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they still live； our friends are weaponless。 I will take these things；
hoping against hope； to give them back。'
'And I；' said Legolas； 'will take all the arrows that I can find； for
my quiver is empty。' He searched in the pile and on the ground about and
found not a few that were undamaged and longer in the shaft than such arrows
as the Orcs were accustomed to use。 He looked at them closely。
And Aragorn looked on the slain； and he said： 'Here lie many that are
not folk of Mordor。 Some are from the North； from the Misty Mountains； if I
know anything of Orcs and their kinds。 And here are others strange to me。
Their gear is not after the manner of Orcs at all！'
There were four goblin…soldiers of greater stature； swart； slant…eyed；
with thick legs and large hands。 They were armed with short broad…bladed
swords； not with the curved scimitars usual with Orcs： and they had bows of
yew； in length and shape like the bows of Men。 Upon their shields they bore
a strange device： a small white hand in the centre of a black field； on the
front of their iron helms was set an S…rune； wrought of some white metal。
'I have not seen these tokens before；' said Aragorn。 'What do they
mean？'
'S is for Sauron；' said Gimli。 'That is easy to read。'
'Nay！' said Legolas。 'Sauron does not use the Elf…runes。'
'Neither does he use his right name； nor permit it to be spelt or
spoken；' said Aragorn。 'And he does not use white。 The Orcs in the service
of Barad…dyr use the sign of the Red Eye。' He stood for a moment in thought。
'S is for Saruman； I guess；' he said at length。 'There is evil afoot in
Isengard； and the West is no longer safe。 It is as Gandalf feared： by some
means the traitor Saruman has had news of our journey。 It is likely too that
he knows of Gandalf's fall。 Pursuers from Moria may have escaped the
vigilance of Lurien； or they may have avoided that land and e to Isengard
by other paths。 Orcs travel fast。 But Saruman has many ways of learning
news。 Do you remember the birds？'
'Well； we have no time to ponder riddles；' said Gimli。 'Let us bear
Boromir away！'
'But after that we must guess the riddles； if we are to choose our
course rightly；' answered Aragorn。
'Maybe there is no right choice；' said Gimli。
Taking his axe the Dwarf now cut several branches。 These they lashed
together with bowstrings； and spread their cloaks upon the frame。 Upon this
rough bier they carried the body of their panion to the shore； together
with such trophies of his last battle as they chose to send forth with him。
It was only a short way； yet they found it no easy task； for Boromir was a
man both tall and strong。
At the water…side Aragorn remained； watching the bier。 while Legolas
and Gimli hastened back on foot to Parth Galen。 It was a mile or more； and
it was some time before they came back； paddling two boats swiftly along the
shore。
'There is a strange tale to tell！' said Legolas。 'There are only two
boats upon the bank。 We could find no trace of the other。'
'Have Orcs been there？' asked Aragorn。
'We saw no signs of them；' answered Gimli。 'And Orcs would have taken
or destroyed all the boats； and the baggage as well。'
'I will look at the ground when we e there；' said Aragorn。
Now they laid Boromir in the middle of the boat that was to bear him
away。 The grey hood and elven…cloak they folded and placed beneath his head。
They bed his long dark hair and arrayed it upon his shoulders。 The golden
belt of Lurien gleamed about his waist。 His helm they set beside him； and
across his lap they laid the cloven horn and the hilts and shards of his
sword； beneath his feet they put the swords of his enemies。 Then fastening
the prow to the stern of the other boat； they drew him out into the water。
They rowed sadly along the shore； and turning into the swift…running channel
they passed the green sward of Parth Galen。 The steep sides of Tol Brandir
were glowing： it was now mid…afternoon。 As they went south the fume of
Rauros rose and shimmered before them； a haze of gold。 The rush and thunder
of the falls shook the windless air。
Sorrowfully they cast loose the funeral boat： there Boromir lay；
restful； peaceful； gliding upon the bosom of the flowing water。 The stream
took him while they held their own boat back with their paddles。 He floated
by them； and slowly his boat departed； waning to a dark spot against the
golden light； and then suddenly it vanished。 Rauros roared on unchanging。
The River had taken Boromir son of Denethor； and he was not seen again in
Minas Tirith； standing as he used to stand upon the White Tower in the
morning。 But in Gondor in after…days it long was said that the elven…boat
rode the falls and the foaming pool； and bore him down through Osgiliath；
and past the many mouths of Anduin； out into the Great Sea at night under
the stars。
For a while the three panions 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 es 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 Aragorn sang again：
From the Gate of Kings the North Wind rides； and past the roaring
falls；
And clear and cold about the tower its loud horn calls。
'What news from the North； O mighty wind； do you bring to me today？
What news of Boromir the Bold？ For he is long away。'
'Beneath Amon Hen I heard his cry。 There many foes he fought。
His cloven shield； his broken sword； they to the water brought。