Out from Elvet-isle Old Swan came sailing,
in beak took her painter up in the water trailing,
drew her proudly on; otters swam beside her
round old Willow-man’s crooked roots to guide her;
the King’s fisher perched on bow, on thwart the wren was singing,
merrily the cockle-boat homeward they were bringing.
To Tom’s creek they came at last. Otter-lad said: ‘Whish now!
What’s a coot without his legs, or a unless fish now?’
O! silly-sallow-willow-stream! The oars they’d left behind them!
Long they lay at Grindwall hythe for Tom to come and find them.
{J. R. R. Tolkien, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, Bombadil goes Boating, Bombadil goes Boating by Alan Lee}
Dall’Isola degli Elfi il Vecchio Cigno venne scivolando,
nel becco teneva la cima, la barca stava trascinando,
orgoglioso la tirava; le lontre a fianco gli nuotavan
tra le radici dell’Uomo-Salice esse lo guidavan;
il Martin Pescatore stava sulla prora, lo scricciolo stava cantando;
allegramente quel guscio di noce a casa stavan portando.
Giunsero all’insenatura di Tom; la piccola lontra esclamò:
“Cos’è un’oca senza zampe, o un pesce senza pinne, dimmi un po’?”
Oh! Per tutte le correnti! I remi avean scordati!
Prima che Tom li riprendesse, a lungo a Grindwall furon lasciati.
{J. R. R. Tolkien, Le Avventure di Tom Bombadil, Bombadil va in Barca, Bombadil goes Boating by Alan Lee}
-Ancalagon
