You can be off!” He laughed a great rolling laugh, put down his axe
and came forward.
     “Who are you and what do you want?” he asked gruffly, standing in
front of them and towering tall above Gandalf.
     As for Bilbo he could easily have trotted through his legs without
ducking his head to miss the fringe of the
     “I am Gandalf,” said the wizard.
     “Never heard of him,” growled the man, “And what’s this little
fellow?” he said, stooping down to frown at
     “That is Mr. Baggins, a hobbit of good family and unimpeachable
reputation,” said Gandalf. Bilbo bowed. He had no hat to take off, and
was painfully conscious of his many missing buttons. “I am a wizard,”
continued Gandalf. “I have heard of you, if you have not heard of me;
but perhaps you have heard of my good cousin Radagast who lives near
the Southern borders of Mirkwood?”
     “Yes; not a bad fellow as wizards go, I believe. I used to see him now
and again,” said Beorn. “Well, now I
     What do you want?”
     “To tell you the truth, we have lost our luggage and nearly lost our