there was added to it an abbreviatedversion of those parts of _The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen_ which lie outsidethe account of the War。 The full tale is stated to have been written byBarahir； grandson of the Steward Faramir； some time after the passing of theKing。 But the chief importance of Findegil's copy is that it alone containsthe whole of Bilbo's 'Translations from the Elvish'。 These three volumes were
found to be a work of great skill and learning in which； between 1403 and1418； he had used all the sources available to him in Rivendell； both livingand written。 But since they were little used by Frodo； being almost entirelyconcerned with the Elder Days； no more is said of them here。
Since Meriadoc and Peregrin became the heads of their great families； andat the same time kept up their connexions with Rohan and Gondor； the librariesat Bucklebury and Tuckborough contained much that did not appear in the RedBook。 In Brandy Hall there were many works dealing with Eriador and thehistory of Rohan。 Some of these were posed or begun by Meriadoc himself；
though in the Shire he was chiefly remembered for his _Herblore of the Shire；_
and for his _Reckoning of Years_ m which he discussed the relation of thecalendars of the Shire and Bree to those of Rivendell； Gondor； and Rohan。 Healso wrote a short treatise on _Old Words and Names in the Shire；_ havingspecial interest in discovering the kinship with the language of the Rohirrimof such 'shire…words' as _mathom_ and old elements in place names。
At Great Smials the books were of less interest to Shire…folk； thoughmore important for larger history。 None of them was written by Peregrin； buthe and his successors collected many manuscripts written by scribes of Gondor：
mainly copies or summaries of histories or legends relating to Elendil and hisheirs。 Only here in the Shire were to be found extensive materials for thehistory of Númenor and the arising of Sauron。 It was probably at Great Smialsthat _The Tale of Years_ was put together； with the assistance of materialcollected by Meriadoc。 Though the dates given are often conjectural；
especially for the Second Age； they deserve attention。 It is probable thatMeriadoc obtained assistance and information from Rivendell； which he visitedmore than once。 There； though Elrond had departed； his sons long remained；
together with some of the High…elven folk。 It is said that Celeborn went todwell there after the departure of Galadriel； but there is no record of theday when at last he sought the Grey Havens； and with him went the last livingmemory of the Elder Days in Middle…earth。
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
_being the first part of
The Lord of the Rings_
BOOK I
_Chapter 1_
A Long…expected Party
When Mr。 Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly becelebrating his eleventy…first birthday with a party of special magnificence；
there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton。
Bilbo was very rich and very peculiar； and had been the wonder of theShire for sixty years； ever since his remarkable disappearance and unexpectedreturn。 The riches he had brought back from his travels had now bee a locallegend； and it was popularly believed； whatever the old folk might say； thatthe Hill at Bag End was full of tunnels stuffed with treasure。 And if that wasnot enough for fame； there was also his prolonged vigour to marvel at。 Timewore on； but it seemed to have little effect on Mr。 Baggins。 At ninety he wasmuch the same as at fifty。 At ninety…nine they began to call him _well_…
preserved； but _unchanged_ would have been nearer the mark。 There were somethat shook their heads and thought this was too much of a good thing； itseemed unfair that anyone should possess （apparently） perpetual youth as wellas （reputedly） inexhaustible wealth。
'It will have to be paid for；' they said。 'It isn't natural； and troublewill e of it！'
But so far trouble had not e； and as Mr。 Baggins was generous with hismoney； most people were willing to forgive him his oddities and his goodfortune。 He remained on visiting terms with his relatives （except； of course；
the Sackville…Bagginses）； and he had many devoted admirers among the hobbitsof poor and unimportant families。 But he had no close friends； until some ofhis younger cousins began to grow up。
The eldest of these； and Bilbo's favourite； was young Frodo Baggins。 WhenBilbo was ninety…nine； he adopted Frodo as his heir； and brought him to liveat Bag End； and the hopes of the Sackville…Bagginses were finally dashed。
Bilbo and Frodo happened to have the same birthday； September 22nd。 'You hadbetter e and live here； Frodo my lad；' said Bilbo one day； 'and then we cancelebrate our birthday…parties fortably together。' At that time Frodo wasstill in his _tweens；_ as the hobbits called the irresponsible twentiesbetween childhood and ing of age at thirty…three。
Twelve more years passed。 Each year the Bagginses had given very livelybined birthday…parties at Bag End； but now it was understood that somethingquite exceptional was being planned for that autumn。 Bilbo was going to be_eleventy…one；_ 111； a rather curious number and a very respectable age for ahobbit （the Old Took himself had only reached 130）； and Frodo was going to be_thirty…three；_ 33） an important number： the date of his 'ing of age'。
