Sleep well!

From our bedtime reading last night:

‘I cannot read the fiery letters,’ said Frodo in a quavering voice.  

‘No,’ said Gandalf, ‘but I can. The letters are Elvish, of an ancient mode, but the language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here. But this in the Common Tongue is what is said, close enough:  

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,  

One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.  

  

It is only two lines of a verse long known in Elven-lore: 

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, 

Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,

Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,

One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne

In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, 

One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them 

In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.’

He paused, and then said slowly in a deep voice: ‘This is the Master-ring, the One Ring to rule them all. This is the One Ring that he lost many ages ago, to the great weakening of his power. He greatly desires it – but he must not get it.’ 

'Well, that's all we have time for," I said, "good-night."  As I left the bedroom I glanced over my shoulder and saw four eyes, wide as saucers, staring into the darkness.