Spoilers Ahead!
Be warned! This article contains spoilers!
A Song for the Road is the 23rd chapter of Eragon. It takes the point of view of Eragon.
Summary[]
While riding, Eragon asks Brom about the sea. He describes it as "emotion incarnate" and says it can't be described by words. He tells Eragon of the elves' fascination and appreciation of the sea and sings a verse of an elvish song, Du Silbena Datia. The words echo in Eragon's mind and he finds it beautiful.
They arrive at the foothills of the Spine and follow it south. Brom warns they need to be cautious as there is a strong likelihood of encountering people. To pass the time, Eragon learns elven language, learns to care for Saphira, learns magic, or spars with Brom; using fists and swords. Eragon learns to hunt with magic, by launching a stone at the prey. It's nearly impossible to miss and thus provides them an excellent source of food. They finally come upon the Toark River, which they plan to follow to the sea. After two days in the Spine they look out at the land from a ledge. Brom points out Teirm's location to Eragon.
It takes them half a day to leave the Spine. Without the mountains Saphira must fly lower to the ground and use hills and dips for cover. The landscape becomes green and more mild, albeit muddy. They find a relatively dry spot to stop. Brom tells Eragon to ride Cadoc as to draw less suspicion than if Brom, an old man, was traveling alone. He says they will use their names with Jeod, for he is trustworthy, but to everyone else they are Neal and Evan. Brom suspects not much harm would come from using their real names, but wants to be as safe as possible.