A fox passing through the wood on business of his own stopped several minutes and sniffed. 'Hobbits!' he thought. 'Well, what next? I have heard of strange doings in this land, but I have seldom heard of a hobbit sleeping out of doors under a tree. Three of them! There's something mighty queer behind this.' He was quite right, but he never found out any more about it.
In the woods, a fox is on its way when it suddenly catches the scent of hobbits. Surprised by their presence, he stops to take notice, reflecting on the unusual situation of hobbits sleeping outdoors beneath a tree, which is not typical behavior for them. The fox's curiosity grows as he thinks about the strange occurrences in the area.
Although the fox is right to be suspicious and intrigued by this peculiar sighting, he ultimately does not pursue the matter further and remains unaware of the underlying events involving the hobbits. This moment highlights the mysterious nature of the hobbits' journey and the unexpected encounters that arise in the world of Middle-earth.
