'If you care for the journeys there and back, out of the comfortable Western world, over the edge of the wild, and home again, and can take an interest in a humble hero (blessed with a little wisdom and a little courage plus considerable good luck), here is a record of such a journey and such a traveler. The period is the ancient time between the age of Faerie and the dominion of men, when the famous forest of Mirkwood was sitll standing, and the mountains were full of danger. In following the path of this humble adventurer, you will learn (as he did)--if you do not already know all about these things--much about trolls, goblins, dwarves, and elves, and get some glimpses into the history and politics of a neglected but important period. 4 cassettes, 6 hours of listening. Abridged. Read by Martin Shaw.