Tongues began to wag in Hobbiton and Bywater； and rumour of the ingevent travelled all over the Shire。 The history and character of Mr。 BilboBaggins became once again the chief topic of conversation； and the older folksuddenly found their reminiscences in wele demand。
No one had a more attentive audience than old Ham Gamgee； monly knownas the Gaffer。 He held forth at _The Ivy Bush_； a small inn on the Bywater
road； and he spoke with some authority； for he had tended the garden at BagEnd for forty years； and had helped old Holman in the same job before that。
Now that he was himself growing old and stiff in the joints； the job wasmainly carried on by his youngest son； Sam Gamgee。 Both father and son were onvery friendly terms with Bilbo and Frodo。 They lived on the Hill itself； inNumber 3 Bagshot Row just below Bag End。
'A very nice well…spoken gentlehobbit is Mr。 Bilbo； as I've alwayssaid；' the Gaffer declared。 With perfect truth： for Bilbo was very polite tohim； calling him 'Master Hamfast'； and consulting him constantly upon thegrowing of vegetables – in the matter of 'roots'； especially potatoes； theGaffer was recognized as the leading authority by all in the neighbourhood（including himself）。
'But what about this Frodo that lives with him？' asked Old Noakes of
Bywater。 'Baggins is his name； but he's more than half a Brandybuck； they say。
It beats me why any Baggins of Hobbiton should go looking for a wife awaythere in Buckland； where folks are so queer。'
'And no wonder they're queer；' put in Daddy Twofoot （the Gaffer's next…
door neighbour）； 'if they live on the wrong side of the Brandywine River； andright agin the Old Forest。 That's a dark bad place； if half the tales betrue。'
'You're right； Dad！' said the Gaffer。 'Not that the Brandybucks of Buckland
live _in_ the Old Forest； but they're a queer breed； seemingly。 They foolabout with boats on that big river – and that isn't natural。 Small wonder thattrouble came of it； I say。 But be that as it may； Mr。 Frodo is as nice a younghobbit as you could wish to meet。 Very much like Mr。 Bilbo； and in more thanlooks。 After all his father was a Baggins。 A decent respectable hobbit was Mr。
Drogo Baggins； there was never much to tell of him； till he was drownded。'
'Drownded？' said several voices。 They had heard this and other darkerrumours before； of course； but hobbits have a passion for family history； andthey were ready to hear it again。 'Well； so they say；' said the Gaffer。 'Yousee： Mr。 Drogo； he married poor Miss Primula Brandybuck。 She was our Mr。
Bilbo's first cousin on the mother's side （her mother being the youngest ofthe Old Took's daughters）； and Mr。 Drogo was his second cousin。 So Mr。 Frodois his first _and_ second cousin； once removed either way； as the saying is；
if you follow me。 And Mr。 Drogo was staying at Brandy Hall with his father…in…
law； old Master Gorbadoc； as he often did after his marriage （him beingpartial to his vittles； and old Gorbadoc keeping a mighty generous table）； andhe went out _boating_on the Brandywine River； and he and his wife weredrownded； and poor Mr。 Frodo only a child and all。 '
'I've heard they went on the water after dinner in the moonlight；' saidOld Noakes； 'and it was Drogo's weight as sunk the boat。'
'And _I_ heard she pushed him in； and he pulled her in after him；' saidSandyman； the Hobbiton miller。
'You shouldn't listen to all you hear； Sandyman；' said the Gaffer； whodid not much like the miller。 'There isn't no call to go talking of pushingand pulling。 Boats are quite tricky enough for those that sit still withoutlooking further for the cause of trouble。 Anyway： there was this Mr。 Frodoleft an orphan and stranded； as you might say； among those queer Bucklanders；
being brought up anyhow in Brandy Hall。 A regular warren； by all accounts。 OldMaster Gorbadoc never had fewer than a couple of hundred relations in theplace。 Mr。 Bilbo never did a kinder deed than when he brought the lad back tolive among decent folk。
'But I reckon it was a nasty shock for those Sackville…Bagginses。 Theythought they were going to get Bag End； that time when he went off and wasthought to be dead。 And then he es back and orders them off； and he goes onliving and living； and never looking a day older； bless him！ And suddenly heproduces an heir； and has all the papers made out proper。 The Sackville…
Bagginses won't never see the inside of Bag End now； or it is to be hopednot。'
'There's a tidy bit of money tucked away up there； I hear tell；' said a
stranger； a visitor on business from Michel Delving in the Westfarthing。 'Allthe top of your hill is full of tunnels packed with chests of gold and silver；
_and_jools； by what I've heard。 '
'Then you've heard more than I can speak to；' answered the Gaffer。 I knownothing about _jools。_ Mr。 Bilbo is free with his money； and there seems nolack of it； but I know of no tunnel…making。 I saw Mr。 Bilbo when he came back；
a matter of six