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The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings
by J. R. R. TolkienJ. R. R. Tolkien
The first volume in J.R.R. Tolkien's epic adventure THE LORD OF THE RINGS One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit. In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.
"A unique, wholly realized other world, evoked from deep in the well of Time, massively detailed, absorbingly entertaining, profound in meaning." – New York Times
HMH Books
Lord of the Rings Series , #1
J.R.R. TOLKIEN (1892–1973) is the creator of Middle-earth and author of such classic and extraordinary works of fiction as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. His books have been translated into more than fifty languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.
Bloemfontein, Orange Free State (South Africa)
B.A., Exeter College, Oxford University, 1915; M.A., 1919
A Long-Expected Party
When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be
celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special
magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton.
Bilbo was very rich and very peculiar, and had been the
wonder of the Shire for sixty years, ever since his remarkable
disappearance and unexpected return. The riches he had brought back
from his travels had now become a local legend, and it was popularly
believed, whatever the old folk might say, that the Hill at Bag End
was full of tunnels stuffed with treasure. And if that was not enough
for fame, there was also his prolonged vigour to marvel at. Time wore
on, but it seemed to have little effect on Mr. Baggins. At ninety he
was much the same as at fifty. At ninety-nine they began to call him
well-preserved; but unchanged would have been nearer the mark. There
were some that shook their heads and thought this was too much of a
good thing; it seemed unfair that anyone should possess (apparently)
perpetual youth as well as (reputedly) inexhaustible wealth.
'It will have to be paid for,' they said. 'It isn't natural,
and trouble will come of it!'
But so far trouble had not come; and as Mr. Baggins was
generous with his money, most people were willing to forgive him his
oddities and his good fortune. He remained on visiting terms with his
relatives (except, of course, the Sackville-Bagginses), and he had
many devoted admirers among the hobbits of poor and unimportant
families. But he had no close friends, until some of his younger
cousins began to grow up.
The eldest of these, and Bilbo's favourite, was young Frodo
Baggins. When Bilbo was ninety-nine he adopted Frodo as his heir, and
brought him to live at Bag End; and the hopes of the Sackville-
Bagginses were finally dashed. Bilbo and Frodo happened to have the
same birthday, September 22nd. 'You had better come and live here,
Frodo my lad,' said Bilbo one day; 'and then we can celebrate our
birthday-parties comfortably together.' At that time Frodo was still
in his tweens, as the hobbits called the irresponsible twenties
between childhood and coming of age at thirty-three.
Twelve more years passed. Each year the Bagginses had given
very lively combined birthday-parties at Bag End; but now it was
understood that something quite exceptional was being planned for
that autumn. Bilbo was going to be eleventy-one, 111, a rather
curious number, and a very respectable age for a hobbit (the Old Took
himself had only reached 130); and Frodo was going to be thirty-
three, 33, an important number: the date of his 'coming of age'.
Tongues began to wag in Hobbiton and Bywater; and rumour of
the coming event travelled all over the Shire. The history and
character of Mr. Bilbo Baggins became once again the chief topic of
conversation; and the older folk suddenly found their reminiscences
in welcome demand.
No one had a more attentive audience than old Ham Gamgee,
commonly known as the Gaffer. He held forth at The Ivy Bush, a small
inn on the Bywater road; and he spoke with some authority, for he had
tended the garden at Bag End for forty years, and had helped old
Holman in the same job before that. Now that he was himself growing
old and stiff in the joints, the job was mainly carried on by his
youngest son, Sam Gamgee. Both father and son were on very friendly
terms with Bilbo and Frodo. They lived on the Hill itself, in Number
3 Bagshot Row just below Bag End.
'A very nice well-spoken gentlehobbit is Mr. Bilbo, as I've
always said,' the Gaffer declared. With perfect truth: for Bilbo was
very polite to him, calling him 'Master Hamfast', and consulting him
constantly upon the growing of vegetables — in the matter of 'roots',
especially potatoes, the Gaffer was recognized as the leading
authority by all in the neighbourhood (including himself).
'But what about this Frodo that lives with him?' asked Old
Noakes of Bywater. 'Baggins is his name, but he's more than half a
Brandybuck, they say. It beats me why any Baggins of Hobbiton should
go looking for a wife away there in Buckland, where folks are so
queer.'
'And no wonder they're queer,' put in Daddy Twofoot (the
Gaffer's next-door neighbour), 'if they live on the wrong side of the
Brandywine River, and right agin the Old Forest. That's a dark bad
place, if half the tales be true.'
'You're right, Dad!' said the Gaffer. 'Not that the
Brandybucks of Buckland live in the Old Forest; but they're a queer
breed, seemingly. They fool about with boats on that big river — and
that isn't natural. Small wonder that trouble came of it, I say. But
be that as it may, Mr. Frodo is as nice a young hobbit as you could
wish to meet. Very much like Mr. Bilbo, and in more than looks. After
all his father was a Baggins. A decent respectable hobbit was Mr.
Drogo Baggins; there was never much to tell of him, till he was
drownded.'
'Drownded?' said several voices. They had heard this and
other darker rumours before, of course; but hobbits have a passion
for family history, and they were ready to hear it again.
'Well, so they say,' said the Gaffer. 'You see: Mr. Drogo, he
married poor Miss Primula Brandybuck. She was our Mr. Bilbo's first
cousin on the mother's side (her mother being the youngest of the Old
Took's daughters); and Mr. Drogo was his second cousin. So Mr. Frodo
is his first and second cousin, once removed either way, as the
saying is, if you follow me. And Mr. Drogo was staying at Brandy Hall
with his father-in-law, old Master Gorbadoc, as he often did after
his marriage (him being partial to his vittles, and old Gorbadoc
keeping a mighty generous table); and he went out boating on the
Brandywine River; and he and his wife were drownded, and poor Mr.
Frodo only a child and all.'
'I've heard they went on the water after dinner in the
moonlight,' said Old Noakes; 'and it was Drogo's weight as sunk the
boat.'
'And I heard she pushed him in, and he pulled her in after
him,' said Sandyman, the Hobbiton miller.
'You shouldn't listen to all you hear, Sandyman,' said the
Gaffer, who did not much like the miller. 'There isn't no call to go
talking of pushing and pulling. Boats are quite tricky enough for
those that sit still without looking further for the cause of
trouble. Anyway: there was this Mr. Frodo left an orphan and
stranded, as you might say, among those queer Bucklanders, being
brought up anyhow in Brandy Hall. A regular warren, by all accounts.
Old Master Gorbadoc never had fewer than a couple of hundred
relations in the place. Mr. Bilbo never did a kinder deed than when
he brought the lad back to live among decent folk.
'But I reckon it was a nasty shock for those Sackville-
Bagginses. They thought they were going to get Bag End, that time
when he went off and was thought to be dead. And then he comes back
and orders them off; and he goes on living and living, and never
looking a day older, bless him! And suddenly he produces an heir, and
has all the papers made out proper. The Sackville-Bagginses won't
never see the inside of Bag End now, or it is to be hoped not.'
'There's a tidy bit of money tucked away up there, I hear
tell,' said a stranger, a visitor on business from Michel Delving in
the Westfarthing. 'All the top of your hill is full of tunnels packed
with chests of gold and silver, and jools, by what I've heard.'
'Then you've heard more than I can speak to,' answered the
Gaffer. I know nothing about jools. Mr. Bilbo is free with his money,
and there seems no lack of it; but I know of no tunnel-making. I saw
Mr. Bilbo when he came back, a matter of sixty years ago, when I was
a lad. I'd not long come prentice to old Holman (him being my dad's
cousin), but he had me up at Bag End helping him to keep folks from
trampling and trapessing all over the garden while the sale was on.
And in the middle of it all Mr. Bilbo comes up the Hill with a pony
and some mighty big bags and a couple of chests. I don't doubt they
were mostly full of treasure he had picked up in foreign parts, where
there be mountains of gold, they say; but there wasn't enough to fill
tunnels. But my lad Sam will know more about that. He's in and out of
Bag End. Crazy about stories of the old days he is, and he listens to
all Mr. Bilbo's tales. Mr. Bilbo has learned him his letters —
meaning no harm, mark you, and I hope no harm will come of it.
'Elves and Dragons! I says to him. 'Cabbages and potatoes are
better for me and you. Don't go getting mixed up in the business of
your betters, or you'll land in trouble too big for you,' I says to
him. And I might say it to others,' he added with a look at the
stranger and the miller.
But the Gaffer did not convince his audience. The legend of
Bilbo's wealth was now too firmly fixed in the minds of the younger
generation of hobbits.
