Хоббит

           ThisisastoryofhowaBagginshadanadventure, foundhimselfdoingandsayingthingsaltogetherunexpected. Hemayhavelosttheneighbours’respect, buthegained-well,youwillseewhetherhegainedanythingintheend. 

           Themotherofourparticularhobbit...whatisahobbit? Isupposehobbitsneedsomedescriptionnowadays, sincetheyhavebecomerareandshyoftheBigPeople,astheycallus. Theyare(orwere)alittlepeople,abouthalfourheight,andsmallerthanthebeardedDwarves. Hobbitshavenobeards. Thereislittleornomagicaboutthem, excepttheordinaryeverydaysortwhichhelpsthemtodisappearquietlyandquickly whenlargestupidfolklikeyouandmecomeblunderingalong,makinganoiselikeelephantswhichtheycanhearamileoff. Theyareinclinedtobeatinthestomach;theydressinbrightcolours(chieflygreenandyellow); wearnoshoes,becausetheirfeetgrownaturalleatherysoles andthickwarmbrownhairlikethestuffontheirheads (whichiscurly); havelongcleverbrownfingers,good-naturedfaces,andlaughdeepfruitylaughs (especiallyafterdinner,whichtheyhavetwiceadaywhentheycangetit). Nowyouknowenoughtogoonwith. AsIwassaying,themotherofthishobbit-ofBilboBaggins,thatis-wasthefabulousBelladonnaTook, oneofthethreeremarkabledaughtersoftheOldTook, headofthehobbitswholivedacrossTheWater, thesmallriverthatranatthefootofTheHill. Itwasoftensaid(inotherfamilies)thatlongagooneoftheTookancestorsmusthavetakenafairywife. Thatwas,ofcourse,absurd,butcertainlytherewasstillsomethingnotentirelyhobbit-likeaboutthem, -andonceinawhilemembersoftheTook-clanwouldgoandhaveadventures. Theydiscreetlydisappeared, andthefamilyhusheditup; butthefactremained thattheTookswerenotasrespectableastheBagginses, thoughtheywereundoubtedlyricher.