Book One

           WhenMr.BilboBagginsofBagEndannounced thathewouldshortlybecelebratinghiseleventy-firstbirthdaywithapartyofspecialmagnificence, therewasmuchtalkandexcitementinHobbiton. 

           Bilbowasveryrichandverypeculiar, andhadbeenthewonderoftheShireforsixtyyears, eversincehisremarkabledisappearance andunexpectedreturn. Thericheshehadbroughtbackfromhistravelshadnowbecomealocallegend, anditwaspopularlybelieved,whatevertheoldfolkmightsay, thattheHillatBagEndwasfulloftunnelsstuffedwithtreasure. Andifthatwasnotenoughforfame,therewasalsohisprolongedvigourtomarvelat. Timeworeon,butitseemedtohavelittleeffectonMr.Baggins. Atninetyhewasmuchthesameasatfifty. Atninety-ninetheybegantocallhimwell-preserved, butunchangedwouldhavebeennearerthemark. Thereweresomethatshooktheirheadsandthoughtthiswastoomuchofagoodthing; itseemedunfairthatanyoneshouldpossess(apparently)perpetualyouthaswellas(reputedly)inexhaustiblewealth. 

           ’Itwillhavetobepaidfor,’theysaid. ’Itisn’tnatural,andtroublewillcomeofit!’ 

           Butsofartroublehadnotcome; andasMr.Bagginswasgenerouswithhismoney,mostpeoplewerewillingtoforgivehimhisodditiesandhisgoodfortune. Heremainedonvisitingtermswithhisrelatives(except,ofcourse,theSackville-Bagginses), andhehadmanydevotedadmirersamongthehobbitsofpoorandunimportantfamilies. Buthehadnoclosefriends, untilsomeofhisyoungercousinsbegantogrowup. 

           Theeldestofthese,andBilbo’sfavourite,wasyoungFrodoBaggins. WhenBilbowasninety-nine,headoptedFrodoashisheir,andbroughthimtoliveatBagEnd; andthehopesoftheSackville-Bagginseswerefinallydashed.