'Ah, but he has likely enough been adding to what he brought
at first,' argued the miller, voicing common opinion. 'He's often
away from home. And look at the outlandish folk that visit him:
dwarves coming at night, and that old wandering conjuror, Gandalf,
and all. You can say what you like, Gaffer, but Bag End's a queer
place, and its folk are queerer.'
'And you can say what you like, about what you know no more
of than you do of boating, Mr. Sandyman,' retorted the Gaffer,
disliking the miller even more than usual. 'If that's being queer,
then we could do with a bit more queerness in these parts. There's
some not far away that wouldn't offer a pint of beer to a friend, if
they lived in a hole with golden walls. But they do things proper at
Bag End. Our Sam says that everyone's going to be invited to the
party, and there's going to be presents, mark you, presents for all —
this very month as is.'
That very month was September, and as fine as you could ask.
A day or two later a rumour (probably started by the knowledgeable
Sam) was spread about that there were going to be fireworks —
fireworks, what is more, such as had not been seen in the Shire for
nigh on a century, not indeed since the Old Took died.
Days passed and The Day drew nearer. An odd-looking waggon
laden with odd-looking packages rolled into Hobbiton one evening and
toiled up the Hill to Bag End. The startled hobbits peered out of
lamplit doors to gape at it. It was driven by outlandish folk,
singing strange songs: dwarves with long beards and deep hoods. A few
of them remained at Bag End. At the end of the second week in
September a cart came in through Bywater from the direction of the
Brandywine Bridge in broad daylight. An old man was driving it all
alone. He wore a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, and a
silver scarf. He had a long white beard and bushy eyebrows that stuck
out beyond the brim of his hat. Small hobbit-children ran after the
cart all through Hobbiton and right up the hill. It had a cargo of
fireworks, as they rightly guessed. At Bilbo's front door the old man
began to unload: there were great bundles of fireworks of all sorts
and shapes, each labelled with a large red G and the elf-rune, .
That was Gandalf's mark, of course, and the old man was
Gandalf the Wizard, whose fame in the Shire was due mainly to his
skill with fires, smokes, and lights. His real business was far more
difficult and dangerous, but the Shire-folk knew nothing about it. To
them he was just one of the 'attractions' at the Party. Hence the
excitement of the hobbit-children. 'G for Grand!' they shouted, and
the old man smiled. They knew him by sight, though he only appeared
in Hobbiton occasionally and never stopped long; but neither they nor
any but the oldest of their elders had seen one of his firework
displays — they now belonged to the legendary past.
When the old man, helped by Bilbo and some dwarves, had
finished unloading. Bilbo gave a few pennies away; but not a single
squib or cracker was forthcoming, to the disappointment of the
onlookers.
'Run away now!' said Gandalf. 'You will get plenty when the
time comes.' Then he disappeared inside with Bilbo, and the door was
shut. The young hobbits stared at the door in vain for a while, and
then made off, feeling that the day of the party would never come.
Inside Bag End, Bilbo and Gandalf were sitting at the open
window of a small room looking out west on to the garden. The late
afternoon was bright and peaceful. The flowers glowed red and golden:
snap-dragons and sun-flowers, and nasturtiums trailing all over the
turf walls and peeping in at the round windows.
'How bright your garden looks!' said Gandalf.
'Yes,' said Bilbo. 'I am very fond indeed of it, and of all
the dear old Shire; but I think I need a holiday.'
'You mean to go on with your plan then?'
'I do. I made up my mind months ago, and I haven't changed
it.'
'Very well. It is no good saying any more. Stick to your
plan — your whole plan, mind — and I hope it will turn out for the
best, for you, and for all of us.'
'I hope so. Anyway I mean to enjoy myself on Thursday, and
have my little joke.'
'Who will laugh, I wonder?' said Gandalf, shaking his head.
'We shall see,' said Bilbo.
The next day more carts rolled up the Hill, and still more
carts. There might have been some grumbling about 'dealing locally',
but that very week orders began to pour out of Bag End for every kind
of provision, commodity, or luxury that could be obtained in Hobbiton
or Bywater or anywhere in the neighbourhood. People became
enthusiastic; and they began to tick off the days on the calendar;
and they watched eagerly for the postman, hoping for invitations.
Before long the invitations began pouring out, and the
Hobbiton post-office was blocked, and the Bywater post-office was
snowed under, and voluntary assistant postmen were called for. There
was a constant stream of them going up the Hill, carrying hundreds of
polite variations on Thank you, I shall certainly come.
A notice appeared on the gate at Bag End: NO ADMITTANCE
EXCEPT ON PARTY BUSINESS. Even those who had, or pretended to have
Party Business were seldom allowed inside. Bilbo was busy: writing
invitations, ticking off answers, packing up presents, and making
some private preparations of his own. From the time of Gandalf's
arrival he remained hidden from view.
One morning the hobbits woke to find the large field, south
of Bilbo's front door, covered with ropes and poles for tents and
pavilions. A special entrance was cut into the bank leading to the
road, and wide steps and a large white gate were built there. The
three hobbit-families of Bagshot Row, adjoining the field, were
intensely interested and generally envied. Old Gaffer Gamgee stopped
even pretending to work in his garden.
The tents began to go up. There was a specially large
pavilion, so big that the tree that grew in the field was right
inside it, and stood proudly near one end, at the head of the chief
table. Lanterns were hung on all its branches. More promising still
(to the hobbits' mind): an enormous open-air kitchen was erected in
the north corner of the field. A draught of cooks, from every inn and
eating-house for miles around, arrived to supplement the dwarves and
other odd folk that were quartered at Bag End. Excitement rose to its
height.
Then the weather clouded over. That was on Wednesday the eve
of the Party. Anxiety was intense. Then Thursday, September the 22nd,
actually dawned. The sun got up, the clouds vanished, flags were
unfurled and the fun began.
Bilbo Baggins called it a party, but it was really a variety
of entertainments rolled into one. Practically everybody living near
was invited. A very few were overlooked by accident, but as they
turned up all the same, that did not matter. Many people from other
parts of the Shire were also asked; and there were even a few from
outside the borders. Bilbo met the guests (and additions) at the new
white gate in person. He gave away presents to all and sundry — the
latter were those who went out again by a back way and came in again
by the gate. Hobbits give presents to other people on their own
birthdays. Not very expensive ones, as a rule, and not so lavishly as
on this occasion; but it was not a bad system. Actually in Hobbiton
and Bywater every day in the year it was somebody's birthday, so that
every hobbit in those parts had a fair chance of at least one present
at least once a week. But they never got tired of them.
On this occasion the presents were unusually good. The hobbit-
children were so excited that for a while they almost forgot about
eating. There were toys the like of which they had never seen before,
all beautiful and some obviously magical. Many of them had indeed
been ordered a year before, and had come all the way from the
Mountain and from Dale, and were of real dwarf-make.
When every guest had been welcomed and was finally inside the
gate, there were songs, dances, music, games, and, of course, food
and drink. There were three official meals: lunch, tea, and dinner
(or supper). But lunch and tea were marked chiefly by the fact that
at those times all the guests were sitting down and eating together.
At other times there were merely lots of people eating and drinking —
continuously from elevenses until six-thirty, when the fireworks
started.
The fireworks were by Gandalf: they were not only brought by
him, but designed and made by him; and the special effects, set
pieces, and flights of rockets were let off by him. But there was
also a generous distribution of squibs, crackers, backarappers,
sparklers, torches, dwarf-candles, elf-fountains, goblin-barkers and
thunder-claps. They were all superb. The art of Gandalf improved with
There were rockets like a flight of scintillating birds
singing with sweet voices. There were green trees with trunks of dark
smoke: their leaves opened like a whole spring unfolding in a moment,
and their shining branches dropped glowing flowers down upon the
astonished hobbits, disappearing with a sweet scent just before they
touched their upturned faces. There were fountains of butterflies
that flew glittering into the trees; there were pillars of coloured
fires that rose and turned into eagles, or sailing ships, or a
phalanx of flying swans; there was a red thunderstorm and a shower of
yellow rain; there was a forest of silver spears that sprang suddenly
into the air with a yell like an embattled army, and came down again
into the Water with a hiss like a hundred hot snakes. And there was
also one last surprise, in honour of Bilbo, and it startled the
hobbits exceedingly, as Gandalf intended. The lights went out. A
great smoke went up. It shaped itself like a mountain seen in the
distance, and began to glow at the summit. It spouted green and
scarlet flames. Out flew a red-golden dragon — not life-size, but
terribly life-like: fire came from his jaws, his eyes glared down;
there was a roar, and he whizzed three times over the heads of the
crowd. They all ducked, and many fell flat on their faces. The dragon
passed like an express train, turned a somersault, and burst over
Bywater with a deafening explosion.
