21. Flight to the Ford
[Back in the forest, the Hobbits and Strider rest beneath a gathering of huge
stone trolls.]
Sam: "Look, Mister Frodo! It's Mister Bilbo's trolls!"
[Sam feels Frodo's forehead.]
Sam: "Mister Frodo?" [to Strider] "He's going cold!"
Pippin: "Is he going to die?"
Strider: "He's passing into the shadow world. He will soon become a wraith
like them."
[Frodo gasps. The Nazgûl cry is heard from a distance. Frodo cries out as if
in answer to them.]
Merry: "They're close."
Strider: "Sam, do you know Athelas plant?"
Sam: "Athelas?"
Strider: "Kingsfoil?"
Sam: "Kingsfoil — aye, it's a weed."
Strider: "It may help to slow the poison. Hurry!"
[They search for the plant in the nearby undergrowth.]
[Strider finds a small patch and proceeds to collect it. A sword appears at
his throat.]
Arwen: "What's this? A ranger caught off his guard?"
[Frodo, lying on the ground, sees a white light. He turns towards it and sees
a beautiful Elf-lady approaching on a white horse. She dismounts and walks to
him.]
Arwen: "Frodo…. Im Arwen. Telin le thaed" (I am Arwen. I have come to help
you.)
Arwen: "Lasto beth nîn. Tolo dan na ngalad" (Hear my voice. Come back to the
light.)
Merry: "Who is she?"
Arwen: [kneels] "Frodo!"
Sam: "She's an Elf."
[Strider chews a portion of the Athelas and applies it to Frodo's wound.]
Arwen: "He's fading!"
[Frodo gasps.]
Arwen: "He's not going to last. We must get him to my father. I've been
looking for you for two days."
Merry: "Where are you taking him?"
Arwen: [gets up as Strider lifts Frodo up in his arms] "There are five
wraiths behind you. Where the other four are, I do not know."
[Strider mounts Frodo onto Arwen's horse.]
Strider: "Dartho guin perian. Rych le ad tolthathon." (Stay with the Hobbits.
I will send horses back for you.)
Arwen: "Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im." (I'm the faster rider. I'll take
him.)
Strider: "Andelu i ven." (The road is too dangerous.)
Pippin: "What are they saying?"
Arwen: "Frodo fîr. Ae athradon i hir, tur gwaith nin beriatha hon." (Frodo's
dying. If I can get across the river, the power of my people will protect
him.)
Arwen: "I do not fear them."
Strider: "Be iest lîn." (As you wish.)
[Their hands clasp tenderly. Arwen mounts her horse, with Frodo seated in
front of her.]
Strider: "Arwen, ride hard. Don't look back!"
Arwen: "Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim!" (Ride fast, Asfaloth, ride fast!)
[Asfaloth gallops away.]
Sam (to Strider): "What are you doing?! Those wraiths are still out
there!"
[Strider stares after Arwen.]
[Arwen rides on as the Nazgûl give chase. Night gives way to day as they
pursue her, from forest to open plain, sometimes closing, sometimes falling
behind.]
[One of the Wraiths closes on Frodo, reaching out as if to snatch the Ring
from him. Arwen spurs Asfaloth on to an even greater effort.]
Arwen: "Noro lim, Asfaloth!" (Ride faster, Asfaloth!)
[Arwen reaches a river, and splashes across a ford. She pauses and looks
back. The Nazgûl have stopped at the edge of the water. Their mounts rear up,
screaming, terrified of entering the river.]
Nazgûl: "Give up the halfling, she-Elf!"
Arwen: [draws her sword in challenge] "If you want him, come and claim
him!"
[The Nazgûl draw their swords and urge their reluctant horses across the
ford. Arwen begins to chant to the river.]
Arwen:
"Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nin Bruinen, dan in
Ulair! Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nin Bruinen, dan in
Ulair!"
(Waters of the Misty Mountains, listen to the great word, flow waters of
Loudwater, against the Ringwraiths!)
[The water level rises. A great flood comes around the bend, with crests
shaped like white horses. The Nazgûl are cast from their mounts and washed away
down the river as Arwen watches.]
[Frodo starts to slip from the horse. Arwen lays him on the ground.]
Arwen: "No! Frodo… No! Frodo, don't give in! Not now!"
[Arwen cries and embraces Frodo.]
Arwen (voiceover): "What grace is given me, let it pass to him, let him be
spared — save him."
[Elrond appears.]
Elrond: "Lasto beth nîn. Tolo dan na ngalad." (Hear my voice, come back to
the light.)
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