nd would seem to be that of a
monstrous man heavy with sleep. And there I would see but the buttocks
of another, as that he did curl himself inward to his brutish
slumbering. And so was it all about; and to my memory there were maybe a
score of these holes; yet had I not time to the counting, as you shall
see. For, after that I had made but a glance, as it were, at these
sleeping and utter monstrous men, I perceived that there sat beyond the
fire-hole, three great men, and they were each greater than elephants,
and covered a large part with a stiff and horrid hair, that did be of a
reddish seeming. And there were upon them great segs and warts, as that
their skin had been hides that had never known covering. And there was
between them the body of a mighty hound, so big as an horse, that they
did skin; and I judged that this beast was one of those fearsome brutes
which we did call the Night Hounds.

Yet, as I should set down, they did nothing in that time in which I
lookt at them; but did sit each with a sharp and monstrous bloody stone
in his fist, and did look to the ground, as that they heeded not the
earth or the food that they did prepare; but did listen to some outward
sound. And you shall know that this brought to me a very swift and
sudden terror; for I perceived now the why of their long silence; for,
in verity, they had an unease upon them, being subtly aware that one was
anigh, even as are the brute beasts in this manner and kind, as all do
know.

And I made to draw back, and win unto safety, if indeed this thing were
to be done. And as I moved me, it may be that I shook a little earth
into the hollow; for there was, indeed, a little sifting of dry dust
below me, as I did wot, being very keen to hear, by reason of my fright.
And immediately did those three monstrous men look upward, and did seem
to me to stare into mine eyes, as I did lie there hid amid the
moss-bushes. And I was so put in fear that I did clumsily, and sent
another siftering of dust downward, as I did strive to go backward swift
and quiet from the edge. And all the time I did look through the bushes
very fixedly into the eyes of the giants; and lo, their eyes did shine
red and green, like to the eyes of animals. And there rose up a roar
from them that did nigh slay my soul with the horridness of the noise.
And at that roaring, all the giants that did lie in the holes did awake,
and began to come outward into the hollow.

Now, I was surely l