'That is the signal for supper!' said Bilbo. The pain and
alarm vanished at once, and the prostrate hobbits leaped to their
feet. There was a splendid supper for everyone; for everyone, that
is, except those invited to the special family dinner-party. This was
held in the great pavilion with the tree. The invitations were
limited to twelve dozen (a number also called by the hobbits one
Gross, though the word was not considered proper to use of people);
and the guests were selected from all the families to which Bilbo and
Frodo were related, with the addition of a few special unrelated
friends (such as Gandalf). Many young hobbits were included, and
present by parental permission; for hobbits were easy-going with
their children in the matter of sitting up late, especially when
there was a chance of getting them a free meal. Bringing up young
hobbits took a lot of provender.
There were many Bagginses and Boffins, and also many Tooks
and Brandybucks; there were various Grubbs (relations of Bilbo
Baggins' grandmother), and various Chubbs (connexions of his Took
grandfather); and a selection of Burrowses, Bolgers, Bracegirdles,
Brockhouses, Goodbodies, Hornblowers and Proudfoots. Some of these
were only very distantly connected with Bilbo, and some of them had
hardly ever been in Hobbiton before, as they lived in remote corners
of the Shire. The Sackville-Bagginses were not forgotten. Otho and
his wife Lobelia were present. They disliked Bilbo and detested
Frodo, but so magnificent was the invitation card, written in golden
ink, that they had felt it was impossible to refuse. Besides, their
cousin, Bilbo, had been specializing in food for many years and his
table had a high reputation.
All the one hundred and forty-four guests expected a pleasant
feast; though they rather dreaded the after-dinner speech of their
host (an inevitable item). He was liable to drag in bits of what he
called poetry; and sometimes, after a glass or two, would allude to
the absurd adventures of his mysterious journey. The guests were not
disappointed: they had a very pleasant feast, in fact an engrossing
entertainment: rich, abundant, varied, and prolonged. The purchase of
provisions fell almost to nothing throughout the district in the
ensuing weeks; but as Bilbo's catering had depleted the stocks of
most stores, cellars and warehouses for miles around, that did not
matter much.
After the feast (more or less) came the Speech. Most of the
company were, however, now in a tolerant mood, at that delightful
stage which they called 'filling up the corners'. They were sipping
their favourite drinks, and nibbling at their favourite dainties, and
their fears were forgotten. They were prepared to listen to anything,
and to cheer at every full stop.
My dear People, began Bilbo, rising in his place. 'Hear!
Hear! Hear!' they shouted, and kept on repeating it in chorus,
seeming reluctant to follow their own advice. Bilbo left his place
and went and stood on a chair under the illuminated tree. The light
of the lanterns fell on his beaming face; the golden buttons shone on
his embroidered silk waistcoat. They could all see him standing,
waving one hand in the air, the other was in his trouser-pocket.
My dear Bagginses and Boffins, he began again; and my dear
Tooks and Brandybucks, and Grubbs, and Chubbs, and Burrowses, and
Hornblowers, and Bolgers, Bracegirdles, Goodbodies, Brockhouses and
Proudfoots. 'ProudFEET!' shouted an elderly hobbit from the back of
the pavilion. His name, of course, was Proudfoot, and well merited;
his feet were large, exceptionally furry, and both were on the table.
Proudfoots, repeated Bilbo. Also my good Sackville-Bagginses
that I welcome back at last to Bag End. Today is my one hundred and
eleventh birthday: I am eleventy-one today! 'Hurray! Hurray! Many
Happy Returns!' they shouted, and they hammered joyously on the
tables. Bilbo was doing splendidly. This was the sort of stuff they
liked: short and obvious.
I hope you are all enjoying yourselves as much as I am.
Deafening cheers. Cries of Yes (and No). Noises of trumpets and
horns, pipes and flutes, and other musical instruments. There were,
as has been said, many young hobbits present. Hundreds of musical
crackers had been pulled. Most of them bore the mark DALE on them;
which did not convey much to most of the hobbits, but they all agreed
they were marvellous crackers. They contained instruments, small, but
of perfect make and enchanting tones. Indeed, in one corner some of
the young Tooks and Brandybucks, supposing Uncle Bilbo to have
finished (since he had plainly said all that was necessary), now got
up an impromptu orchestra, and began a merry dance-tune. Master
Everard Took and Miss Melilot Brandybuck got on a table and with
bells in their hands began to dance the Springle-ring: a pretty
dance, but rather vigorous.
But Bilbo had not finished. Seizing a horn from a youngster
near by, he blew three loud hoots. The noise subsided. I shall not
keep you long, he cried. Cheers from all the assembly. I have called
you all together for a Purpose. Something in the way that he said
this made an impression. There was almost silence, and one or two of
the Tooks pricked up their ears.
Indeed, for Three Purposes! First of all, to tell you that I
am immensely fond of you all, and that eleventy-one years is too
short a time to live among such excellent and admirable hobbits.
Tremendous outburst of approval.
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I
like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. This was
unexpected and rather difficult. There was some scattered clapping,
but most of them were trying to work it out and see if it came to a
compliment.
Secondly, to celebrate my birthday. Cheers again. I should
say: OUR birthday. For it is, of course, also the birthday of my heir
and nephew, Frodo. He comes of age and into his inheritance today.
Some perfunctory clapping by the elders; and some loud shouts
of 'Frodo! Frodo! Jolly old Frodo,' from the juniors. The Sackville-
Bagginses scowled, and wondered what was meant by 'coming into his
inheritance'.
Together we score one hundred and forty-four. Your numbers
were chosen to fit this remarkable total: One Gross, if I may use the
expression. No cheers. This was ridiculous. Many of his guests, and
especially the Sackville-Bagginses, were insulted, feeling sure they
had only been asked to fill up the required number, like goods in a
package. 'One Gross, indeed! Vulgar expression.'
It is also, if I may be allowed to refer to ancient history,
the anniversary of my arrival by barrel at Esgaroth on the Long Lake;
though the fact that it was my birthday slipped my memory on that
occasion. I was only fifty-one then, and birthdays did not seem so
important. The banquet was very splendid, however, though I had a bad
cold at the time, I remember, and could only say 'thag you very
buch'. I now repeat it more correctly: Thank you very much for coming
to my little party. Obstinate silence. They all feared that a song or
some poetry was now imminent; and they were getting bored. Why
couldn't he stop talking and let them drink his health? But Bilbo did
not sing or recite. He paused for a moment.
Thirdly and finally, he said, I wish to make an ANNOUNCEMENT.
He spoke this last word so loudly and suddenly that everyone sat up
who still could. I regret to announce that — though, as I said,
eleventy-one years is far too short a time to spend among you — this
is the END. I am going. I am leaving NOW. GOOD-BYE!
He stepped down and vanished. There was a blinding flash of
light, and the guests all blinked. When they opened their eyes Bilbo
was nowhere to be seen. One hundred and forty-four flabbergasted
hobbits sat back speechless. Old Odo Proudfoot removed his feet from
the table and stamped. Then there was a dead silence, until suddenly,
after several deep breaths, every Baggins, Boffin, Took, Brandybuck,
Grubb, Chubb, Burrows, Bolger, Bracegirdle, Brockhouse, Goodbody,
Hornblower, and Proudfoot began to talk at once.
It was generally agreed that the joke was in very bad taste,
and more food and drink were needed to cure the guests of shock and
annoyance. 'He's mad. I always said so,' was probably the most
popular comment. Even the Tooks (with a few exceptions) thought
Bilbo's behaviour was absurd. For the moment most of them took it for
granted that his disappearance was nothing more than a ridiculous
prank.
But old Rory Brandybuck was not so sure. Neither age nor an
enormous dinner had clouded his wits, and he said to his daughter-in-
law, Esmeralda: 'There's something fishy in this, my dear! I believe
that mad Baggins is off again. Silly old fool. But why worry? He
hasn't taken the vittles with him.' He called loudly to Frodo to send
the wine round again.
Frodo was the only one present who had said nothing. For some
time he had sat silent beside Bilbo's empty chair, and ignored all
remarks and questions. He had enjoyed the joke, of course, even
though he had been in the know. He had difficulty in keeping from
laughter at the indignant surprise of the guests. But at the same
time he felt deeply troubled: he realized suddenly that he loved the
old hobbit dearly. Most of the guests went on eating and drinking and
discussing Bilbo Baggins' oddities, past and present; but the
Sackville-Bagginses had already departed in wrath. Frodo did not want
to have any more to do with the party. He gave orders for more wine
to be served; then he got up and drained his own glass silently to
the health of Bilbo, and slipped out of the pavilion.
