Book 4, Chapter 3 Summary

Gollum leads the hobbits to the Black Gate -- the main entrance to Mordor. It is an enormous, very well defended iron gate and, as they lie hiding in the hills near the Gate, Gollum says they can go no further without being captured, which would only give the Ring back to Sauron.

When the hobbits realize that the Black Gate is almost impossible to pass through undetected, Gollum tries to convince the hobbits to try another way that he knows. Sam does not like it, but Frodo asks Gollum about the other way.

Gollum goes on and explains that he found a back way over the mountains that nobody knows about. Furthermore, he adds that the route may not be protected as well as the Black Gate and, what's more, Sauron cannot look in all directions at once and he...