticking of a clock in the passage outside could be heard. Slowly the wizard's fingers appeared to sink into the polished metal. After two or three minutes each hand was gripping a handle and the wizard then heaved up on them, there was a click, loud in the hushed room, and top of the box split down the middle between his hands and the lid opened in two halves.

There was a hushed murmur among the elves, who greatly appreciated the skill of the dwarfs who had crafted such a chest. Then all stood closer to peer at the contents. On top there were bundles of documents. "These," said Radagast, playing to his audience, "are for Otter and the Water Rats. I put them in here a century ago. They include legal deeds for the entire Wild Wood, much of the Village, and several River-side properties. They will greatly help the 'animals' keep their existing homes." The documents were carefully taken out and removed from the room.

"Here," continued Radagast now using an archaic dialect of Sindarin, "is the great treasure that you have been waiting to see: the last palantír in Middle Earth. It was crafted by the hand of Fëanor himself before the First Age had even begun." There was a buzz of excitement at this. The wizard pulled out the heavy object, unwrapped it from its velvet cloth and held aloft the seeing stone, a near-sacred object of fabulous antiquity.

"In the urgency of the situation there is just one question" he proclaimed, lapsing back into English, "who amongst us can command the stone?"

"My friend," one of the seniors asked, "If the stone must be put to practical use so soon, surely you are the one to do it? And remember that we are constrained: we must leave here tomorrow and follow the call of the Valar."

"There is a decision to be made, and the stone will help you decide: does it remain in Middle Earth or do you take it with you? That choice is yours to make, not mine.

However, I shall begin; I hope to find out for certain who is behind the attacks on myself, who sent those goblins here, who is behind Toad's 'contacts.' And I want to sound out the area: I fear an attempt may be made to prevent you from leaving tomorrow. We need to be prepared."