As for Bilbo Baggins, even while he was making his speech, he
had been fingering the golden ring in his pocket: his magic ring that
he had kept secret for so many years. As he stepped down he slipped
it on his finger, and he was never seen by any hobbit in Hobbiton
He walked briskly back to his hole, and stood for a moment
listening with a smile to the din in the pavilion and to the sounds
of merrymaking in other parts of the field. Then he went in. He took
off his party clothes, folded up and wrapped in tissue-paper his
embroidered silk waistcoat, and put it away. Then he put on quickly
some old untidy garments, and fastened round his waist a worn leather
belt. On it he hung a short sword in a battered black-leather
scabbard. From a locked drawer, smelling of moth-balls, he took out
an old cloak and hood. They had been locked up as if they were very
precious, but they were so patched and weatherstained that their
original colour could hardly be guessed: it might have been dark
green. They were rather too large for him. He then went into his
study, and from a large strong-box took out a bundle wrapped in old
cloths, and a leather-bound manuscript; and also a large bulky
envelope. The book and bundle he stuffed into the top of a heavy bag
that was standing there, already nearly full. Into the envelope he
slipped his golden ring, and its fine chain, and then sealed it, and
addressed it to Frodo. At first he put it on the mantelpiece, but
suddenly he removed it and stuck it in his pocket. At that moment the
door opened and Gandalf came quickly in.
'Hullo!' said Bilbo. 'I wondered if you would turn up.'
'I am glad to find you visible,' replied the wizard, sitting
down in a chair. 'I wanted to catch you and have a few final words. I
suppose you feel that everything has gone off splendidly and
according to plan?'
'Yes, I do,' said Bilbo. 'Though that flash was surprising:
it quite startled me, let alone the others. A little addition of your
own, I suppose?'
'It was. You have wisely kept that ring secret all these
years, and it seemed to me necessary to give your guests something
else that would seem to explain your sudden vanishment.'
'And would spoil my joke. You are an interfering old
busybody,' laughed Bilbo, 'but I expect you know best, as usual.'
'I do — when I know anything. But I don't feel too sure about
this whole affair. It has now come to the final point. You have had
your joke, and alarmed or offended most of your relations, and given
the whole Shire something to talk about for nine days, or ninety-nine
more likely. Are you going any further?'
'Yes, I am. I feel I need a holiday, a very long holiday, as
I have told you before. Probably a permanent holiday: I don't expect
I shall return. In fact, I don't mean to, and I have made all
'I am old, Gandalf. I don't look it, but I am beginning to
feel it in my heart of hearts. Well-preserved indeed!' he
snorted. 'Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I
mean: like butter that has been scraped over too much bread. That
can't be right. I need a change, or something.'
Gandalf looked curiously and closely at him. 'No, it does not
seem right,' he said thoughtfully. 'No, after all I believe your plan
is probably the best.'
'Well, I've made up my mind, anyway. I want to see mountains
again, Gandalf — mountains; and then find somewhere where I can rest.
In peace and quiet, without a lot of relatives prying around, and a
string of confounded visitors hanging on the bell. I might find
somewhere where I can finish my book. I have thought of a nice ending
for it: and he lived happily ever after to the end of his days.'
Gandalf laughed. 'I hope he will. But nobody will read the
book, however it ends.'
'Oh, they may, in years to come. Frodo has read some already,
as far as it has gone. You'll keep an eye on Frodo, won't you?'
'Yes, I will — two eyes, as often as I can spare them.'
'He would come with me, of course, if I asked him. In fact he
offered to once, just before the party. But he does not really want
to, yet. I want to see the wild country again before I die, and the
Mountains; but he is still in love with the Shire, with woods and
fields and little rivers. He ought to be comfortable here. I am
leaving everything to him, of course, except a few oddments. I hope
he will be happy, when he gets used to being on his own. It's time he
was his own master now.'
'Everything?' said Gandalf. 'The ring as well? You agreed to
that, you remember.'
'Well, er, yes, I suppose so,' stammered Bilbo.
'Where is it?'
'In an envelope, if you must know,' said Bilbo
impatiently. 'There on the mantelpiece. Well, no! Here it is in my
pocket!' He hesitated. 'Isn't that odd now?' he said softly to
himself. 'Yet after all, why not? Why shouldn't it stay there?'
Gandalf looked again very hard at Bilbo, and there was a
gleam in his eyes. 'I think, Bilbo,' he said quietly, 'I should leave
it behind. Don't you want to?'
'Well yes — and no. Now it comes to it, I don't like parting
with it at all, I may say. And I don't really see why I should. Why
do you want me to?' he asked, and a curious change came over his
voice. It was sharp with suspicion and annoyance. 'You are always
badgering me about my ring; but you have never bothered me about the
other things that I got on my journey.'
'No, but I had to badger you,' said Gandalf. 'I wanted the
truth. It was important. Magic rings are — well, magical; and they
are rare and curious. I was professionally interested in your ring,
you may say; and I still am. I should like to know where it is, if
you go wandering again. Also I think you have had it quite long
enough. You won't need it any more, Bilbo, unless I am quite
mistaken.'
Bilbo flushed, and there was an angry light in his eyes. His
kindly face grew hard. 'Why not?' he cried. 'And what business is it
of yours, anyway, to know what I do with my own things? It is my own.
I found it. It came to me.'
'Yes, yes,' said Gandalf. 'But there is no need to get angry.'
'If I am it is your fault,' said Bilbo. 'It is mine, I tell
you. My own. My precious. Yes, my precious.'
The wizard's face remained grave and attentive, and only a
flicker in his deep eyes showed that he was startled and indeed
alarmed. 'It has been called that before,' he said, 'but not by you.'
'But I say it now. And why not? Even if Gollum said the same
once. It's not his now, but mine. And I shall keep it, I say.'
Gandalf stood up. He spoke sternly. 'You will be a fool if
you do, Bilbo,' he said. 'You make that clearer with every word you
say. It has got far too much hold on you. Let it go! And then you can
go yourself, and be free.'
'I'll do as I choose and go as I please,' said Bilbo
obstinately.
'Now, now, my dear hobbit!' said Gandalf. 'All your long life
we have been friends, and you owe me something. Come! Do as you
promised: give it up!'
'Well, if you want my ring yourself, say so!' cried
Bilbo. 'But you won't get it. I won't give my precious away, I tell
you.' His hand strayed to the hilt of his small sword.
Gandalf's eyes flashed. 'It will be my turn to get angry
soon,' he said. 'If you say that again, I shall. Then you will see
Gandalf the Grey uncloaked.' He took a step towards the hobbit, and
he seemed to grow tall and menacing; his shadow filled the little
Bilbo backed away to the wall, breathing hard, his hand
clutching at his pocket. They stood for a while facing one another,
and the air of the room tingled. Gandalf's eyes remained bent on the
hobbit. Slowly his hands relaxed, and he began to tremble.
'I don't know what has come over you, Gandalf,' he said. 'You
have never been like this before. What is it all about? It is mine
isn't it? I found it, and Gollum would have killed me, if I hadn't
kept it. I'm not a thief, whatever he said.'
'I have never called you one,' Gandalf answered. 'And I am
not one either. I am not trying to rob you, but to help you. I wish
you would trust me, as you used.' He turned away, and the shadow
passed. He seemed to dwindle again to an old grey man, bent and
troubled.
Bilbo drew his hand over his eyes. 'I am sorry,' he
said. 'But I felt so queer. And yet it would be a relief in a way not
to be bothered with it any more. It has been so growing on my mind
lately. Sometimes I have felt it was like an eye looking at me. And I
am always wanting to put it on and disappear, don't you know; or
wondering if it is safe, and pulling it out to make sure. I tried
locking it up, but I found I couldn't rest without it in my pocket. I
don't know why. And I don't seem able to make up my mind.'
'Then trust mine,' said Gandalf. 'It is quite made up. Go
away and leave it behind. Stop possessing it. Give it to Frodo, and I
will look after him.'
Bilbo stood for a moment tense and undecided. Presently he
sighed. 'All right,' he said with an effort. 'I will.' Then he
shrugged his shoulders, and smiled rather ruefully. 'After all that's
what this party business was all about, really: to give away lots of
birthday presents, and somehow make it easier to give it away at the
same time. It hasn't made it any easier in the end, but it would be a
pity to waste all my preparations. It would quite spoil the joke.'
'Indeed it would take away the only point I ever saw in the
affair,' said Gandalf.
