The Lonely Troll he sat on a stone
      and sang a mournful lay:
   `O why, O why must I live on my own
      in the hills of Faraway?
   My folk are gone beyond recall
      and take no thought of me;
   alone I'm left, the last of all
      from Weathertop to the Sea'.

   `Come, come!' he thought, `this will not do!
      I must go and find a friend;
   a-walking soft I'll wander through
      the Shire from end to end'.
   Down he went, and he walked all night
      with his feet in boots of fur;
   to Delving he came in the morning light,
      when folk were just astir.

   He looked around, and who did he meet
      but old Mrs. Bunce and all
   with umbrella and basket walking the street;
      and he smiled and stopped to call:
   `Good morning, ma'am! Good day to you!
      I hope I find you well?
   But she dropped umbrella and basket too,
      and yelled a frightful yell.

   Old Pott the Mayor was strolling near;
      when he heard that awful sound,
   he turned all purple and pink with fear,
      and dived down underground.
   The Lonely Troll was hurt and sad:
      `Don't go!' he gently said,
   but old Mrs. Bunce ran home like mad
      and hid beneath her bed.

   The Troll went on to the market-place
      and peeped above the stalls;
   the sheep went wild when they saw his face,
      and the geese flew over the walls.
   Old Farmer Hogg he spilled his ale,
      Bill Butcher threw a knife,
   and Grip his dog, he turned his tail,
      and ran to safe his life.

   The old Troll sadly sat and wept
      outside the Lockholes gate,
   and Perry-the-Winkle up he crept
      and patted him on the pate.
   `O why do you weep, you great big lump?
      You're better outside than in!'
   He gave the Troll a friendly thump,
      and laughed to see him grin.

                  --Excerpted from `Perry-the-Winkle', a poem by
		    J R R Tolkien, with apologies to the esteemed