Властелин колец: Братство кольца

           Helivedalone,asBilbohaddone;buthehadagoodmanyfriends,especiallyamongtheyoungerhobbits(mostlydescendantsoftheOldTook)whohadaschildrenbeenfondofBilboandofteninandoutofBagEnd.FolcoBoffinandFredegarBolgerweretwoofthese;buthisclosestfriendswerePeregrinTook(usuallycalledPippin),andMerryBrandybuck(hisrealnamewasMeriadoc,butthatwasseldomremembered).FrodowenttrampingallovertheShirewiththem;butmoreoftenhewanderedbyhimself,andtotheamazementofsensiblefolkhewassometimesseenfarfromhomewalkinginthehillsandwoodsunderthestarlight.MerryandPippinsuspectedthathevisitedtheElvesattimes,asBilbohaddone.

           Astimewenton,peoplebegantonoticethatFrodoalsoshowedsignsofgood’preservation’:outwardlyheretainedtheappearanceofarobustandenergetichobbitjustoutofhistweens.’Somefolkhavealltheluck,’theysaid;butitwasnotuntilFrodoapproachedtheusuallymoresoberageoffiftythattheybegantothinkitqueer.

           Frodohimself,afterthefirstshock,foundthatbeinghisownmasterandtheMr.BagginsofBagEndwasratherpleasant.Forsomeyearshewasquitehappyanddidnotworrymuchaboutthefuture.ButhalfunknowntohimselftheregretthathehadnotgonewithBilbowassteadilygrowing.Hefoundhimselfwonderingattimes,especiallyintheautumn,aboutthewildlands,andstrangevisionsofmountainsthathehadneverseencameintohisdreams.Hebegantosaytohimself:’PerhapsIshallcrosstheRivermyselfoneday.’Towhichtheotherhalfofhismindalwaysreplied:’Notyet.’

           Soitwenton,untilhisfortieswererunningout,andhisfiftiethbirthdaywasdrawingnear:fiftywasanumberthathefeltwassomehowsignificant(orominous);