'Very well,' said Bilbo, 'it goes to Frodo with all the
rest.' He drew a deep breath. 'And now I really must be starting, or
somebody else will catch me. I have said good-bye, and I couldn't
bear to do it all over again.' He picked up his bag and moved to the
'You have still got the ring in your pocket,' said the wizard.
'Well, so I have!' cried Bilbo. 'And my will and all the
other documents too. You had better take it and deliver it for me.
That will be safest.'
'No, don't give the ring to me,' said Gandalf. 'Put it on the
mantelpiece. It will be safe enough there, till Frodo comes. I shall
wait for him.'
Bilbo took out the envelope, but just as he was about to set
it by the clock, his hand jerked back, and the packet fell on the
floor. Before he could pick it up, the wizard stooped and seized it
and set it in its place. A spasm of anger passed swiftly over the
hobbit's face again. Suddenly it gave way to a look of relief and a
laugh.
'Well, that's that,' he said. 'Now I'm off!'
They went out into the hall. Bilbo chose his favourite stick
from the stand; then he whistled. Three dwarves came out of different
rooms where they had been busy.
'Is everything ready?' asked Bilbo. 'Everything packed and
labelled?'
'Everything,' they answered.
'Well, let's start then!' He stepped out of the front-door.
It was a fine night, and the black sky was dotted with stars.
He looked up, sniffing the air. 'What fun! What fun to be off again,
off on the Road with dwarves! This is what I have really been longing
for, for years! Good-bye!' he said, looking at his old home and
bowing to the door. 'Good-bye, Gandalf!'
'Good-bye, for the present, Bilbo. Take care of yourself! You
are old enough, and perhaps wise enough.'
'Take care! I don't care. Don't you worry about me! I am as
happy now as I have ever been, and that is saying a great deal. But
the time has come. I am being swept off my feet at last,' he added,
and then in a low voice, as if to himself, he sang softly in the dark:
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
He paused, silent for a moment. Then without another word he
turned away from the lights and voices in the fields and tents, and
followed by his three companions went round into his garden, and
trotted down the long sloping path. He jumped over a low place in the
hedge at the bottom, and took to the meadows, passing into the night
like a rustle of wind in the grass.
Gandalf remained for a while staring after him into the
darkness. 'Goodbye, my dear Bilbo — until our next meeting!' he said
softly and went back indoors.
Frodo came in soon afterwards, and found him sitting in the
dark, deep in thought. 'Has he gone?' he asked.
'Yes,' answered Gandalf, 'he has gone at last.'
'I wish — I mean, I hoped until this evening that it was only
a joke,' said Frodo. 'But I knew in my heart that he really meant to
go. He always used to joke about serious things. I wish I had come
back sooner, just to see him off.'
'I think really he preferred slipping off quietly in the
end,' said Gandalf. 'Don't be too troubled. He'll be all right — now.
He left a packet for you. There it is!'
Frodo took the envelope from the mantelpiece, and glanced at
it, but did not open it.
'You'll find his will and all the other documents in there, I
think,' said the wizard. 'You are the master of Bag End now. And
also, I fancy, you'll find a golden ring.'
'The ring!' exclaimed Frodo. 'Has he left me that? I wonder
why. Still, it may be useful.'
'It may, and it may not,' said Gandalf. 'I should not make
use of it, if I were you. But keep it secret, and keep it safe! Now I
am going to bed.'
As master of Bag End Frodo felt it his painful duty to say
good-bye to the guests. Rumours of strange events had by now spread
all over the field, but Frodo would only say no doubt everything will
be cleared up in the morning. About midnight carriages came for the
important folk. One by one they rolled away, filled with full but
very unsatisfied hobbits. Gardeners came by arrangement, and removed
in wheel-barrows those that had inadvertently remained behind.
Night slowly passed. The sun rose. The hobbits rose rather
later. Morning went on. People came and began (by orders) to clear
away the pavilions and the tables and the chairs, and the spoons and
knives and bottles and plates, and the lanterns, and the flowering
shrubs in boxes, and the crumbs and cracker-paper, the forgotten bags
and gloves and handkerchiefs, and the uneaten food (a very small
item). Then a number of other people came (without orders):
Bagginses, and Boffins, and Bolgers, and Tooks, and other guests that
lived or were staying near. By mid-day, when even the best-fed were
out and about again, there was a large crowd at Bag End, uninvited
but not unexpected.
Frodo was waiting on the step, smiling, but looking rather
tired and worried. He welcomed all the callers, but he had not much
more to say than before. His reply to all inquiries was simply
this: 'Mr. Bilbo Baggins has gone away; as far as I know, for good.'
Some of the visitors he invited to come inside, as Bilbo had
left 'messages' for them.
Inside in the hall there was piled a large assortment of
packages and parcels and small articles of furniture. On every item
there was a label tied. There were several labels of this sort:
For ADELARD TOOK, for his VERY OWN, from Bilbo; on an
umbrella. Adelard had carried off many unlabelled ones.
For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with
love from Bilbo; on a large waste-paper basket. Dora was Drogo's
sister and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo;
she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more
than half a century.
For MILO BURROWS, hoping it will be useful, from B.B; on a
gold pen and ink-bottle. Milo never answered letters.
For ANGELICA'S use, from Uncle Bilbo; on a round convex
mirror. She was a young Baggins, and too obviously considered her
face shapely.
For the collection of HUGO BRACEGIRDLE, from a contributor;
on an (empty) book-case. Hugo was a great borrower of books, and
worse than usual at returning them.
For LOBELIA SACKVILLE-BAGGINS, as a PRESENT; on a case of
silver spoons. Bilbo believed that she had acquired a good many of
his spoons, while he was away on his former journey. Lobelia knew
that quite well. When she arrived later in the day, she took the
point at once, but she also took the spoons.
This is only a small selection of the assembled presents.
Bilbo's residence had got rather cluttered up with things in the
course of his long life. It was a tendency of hobbit-holes to get
cluttered up: for which the custom of giving so many birthday-
presents was largely responsible. Not, of course, that the birthday-
presents were always new; there were one or two old mathoms of
forgotten uses that had circulated all around the district; but Bilbo
had usually given new presents, and kept those that he received. The
old hole was now being cleared a little.
Every one of the various parting gifts had labels, written
out personally by Bilbo, and several had some point, or some joke.
But, of course, most of the things were given where they would be
wanted and welcome. The poorer hobbits, and especially those of
Bagshot Row, did very well. Old Gaffer Gamgee got two sacks of
potatoes, a new spade, a woollen waistcoat, and a bottle of ointment
for creaking joints. Old Rory Brandybuck, in return for much
hospitality, got a dozen bottles of Old Winyards: a strong red wine
from the Southfarthing, and now quite mature, as it had been laid
down by Bilbo's father. Rory quite forgave Bilbo, and voted him a
capital fellow after the first bottle.
There was plenty of everything left for Frodo. And, of
course, all the chief treasures, as well as the books, pictures, and
more than enough furniture, were left in his possession. There was,
however, no sign nor mention of money or jewellery: not a penny-piece
or a glass bead was given away.
Frodo had a very trying time that afternoon. A false rumour
that the whole household was being distributed free spread like
wildfire; and before long the place was packed with people who had no
business there, but could not be kept out. Labels got torn off and
mixed, and quarrels broke out. Some people tried to do swaps and
deals in the hall; and others tried to make off with minor items not
addressed to them, or with anything that seemed unwanted or
unwatched. The road to the gate was blocked with barrows and
handcarts.
In the middle of the commotion the Sackville-Bagginses
arrived. Frodo had retired for a while and left his friend Merry
Brandybuck to keep an eye on things. When Otho loudly demanded to see
Frodo, Merry bowed politely.
'He is indisposed,' he said. 'He is resting.'
'Hiding, you mean,' said Lobelia. 'Anyway we want to see him
and we mean to see him. Just go and tell him so!'
Merry left them a long while in the hall, and they had time
to discover their parting gift of spoons. It did not improve their
tempers. Eventually they were shown into the study. Frodo was sitting
at a table with a lot of papers in front of him. He looked
indisposed — to see Sackville-Bagginses at any rate; and he stood up,
fidgeting with something in his pocket. But he spoke quite politely.
The Sackville-Bagginses were rather offensive. They began by
offering him bad bargain-prices (as between friends) for various
valuable and unlabelled things. When Frodo replied that only the
things specially directed by Bilbo were being given away, they said
the whole affair was very fishy.
'Only one thing is clear to me,' said Otho, 'and that is that
you are doing exceedingly well out of it. I insist on seeing the
will.'
