The Stone Troll

Sam's Rhyme of the Troll is sung to an old tune by Sam Gamgee when he, Frodo Baggins, Meriadoc Brandybuck, Peregrin Took, and Strider find the trolls that were changed into stone in The Hobbit, when they were caught by the sun arguing over how to cook thirteen dwarves and one hobbit. Sam doesn't tell the others where he learned the song but Frodo maintains that Sam made it up himself.


 * Troll sat alone on his seat of stone,
 * And munched and mumbled a bare old bone;
 * For many a year he had gnawed it near,
 * For meat was hard to come by.
 * Done by! Gum by!
 * In a cave in the hills he dwelt alone,
 * And meat was hard to come by.


 * Up came Tom with his big boots on.
 * Said he to Troll: 'Pray, what is yon?
 * For it looks like the shin o' my nuncle Tim,
 * As should be a-lyin' in graveyard.
 * Caveyard! Paveyard!
 * This many a year has Tim been gone,
 * And I thought he were lyin' in graveyard.'


 * 'My lad,' said Troll, 'this bone I stole.
 * But what be bones that lie in hole?
 * Thy nuncle was dead as a lump o' lead,
 * Afore I found his shinbone.
 * Tinbone! Thinbone!
 * He can spare a share for a poor old troll,
 * For he don't need his shinbone.'


 * Said Tom, 'I don't see why the likes o' thee
 * Without axin' leave should go makin' free
 * With the shank or the shin o' my father's kin;
 * So hand the old bone over!
 * Rover! Trover!
 * Though dead he be, it belongs to he;
 * So hand the old bone over!'


 * 'For a couple of pins,' says Troll, and grins,
 * 'I'll eat thee too, and gnaw thy shins.
 * A bit o' fresh meat will go down sweet!
 * I'll try my teeth on thee now.
 * Hee now! See now!
 * I'm tired o' gnawing old bones and skins;
 * I've a mind to dine on thee now.'


 * But just as he thought his dinner was caught,
 * He found his hands had hold of naught.
 * Before he could mind, Tom slipped behind
 * And gave him the boot to larn him.
 * Warn him! Darn him!
 * A bump o' the boot on the seat, Tom thought,
 * Would be the way to larn him.


 * But harder than stone is the flesh and bone
 * Of a troll that sits in the hills alone.
 * As well set your boot to the mountain's root,
 * For the seat of a troll don't feel it.
 * Peel it! Heal it!
 * Old Troll laughed, when he heard Tom groan,
 * And he knew his toes could feel it.


 * Tom's leg is game, since home he came,
 * And his bootless foot is lasting lame;
 * But Troll don't care, and he's still there
 * With the bone he boned from its owner.
 * Doner! Boner!
 * Troll's old sear its still the same,
 * And the bone he boned from its owner!