An Unexpected Party

           Inaholeinthegroundtherelivedahobbit. Notanasty,dirty,wethole,filledwiththeendsofwormsandanoozysmell, noryetadry,bare,sandyholewithnothinginittositdownonortoeat: itwasahobbit-hole,andthatmeanscomfort. 

           Ithadaperfectlyrounddoorlikeaporthole, paintedgreen,withashinyyellowbrassknobintheexactmiddle. Thedooropenedontoatube-shapedhalllikeatunnel: averycomfortabletunnelwithoutsmoke,withpanelledwalls, andfloorstiledandcarpeted,providedwithpolishedchairs, andlotsandlotsofpegsforhatsandcoats -thehobbitwasfondofvisitors. Thetunnelwoundonandon,goingfairly butnotquitestraightintothesideofthehill -TheHill,asallthepeopleformanymilesroundcalledit -andmanylittlerounddoorsopenedoutofit,firstononesideandthenonanother. Nogoingupstairsforthehobbit:bedrooms,bathrooms,cellars,pantries(lotsofthese), wardrobes(hehadwholeroomsdevotedtoclothes), kitchens,dining-rooms,allwereonthesamefloor, andindeedonthesamepassage. Thebestroomswereallontheleft-handside(goingin), fortheseweretheonlyonestohavewindows, deep-setroundwindowslookingoverhisgarden andmeadowsbeyond,slopingdowntotheriver. 

           Thishobbitwasaverywell-to-dohobbit,andhisnamewasBaggins. TheBagginseshadlivedintheneighbourhoodofTheHillfortimeoutofmind, andpeopleconsideredthemveryrespectable,notonlybecausemostofthemwererich, butalsobecausetheyneverhadanyadventuresordidanythingunexpected: youcouldtellwhataBagginswouldsayonanyquestionwithoutthebotherofaskinghim.