Otho would have been Bilbo's heir, but for the adoption of
Frodo. He read the will carefully and snorted. It was, unfortunately,
very clear and correct (according to the legal customs of hobbits,
which demand among other things seven signatures of witnesses in red
ink).
'Foiled again!' he said to his wife. 'And after waiting sixty
years. Spoons? Fiddlesticks!' He snapped his fingers under Frodo's
nose and stumped off. But Lobelia was not so easily got rid of. A
little later Frodo came out of the study to see how things were going
on and found her still about the place, investigating nooks and
corners and tapping the floors. He escorted her firmly off the
premises, after he had relieved her of several small (but rather
valuable) articles that had somehow fallen inside her umbrella. Her
face looked as if she was in the throes of thinking out a really
crushing parting remark; but all she found to say, turning round on
the step, was:
'You'll live to regret it, young fellow! Why didn't you go
too? You don't belong here; you're no Baggins — you — you're a
Brandybuck!'
'Did you hear that, Merry? That was an insult, if you like,'
said Frodo as he shut the door on her.
'It was a compliment,' said Merry Brandybuck, 'and so, of
course, not true.'
Then they went round the hole, and evicted three young
hobbits (two Boffins and a Bolger) who were knocking holes in the
walls of one of the cellars. Frodo also had a tussle with young
Sancho Proudfoot (old Odo Proudfoot's grandson), who had begun an
excavation in the larger pantry, where he thought there was an echo.
The legend of Bilbo's gold excited both curiosity and hope; for
legendary gold (mysteriously obtained, if not positively ill-gotten)
is, as every one knows, any one's for the finding — unless the search
is interrupted.
When he had overcome Sancho and pushed him out, Frodo
collapsed on a chair in the hall. 'It's time to close the shop,
Merry,' he said. 'Lock the door, and don't open it to anyone today,
not even if they bring a battering ram.' Then he went to revive
himself with a belated cup of tea.
He had hardly sat down, when there came a soft knock at the
front-door. 'Lobelia again most likely,' he thought. 'She must have
thought of something really nasty, and have come back again to say
it. It can wait.'
He went on with his tea. The knock was repeated, much louder,
but he took no notice. Suddenly the wizard's head appeared at the
'If you don't let me in, Frodo, I shall blow your door right
down your hole and out through the hill,' he said.
'My dear Gandalf! Half a minute!' cried Frodo, running out of
the room to the door. 'Come in! Come in! I thought it was Lobelia.'
'Then I forgive you. But I saw her some time ago, driving a
pony-trap towards Bywater with a face that would have curdled new
milk.'
'She had already nearly curdled me. Honestly, I nearly tried
on Bilbo's ring. I longed to disappear.'
'Don't do that!' said Gandalf, sitting down. 'Do be careful
of that ring, Frodo! In fact, it is partly about that that I have
come to say a last word.'
'Well, what about it?'
'What do you know already?'
'Only what Bilbo told me. I have heard his story: how he
found it, and how he used it: on his journey, I mean.'
'Which story, I wonder,' said Gandalf.
'Oh, not what he told the dwarves and put in his book,' said
Frodo. 'He told me the true story soon after I came to live here. He
said you had pestered him till he told you, so I had better know
too. "No secrets between us, Frodo," he said; "but they are not to go
any further. It's mine anyway."'
'That's interesting,' said Gandalf. 'Well, what did you think
of it all?'
'If you mean, inventing all that about a "present", well, I
thought the true story much more likely, and I couldn't see the point
of altering it at all. It was very unlike Bilbo to do so, anyway; and
I thought it rather odd.'
'So did I. But odd things may happen to people that have such
treasures — if they use them. Let it be a warning to you to be very
careful with it. It may have other powers than just making you vanish
when you wish to.'
'I don't understand,' said Frodo.
'Neither do I,' answered the wizard. 'I have merely begun to
wonder about the ring, especially since last night. No need to worry.
But if you take my advice you will use it very seldom, or not at all.
At least I beg you not to use it in any way that will cause talk or
rouse suspicion. I say again: keep it safe, and keep it secret!'
'You are very mysterious! What are you afraid of?'
'I am not certain, so I will say no more. I may be able to
tell you something when I come back. I am going off at once: so this
is good-bye for the present.' He got up.
'At once!' cried Frodo. 'Why, I thought you were staying on
for at least a week. I was looking forward to your help.'
'I did mean to — but I have had to change my mind. I may be
away for a good while; but I'll come and see you again, as soon as I
can. Expect me when you see me! I shall slip in quietly. I shan't
often be visiting the Shire openly again. I find that I have become
rather unpopular. They say I am a nuisance and a disturber of the
peace. Some people are actually accusing me of spiriting Bilbo away,
or worse. If you want to know, there is supposed to be a plot between
you and me to get hold of his wealth.'
'Some people!' exclaimed Frodo. 'You mean Otho and Lobelia.
How abominable! I would give them Bag End and everything else, if I
could get Bilbo back and go off tramping in the country with him. I
love the Shire. But I begin to wish, somehow, that I had gone too. I
wonder if I shall ever see him again.'
'So do I,' said Gandalf. 'And I wonder many other things.
Good-bye now! Take care of yourself! Look out for me, especially at
unlikely times! Good-bye!'
Frodo saw him to the door. He gave a final wave of his hand,
and walked off at a surprising pace; but Frodo thought the old wizard
looked unusually bent, almost as if he was carrying a great weight.
The evening was closing in, and his cloaked figure quickly vanished
into the twilight. Frodo did not see him again for a long time.
Copyright © 1954, 1965, 1966 by J.R.R. Tolkien;
1954 edition copyright © renewed 1982 by Christopher R. Tolkien,
Michael H.R. Tolkien, John F.R. Tolkien and Priscilla M.A.R. Tolkien;
1965/1966 editions copyright © renewed 1993, 1994 by Christopher R.
Tolkien, John F.R. Tolkien and Priscilla M.A.R. Tolkien.
Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company.
What People are Saying About This
No imaginary world has been projected which is at once as multifarious and so true to its own inner laws.
"Here are beauties which pierce like swords or burn like cold iron."—C.S. Lewis
"Destined to outlast our time." The New York Herald-Tribune
"Exciting... Mr. Tolkien's invention is unflagging"—W.H. Auden
An extraordinary work—pure excitement...
One of the great fairy-tale quests in modern literature.
A remarkable book.
A work of immense narrative power that can sweep the reader up and hold him enthralled for days and weeks..
One of the very few works of genius in recent literature.
Among the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century.
Sunday Telegraph
A masterful story — an epic in its own way — with elements of high adventure, suspense, mystery, poetry and fantasy..
For anyone who likes the genre to which it belongs, the Heroic Quest, I cannot imagine a more wonderful Christmas present....No fiction I have read in the last five years has given me more joy than The Fellowship of the Ring.
—Books of the Century; The New York Times Book Review
Destined to outlast our time.
New York Herald Tribune
Here are beauties which pierce like swords or burn like cold iron.
New York Herald-Tribune
J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Silmarillion (1977), published four years after his death, continued the saga of the mythological kingdom of Middle-Earth, begun in his epic trilogy Lord of the Rings. Christopher Tolkien, son of the English novelist and medievalist, here reconstructs the evolution of The Silmarillion using his father's manuscripts and notes and adding his own extensive commentaries and annotations. Picking up where this massive study left off, he reprints the entire text of the unfinished Grey Annals (begun around 1930, reworked in the 1950s, and largely incorporated in The Silmarillion). Amid momentous battles and heroic deeds, we learn how Hurin the Steadfast, released after 28 years of captivity in Morgoth's fortress, journeys among the forest people of Brethril, spreading disaster, and follow the exploits of his son Turin Turambar and daughter Nienor. Included also are J.R.R. Tolkien's discussion of his characters' motives, his detailed maps of imaginary realism, and his essays on the origins and meanings of elvish words and the Dwarves' elaborate gestural language. For hard-core Tolkien devotees and scholars. (Dec.)
Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
The Fellowship of the Ring (Lord of the Rings Trilogy #1) 4.6 out of 5 based on 0 ratings. 1513 reviews.
I first started reading The Lord of the Rings while in the military. I had a lot of time to pass and I'm so very glad I chose these books to pass it with. I absolutely loved the story and how J.R.R Tolkien constructs a world I could never have dreamed of on my own. His imagination and superb writing have gone on to inspire innumerable artists in today's culture. I must admit when the movies came out I was hesitant to watch them. I'm glad I did though because they did a very fine job of capturing the magic of the story. Of course there were things left out. The already long movies would have been epic tales that would last hours upon hours on film had everything been included. I highly recommend these books to anyone who wants to be taken away to another time and place where magic is alive and simpler things like home are treasured.
