He first met Mithrandir in the woodland glades, when the forest was yet young. Legolas himself was barely 73, yet even then Mithrandir appeared as an old man. Legolas had wandered far afield from his tutor's lessons and found himself deep within the spiders' domain, Yet he was not afraid, for in those days the spiders were weaker than Sauron would raise them to be. Still they retained the venomous hate of Ungoliant in their being.
Thick and fast flew the arrows of Legolas Greenleaf, and when arrows were spent, then flew stones, scrabbled from the stream bed. With each missile another spider fell, yet it seemed as though two more would take its place. Legolas drew his long white knife and prepared to defend himself.
And then suddenly a great flame arose and seemed to burn through the cobwebs, the trees, and the spiders. The creatures fell backward, hissing and screaming, and Legolas saw an old man, in a long grey cloak, a blue hat and a silver scarf, and immense black boots.
"I see I am not the only to go seeking in strange places," remarked the old man, lowering his staff. He eyed Legolas keenly. "But what does the prince of Mirkwood do in such a place?"
Legolas returned to his father, and much scolding. But ever after he welcomed the occasional and unexpected visits of Mithrandir, and sought his ear whenever the Istari should come to speak.
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Many Meetings and Partings
Hayran KurguLegolas Greenleaf describes, in a series of short one-shots, how he met each member of the Fellowship.
