Властелин колец: Братство кольца

           TherewasaconstantstreamofthemgoinguptheHill,carryinghundredsofpolitevariationsonThankyou,Ishallcertainlycome.

           AnoticeappearedonthegateatBagEnd:noadmittanceexceptonpartybusiness.Eventhosewhohad,orpretendedtohavePartyBusinesswereseldomallowedinside.Bilbowasbusy:writinginvitations,tickingoffanswers,packinguppresents,andmakingsomeprivatepreparationsofhisown.FromthetimeofGandalf’sarrivalheremainedhiddenfromview.

           Onemorningthehobbitswoketofindthelargefield,southofBilbo’sfrontdoor,coveredwithropesandpolesfortentsandpavilions.Aspecialentrancewascutintothebankleadingtotheroad,andwidestepsandalargewhitegatewerebuiltthere.Thethreehobbit-familiesofBagshotRow,adjoiningthefield,wereintenselyinterestedandgenerallyenvied.OldGafferGamgeestoppedevenpretendingtoworkinhisgarden.

           Thetentsbegantogoup.Therewasaspeciallylargepavilion,sobigthatthetreethatgrewinthefieldwasrightinsideit,andstoodproudlynearoneend,attheheadofthechieftable.Lanternswerehungonallitsbranches.Morepromisingstill(tothehobbits’mind):anenormousopen-airkitchenwaserectedinthenorthcornerofthefield.Adraughtofcooks,fromeveryinnandeating-houseformilesaround,arrivedtosupplementthedwarvesandotheroddfolkthatwerequarteredatBagEnd.Excitementrosetoitsheight.

           Thentheweathercloudedover.ThatwasonWednesdaytheeveoftheParty.Anxietywasintense.ThenThursday,Septemberthe22nd,actuallydawned.Thesungotup,thecloudsvanished,flagswereunfurledandthefunbegan.

           BilboBagginscalleditaparty,butitwasreallyavarietyofentertainmentsrolledintoone.Practicallyeverybodylivingnearwasinvited.