I thought that the book was great. You would be able to understand it if you are older than 6th grade. In the story Frodo, a hobbit, inherits a very powerful ring. Frodo and 3 other hobbits travel on a journey to Rivendell to find out what to do with the ring. There they decide that they have to destroy the ring once and for all. The fellowship must travel to the depths of Mount Doom and cast the ring into the fire. What I liked best about the book is that the hobbits aren't the fastest or the strongest of the fellowship, but they don't give up on each other. It is overall a great book that you should read.
The reason that I read this book is because I have always heard great things about this book and have seen all of its excellent movies and so far all of its reviews are well justified. In this book, the beginning of a great war in the land of Middle Earth is unfolding. I would not recommend reading this book until you have read the prelude to it called The Hobbit which describes the tale of Bilbo Baggins. Now in The Lord of the Rings the fellowship of the Ring. It shows the discovering of the ring of power which was forged in secret by the dark lord Sauron and his sending of the nine ring wraiths to the peaceful land of the shire and Frodo Baggins and his fear full escape to the elf city of Rivendell with the ring wraiths on there tails ready to kill any that stood in there way. The final part I can say without ruining the book is in Rivendell under the wise council of the elf lord Elrond a ground of nine ( a elf, dwarf, 4 hobbits, and 2 men)set out on a almost completely hopeless quest to destroy the ring of power forever. The reason I enjoyed that book and I think you will too. Is because this book is described in the most brilliant detail and you can see everything unfold in your head, and the everlasting fantasy that you won't forget anytime soon.
When they wrote "THE GREATEST FANTASY EPIC OF OUR TIME" They weren't lying. The Fellowship is an awesome exciting book that creates a solid foundation for the rest of the books. The Two Towers and Return of The King blew me away even more.
This book will suck you in in the first 20 pages, and will not let you go for another 479. This is truly a great book, For any who are going to start Lord Of The Rings I HIGHLY suggest the you read the hoobit also, It is also a wonderful book.
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien was fantastic. It stars the nephew of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit named Frodo Baggins. As the story goes, Frodo adventures into the darkness with his friends Merry, Pippin, and Sam. They dodge creatures left and right, including the fiendish ringwraiths. As they travel on they gain support from unlikely places and battle an evil so terrible that only the power of the heart can surpress it. This is a very magical story that puts a spell over you so that you cannot put it down.
My name is Will .I am 12, and YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK . The plot to it is : Bilbo Baggins (a Hobbit) finds a ring in a cave on an adventure with some dwarves (as told in The Hobbit) . Now his nephew Frodo must must take the ring to mount doom there to destroy it and foil the dark lord in his evil polt.
Some people have said to me that they just couldn't get into LotR and it was boring, and that's perfectly understandable when the people reading it can't just completely lose themselves to the book they're reading. When a person is reading a book and just go along with it, being interested, I'd recommend a book like Maximum Ride. But for people who just completely forget everything besides the book in their hands, completely lose themselves in the world of it--LotR is perfect for them.
Fabulous! It kept me going and going, I reccomend this expesially for avid readers. I'm ten and this book sucked me into this wonderful world of fantasy. This isn't one of those lies. I'm telling the truth, its fantastic. It will make a lot more sense if you have read THE HOBBIT. Also look out for THE TWO TOWERS nd THE RETURN OF THE KING. Of course they are the conclusion to this book. I'm reading THE TWO TOWERS and its also very good. I give this book 5 wopping stars!
My favorite series!!!
The Fellowship is one awesome book! Now I'm reading The Return of the King and it's awesome too (along with The Two Towers)! Though, if I had to name parts I & II, I would call part I, 'From The Shire to Rivendell,' and part II, 'From Rivendell to The Anduin.'
I really am not into fantasy but I enjoyed reading this first part of the Lord of the Rings triolgy. At first I just had to pick a book to read for a class and I thought why not this, I liked the movie. I was suprised when I realized that although arn't nessisarily human they have many human charactersitics and emotions. I would recomend this book to anyone over the age of ten. It's not a quick read but you keep wanting to read more so the length is not an issue. Everyone would find something they like in the Fellowship of The Rings
Sam Hawkins and Kolby Stinson AP Lit Fellowship of the Ring Evaluation J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Rings In his novel, The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien takes the most humble characters in all of Middle Earth, Hobbits, and shows that they are able to accomplish the most amazing feats and basically save the world as they knew it. Hobbits had become estranged to men. They were shorter than dwarves and had huge, hairy feet and were perfectly happy to stay in the Shire and eat, drink beer, party and relax; they were no heroes or warriors or anything glorious. This made them perfect for Tolkien to use to accomplish the most amazing journey and destroy the most powerful evil in Middle Earth. These ordinary hobbits begin their incredible journey with a fellowship of nine but are eventually separated and forced on their own fantastical voyages through Middle Earth and they each discover new sides of themselves they never known before. The hobbits are also used as a base by Tolkien that includes all the peoples of Middle Earth in the struggle between good and evil. This base goes back to how the hobbits are the most unlikely of people to be at the center of this epic tale in the journey to destroy the greatest threat to life of the free people of Middle Earth.
First of all,I am not doing a review but people have been wondering if this is TFOTR and The two towers in one book Answer: NO Somewhere in all of those notes and things at the beginning it says that TLOTR is a SIX book series divided into THREE parts Part one: The Fellowship of the Ring consisting of books one and two Part two:The Two Towers with books three and four And part three: The Return of the King with books five and six so there you go the answer to a question people have been wondering about. Also I have only read five chapters out of the twelve chapters of book one but so far l would give it a four star because of all of the notes and things for the first fifty pages of the book and for all of the details.But overall it is a good book.
austinmitchell44 More than 1 year ago
I loved this book! I will have to admit that it is hard to jump right in and stay interested, however once you know the background of Tolkien's writing I think it brings the story to life and makes you want to continue to read more. Since he had to take all of these fantasy creatures and bring them all into one book and make them work, the extravagant detail is 100% necessary. It still amazes me how he created his own language and an entire map for his writings. This book brings friendship, leadership and humbleness to a new level and definitely draws the reader in once you start to truly understand the characters and put yourself in their shoes and think about how hard this journey could be without all of the current technologies that we have in our time of technological growth. I have always been a fan of the Lord of the Rings movies, but thought that it was about time to read the books. There is no way that you can read the first book and not want to continue to read on to the second book. I would highly suggest this book to anyone who has seen or not seen the Lord of the Rings movies. The book goes into much more detail and you get to visualize the extra scenery the elves have to offer in their mystical lands.
It's the best book I ever read in my entier young life
I love the whole lord of the rings trilogy! Everyone should read it!
My family and i love the lord of the rings
Bret_James_Stewart More than 1 year ago
Ah, The Fellowship of the Ring. The beginning of the serious take on Middle-Earth (after The Hobbit), and the first of the sextet of The Lord of the Rings. Each book has two books in it, so it is frequently mistakenly referred to as trilogy, which irritated Tolkien. Though some readers feel the book lags in regard to action, especially in the beginning, I think this serves a purpose. Tolkien does a great job making Middle-Earth seem real. The cultures and personalities come across as realistic as actual world cultures. He also has a lot of background material he needs to convey in order for the story to make sense. He typically does this via dialogue, but sometimes via description. Tolkien excels at description, and he almost always tells you what the areas look like, topographically, visually, and what sorts of plants and animals are present. You feel as if you're trudging along with the hobbits and Aragorn, experiencing the wonder of the journey. Much of it seems to be patterned after the British Isles, which is not surprising, so large portions are rather bleak, such as large areas of moors, etc. Tolkien lavishes time upon the characters, so you feel you know them, their habits and personalities, motivations, and relations to others. The only negative I have in regard to this is what I call the "double-character" of Merry/Pippin. They are so much alike that one of them is unnecessary. They talk and act alike, and serve similar plot devices and literary functions. This gets worse in the following books, but appears in this one, too. The powerful history of Middle-Earth is brought to the fore, notably in Gandalf's dealings with Frodo, the obssession of the Ringwraiths seeking Frodo, and the Council of Elrond. Some think these boring and/or crippling to the action, but I think these are wonderful ways to convey information, as I mentioned before--the Ringwraiths are not boring, in any event. I like these asides as they add depth to the story. I also don't mind thinking about what is going on, which makes me feel I am sharing in the history/story of Middle-Earth. Tolkien also achieves this realism with side-treks such as the encounter with Tom Bombadil, which adds a mysterious character referring to the primeval stirrings of the world, its history, its present, and, to a lesser degree, its future. The primary plot line, of course, is the identification of the One Ring that was discovered by Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit. Its past impact and potential current and future ability to devastate the world is the impetus for the quest to destroy it. The adventuring group is arranged. They set out to accomplish this goal even though they are not entirely sure how to achieve their objective (meaning the procedure--the goal is clear). The journey itself is grueling, a factor intensified by opposition by other, vying forces independently seeking the Ring. One of these is Gollum, who once possessed/was possessed by the Ring. He is trailing the fellowship. The artifact's essentially irresistible allure begins to work on the group, resulting in mistrust and, in the end, the fall of Boromir to ring-lust, coinciding with an orc attack on the characters as they are physically separated. Frodo attempts to flee alone into the wilderness toward Mordor with the goal of destroying the Ring in the fires of Orodruin (a.k.a. and more commonly known as Mount Doom). The perennially-attentive Sam, however, follows him and convinces him to allow them to go together. The orc attack and flight of Frodo and Sam throw the remaining members into confusion. The fellowship is splintered, and Tolkien leaves us with this cliff-hanger. Will the members survive? Will Frodo and Sam be able to find Mordor? Will Gollum finally catch them? You'll have to read and find out.
