THE LORD OF THE RINGS
THE LORD OF THE RINGS
Bilbo Baggins, the hero of The Hobbit, announces a great celebration in honor of his 111th birthday and the 33rd birthday of his nephew Frodo, whom he had adopted as an heir some years ago and brought to live with him at Bag End. The party is splendid, and a great number of hobbits are invited. after giving an after-dinner speech in front of 144 of his and Frodo's closest friends and relatives he puts on his magic ring and disappears, causing great surprise. He talks with Gandalf once more before leaving, and almost changes his original intention of leaving the ring to Frodo; but Gandalf persuades him to keep to his idea Gandalf warns Frodo not to use the ring. The following day Frodo is busy as Bilbo had left farewell-presents for many hobbits, and there is now a crowd of people at Bag End, many of them digging around and searching for Bilbo's imaginary treasures. Gandalf visits Frodo only a few times in the years that follow. In Frodo's fiftieth year Gandalf visits him again and they have a long talk concerning the ring that Frodo had inherited from Bilbo. Gandalf tells Frodo about the nature and the history of the ring, made long ago by Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor. Sauron is now searching for it, as by finding it his power would grow immensely so the ring should be destroyed lest Sauron should find it, but it could only be destroyed in Orodruin, where Mount Doom is. It seems that Sauron had already heard about Bilbo and the Shire from Gollum. He decides he would leave, accompanied by the young Sam Gamgee. To avoid his leaving the Shire from being widely known, Frodo sells Bag End to the Sackville-Bagginses. On his fiftieth birthday he leaves Bag End and sets out with his friend Pippin (Peregrin Took) and Sam Gamgee. The next day the three hobbits notice that they are being followed by the mysterious Black Riders, yet they do not know exactly who they are, and being careful Frodo decides not to let the Riders see them. They meet a wandering group of High Elves lead by Gildor Inglorion in the evening; and Gildor advises him to try to reach Rivendell, and that the Black Riders are dangerous. The following day Frodo decides to take a short cut to the Brandywine...