Gandalf led the Fellowship through Moria with the glow of his staff. Only Gimli was undaunted by the dark. It was not an easy road for the company nor did Gandalf's previous journey through the Mines help much. Aragorn often encouraged them by his complete trust in Gandalf's ability to lead them to light once again. Frodo learned, in the dark, one of the effects of the wound he took at Weathertop: his senses were heightened. His eye sight was sharper than any others in the darkness and his hearing was acute as well. In fact, he had heard what sounded like soft footfalls following the Fellowship for a while; never quite near or loud enough to be sure but he could hear something. As for the Ring, it had become increasingly heavy around Frodo's neck as they journeyed into Moria.
After a long march they reached a fork in the road where three passages opened in a wall. Gandalf had no recollection of that place and decided they should rest while he thought it over. They found an abandoned guard room to sleep in but the middle of the room was an open well they were careful to avoid, save Pippin. He was feeling very curious and dropped a stone in and it was a long long time before he heard a distant plop into water. The sound reverberated through the well alarming Gandalf. "'Fool of a Took!' he growled. 'This is a serious journey, not a hobbit walking-party. Throw yourself in next time, and then you will be no further nuisance. Now be quiet!'" (p. 327, The Fellowship of the Ring). There were several minutes of silence before what sounded like drums or hammers could be heard in the distance, perhaps a signal, and then silence through the night.
Gandalf roused everyone the next morning as he finally remembered which path to take. They now seemed to be moving up from the roots of the Mountain and found what once must have been a well used road which allowed them to move much more quickly. As they grew weary and sought to rest they suddenly found themselves in a wide hall. Gandalf risked some light and they saw the massive expanse of a hall before them. Gandalf recognized where they were, not far from the East-gate though too high. Sam was astounded by the halls wondering how and why the Dwarves built it. At this Gimli rose and began to chant in his booming voice:
"'The world was young, the mountains green, No stain yet on the Moon was seen, No words were laid on stream or stone When Durin woke and walked alone. He named the nameless hills and dells; He drank from yet untasted wells; He stooped and looked in Mirrormere, And saw a crown of stars appear, As gems upon a silver thread, Above the shadow of his head. The world was fair, the mountains tall In Elder Days before the fall Of mighty kings in Nargothrond and Gondolin, who now beyond the Western Seas have passed away: The world was fair in Durin's day'" (p. 329-330, The Fellowship of the Ring). He said many more verses before becoming silent. Sam was impressed and wondered if their might be treasures laying around in Moria.
Gandalf revealed the true treasure in Moria was true-silver or mithril as the Elves call it; the Dwarves do not share their name for it. Only in Moria was mithril found. Gandalf explained just how valuable it was: "'Its worth was ten times that of gold, and now it is beyond price; for little is left above ground, and even the Orcs dare not delve for it here...Bilbo had a corslet of mithril-rings that Thorin gave him'" (p. 331, The Fellowship of the Ring). This roused Gimli out of his silence. "'A corslet of Moria-silver? That was a kingly gift!' 'Yes,' said Gandalf. 'I never told him, but its worth was greater than the value of the whole Shire and everything in it'" (p. 331, The Fellowship of the Ring). Frodo felt slightly uncomfortable knowing he was now wearing the mithril coat that Bilbo passed on. The Dwarves mined to deeply and greedily for mithril and awoke Durin's Bane.
The Fellowship rested for the evening and awoke to light the next morning. Great shafts had been carved into the walls to let in sunlight into the great Dwarrowdelf Hall. Gandalf figured they would reach the East-gate by the end of the day if they chose their path carefully. Even Gimli was ready to leave, glad to have seen Moria but discouraged by it's vast emptiness and doubting Balin ever reached the Mountains. They marched on seeing the glimmer of light grow stronger and stronger until it shone into a room. Peering in they saw the light fell directly on a single table in the room; Frodo thought it very much like a tomb. Gandalf read the runes on the stone: "BALIN SON OF FUNDIN LORD OF MORIA" (p. 334, The Fellowship of the Ring).
Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 3019, January
Today's reading comes from: The Fellowship of the Ring, pages 324-334
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