What has roots as nobody sees,

Thirty white horses on a red hill,

Voiceless it cries,

Is taller than trees,

First they champ,

Wingless flutters,

Up, up it goes,

Then they stamp,

Toothless bites,

And yet never grows?

Then they stand still.

Mouthless mutters.

An eye in a blue face

It cannot be seen, cannot be felt,

Saw an eye in a green face

Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt.

"That eye is like to this eye"

It lies behind stars and under hills,

Said the first eye,

And empty holes it fills.

"But in low place,

It comes first and follows after,

Not in high place.

Ends life, kills laughter.

A box without hinges, key, or lid,

Alive without breath,

Yet golden treasure inside is hid.

As cold as death;

Never thirsty, ever drinking,

All in mail never clinking.

This thing all things devours:

Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;

Gnaws iron, bites steel;

Grinds hard stones to meal;

Slays king, ruins town,

And beats high mountain down.

[Gollum's Cave]

[Riddles]

[Tunnels]