moss-bushes

And in a time, it went by me on the road, and did take no heed to me; yet did I feel that it had knowledge that I stoopt there among the moss-bushes.

The Night Land 2007

And I found presently, that the moss-bushes made but a narrow growth in that path, and grew only for a while by the side of the Great Road; so that I was surely fain to keep nigh to the Road, that I have the covering of the bushes.

The Night Land 2007

And as I crouched there within the moss-bushes, there came again the large voice, and it was answered by a second voice; and thereupon there arose, as it did seem, the speech of Men that must have the bigness of elephants, and that did have no kindness in all their thoughts; but were utter monstrous.

The Night Land 2007

And they came anigh, going very swift, and did seem as that they were maybe forty feet high, yet having no thickness; and I hid downward into the moss-bushes.

The Night Land 2007

And so did I lie there, and stare a great while, parting a small hole in the moss-bushes that I might spy through the same.

The Night Land 2007

I was gone upon my hands and knees no more than an hundred fathoms, when I did find the moss-bushes to cease to the Westward, for a great way, and there to be a great bareness of rock, which, in truth, was much shown thereabout.

The Night Land 2007

Yet, presently I shook free of my melancholy and lonesomeness and rose up out of the moss-bushes, and went onward.

The Night Land 2007

Then I came out of the water, and went forward, stooping and creeping, among the moss-bushes, going outward to the Westward of

The Night Land 2007

Yet very eager was I to come to that warmth; and I made more of haste than care, as I did hint; and so came very swift to the top of the hollow; yet was still hidden by the kindness of the moss-bushes.

The Night Land 2007

And I dared not to go outward upon that naked Land; for then I had not been hid by the moss-bushes; but had stood plain there for all things of the Night to behold; and moreover, though I could nowise have a sure knowledge concerning this matter, yet did I hope within me that I should make a sure hiding from the Power of the House of

The Night Land 2007