The Treasure Unsought

            “We found nothing of value in the river,” the captain of his searchers told him, “but in the valley of an unnamed tributary we found a settlement of very small folk, half the size of Men, living together in a single great burrow dug into the banks of the stream.  And in one room we found a Man’s bones, and with it, this.”

            A leathern bag, once dyed green, bound with a dried lock of dark hair.  And inside----

            “The Elendilmir!” he breathed.  “And what of those who had it?”

            “We dyed the river red with their blood, my lord.”