“
No, I will not take it off you." said Frodo, "not unless — he paused a moment in thought — "not unless there is any promise you can make that I can trust."
"We will swear to do what he wants, yes, yess," said Gollum, still twisting and grabbing at his ankle. "It hurts us"
"Swear?" said Frodo.
"Smeagol," said Gollum suddenly and clearly, opening his eyes wide and staring at Frodo with a strange light. "Smeagol will swear on the Precious."
Frodo drew himself up, and again Sam was startled by his words and his stern voice. "On the Precious? How dare you?" he said. "Think! One Ring to rule them all and in the Darkness bind them. Would you commit your promise to that, Smeagol? It will hold you. But it is more treacherous than you are. It may twist your words. Beware!"
Gollum cowered. "On the precious, on the precious!" he repeated.
"And what would you swear?" asked Frodo
"To be very very good," said Gollum. Then crawling to Frodo's feet he groveled before him, whispering hoarsely: a shudder ran over him, as if the words shook his very bones with fear. "Smeagol will swear never, never, to let Him have it. Never! Smeagol will save it. But he must swear on the Precious."
"No! not on it," said Frodo, looking down at him with stern pity. "All you wish is to see it and touch it, if you can, though you know it would drive you mad. Not on it. Swear by it, if you will. For you know where it is. Yes, you know, Smeagol. It is before you."
For a moment it appeared to Sam that his master had grown and Gollum had shrunk: a tall stern shadow, a mighty lord who hid his brightness in grey cloud, and at his feet a little whining dog. Yet the two were in some way akin and not alien: they could reach one another's minds. Gollum raised himself and began pawning at Frodo, fawning at his knees.
"Down! down!" said Frodo. "Now speak your promise!"
"We promises, yes I promise! said Gollum. "I will serve the master of the Precious. Good master, good Smeagol, gollum, gollum!" Suddenly he began to weep and bite his ankle again.
”
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J.R.R. Tolkien