CharlesT More than 1 year ago
When I first found out about The Fellowship of the Ring I was very intrigued. I thought the concept of the book and the way Tolkien wrote the tale was amazing. What really grabbed my attention, when I started reading the book, was the lore and the diverse languages shown throughout the series. The Fellowship of the Ring can appeal to anyone of any age, due to the interesting storyline and plot that can get any reader's attention. In The Fellowship of the Ring you will go on an amazing journey throughout Middle-Earth with Frodo and his friends. You will explore the beauties of the shire and come across the wonders of Rivendell. You will go through many journeys to destroy the evil power of the one ring by casting it in the chasm of Mt. Doom. This is all necessary to defeat the Dark Lord, Sauron. Once you start reading this book you will not be able to put it down because of Tolkien's precise attention to character traits and ability of good story telling. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a heartwarming journey, that consists of hardship and challenges that ultimately show the true heart of the hobbits of the shire. Once you start reading this book you will not be able to put it down because of Tolkien's precise attention to character traits and ability of good story telling.
customer2 More than 1 year ago
I tried to read this book but the writing was to slow, boring and difficult to follow. And it wasn't really necessary for the author to add the long and boring poems to this book. Which do nothing more but make the book more boring.
Legolas is my favorite, but this whole book is wonderful and is full of mystical people and creatures from all of J.R.R. Tolkein's world. It is full of page turning chapters of mystery and fantasy. I loved it.
I believe that the books are so much better than the movies! They leave so many awesome things that are in the books out of the movies
One of my favorite books in the world!!! Best in the trilogy. SC
Fellowship of the Ring is by far one of my favorite books ever. Its the story of Frodo a hobbit who by most accounts has lived a fairly normal and calm life and how he inherits a powerful ring that changes his life. This is the first book of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In this instalment is the story of Frodo receiving the one ring from his uncle Bilbo. Then being forced to escape evil powers searching for it in his homeland. His quest to the elven city of Rivendell. And the decision of the council there to destroy the ring in the dark land of Mordor. Finally culminating in the adventures of the first leg of their journey. I recommend this book to anyone who is like a good fantasy adventure story with twist, turns, and excitement. Also for anyone who enjoys a tale with both happiness and sorrow, with a hint of witty humor throughout.
book by bruce hale
book by nancy e shaw
book by elizabeth marie pope
Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary
New York Times bestseller "A thrill . . . Beowulf was Tolkien's lodestar. Everything he did led up ...
New York Times bestseller "A thrill . . . Beowulf was Tolkien's lodestar. Everything he did led up to or away from it." —New Yorker J.R.R. Tolkien completed his translation of Beowulf in 1926: he returned to it later to make hasty corrections, but ...
CliffsNotes on Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings
Join the journey through Middle-earth in the study guide of these two epic fantasies suggestive ...
Join the journey through Middle-earth in the study guide of these two epic fantasies suggestive of life in medieval days, a classical battle between good and evil and the quest for a magical ring. This guide covers all four volumes ...
Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien's "the Hobbit"
An admirable and thought-provoking consideration of the underlying themes of The Hobbit, following the there-and-back-again ...
An admirable and thought-provoking consideration of the underlying themes of The Hobbit, following the there-and-back-again progress from its famous first line on through to Bilbo's return home at the story's end.—Douglas A. Anderson, author of The Annotated Hobbit The Hobbit is ...
J.R.R. Tolkien's classic prelude to his Lord of the Rings trilogy Bilbo Baggins is a ...
J.R.R. Tolkien's classic prelude to his Lord of the Rings trilogy Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf ...
This collection will entertain all who appreciate the art of masterful letter writing. The Letters ...
This collection will entertain all who appreciate the art of masterful letter writing. The Letters of J.R.R Tolkien sheds much light on Tolkien's creative genius and grand design for the creation of a whole new world: Middle-earth. Featuring a radically ...
The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook
Alan Lee, the Oscar-winning conceptual designer for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, discusses ...
Alan Lee, the Oscar-winning conceptual designer for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, discusses his approach to depicting Tolkien's imaginary world. The book presents more than 150 of Lee's celebrated illustrations to show how his imagery for both the ...
Mr. Putter and Tabby Ring the Bell
It's back to school for Mr. Putter & Tabby!Dong! Dong! Dong! The school bell is ...
It's back to school for Mr. Putter & Tabby!Dong! Dong! Dong! The school bell is ringing. The crispy fall wind is blowing. Mr. Putter wishes he could go back to school—even for just one day. Then he has an idea: ...
Mythmaker: The Life of J.R.R. Tolkien, Creator of
J. R. R. Tolkien was far more than a fantasy book writer. His lifelong fascination ...
J. R. R. Tolkien was far more than a fantasy book writer. His lifelong fascination with medieval texts and languages gave him a unique vision and endless inspiration for his tales. His broad interests made possible his creation of faery ...


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Main page	> Museum > News
2,1 million visitors at the Memorial in 2017
Two million one hundred thousand people from all over the world visited the site of the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, which are both protected by the Museum, in 2017. It's over 50 thousand more than in 2016, when for the first time the attendance at the Memorial was over 2 million visitors.
The top ten countries from which our visitors come are: Poland (498,000), the United Kingdom (339,000), the United States (183,000), Italy (115,000), Spain (101,000), Germany (85,000), Israel (83,000), France (74,000), Czechia (53,000) and Sweden (44,000).
In 2017, the number of visitors from several countries increased significantly in comparison with the previous year: Ukraine (48 per cent), Canada (36 per cent) and Greece (32 per cent.
The most valuable form of learning the history of the camp is by exploring it with one of over 300 educators of the Museum who speak nearly 20 languages. Their competence is evidenced by the fact that 81 percent of visitors last year, that is almost 1,7 million people, opted for this form of tour.
For individual visitors, we recommend tours with a guide in specially organised groups in one of 9 languages. Last year, the number of visitors who opted for this proposal increased by over 10 percent and amounted to 343,000 persons. For those interested in an in-depth understanding of the subject may choose from the various versions of extended guided tours available.
The new terms and conditions for visiting and booking at the Auschwitz Memorial are effective as from 2 January 2018. One of the most important changes is the introduction of personal Entry Passes for individual tours.
'The introduction of personal Entry Passes is aimed at improving safety on the site of the authentic and protected historical site. But above all, we want to increase the accessibility of the Memorial to individual visitors,' said Andrzej Kacorzyk, the director of the International Centre for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust.
'Due to the great interest in visiting the Memorial, we have unfortunately noted cases of reservation and purchase of Entry Passes for speculative purposes, which makes it difficult for individual visitors to explore the Museum. Personal Entry Passes should effectively prevent such incidents,' Kacorzyk added.
Booking of Entry Passes for individual visitors - for a tour with an educator or without an educator (free) may be made at the website of the Museum: visit.auschwitz.org three months in advance.
Group reservation can be made six months in advance by completing a special form on visit.auschwitz.org. Due to the stability of the booking system, each user will be able to make a maximum of 100 entries in one day. The entire terms and conditions are available here.
Besides guiding huge numbers of visitors at the authentic Memorial, an important part of the educational activities of the Museum are specialised educational projects. Over 17,000 people from all around the world participated in seminars, conferences or other activities of the International Center for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust in 2017. The Centre also coordinated the activities of over 400 volunteers, trainees and interns from all over the world who by assisting in the daily work of the Museum, get to know more about the Memorial and its history.
Social media portals are also an important part of direct messaging, thanks to which historical information, photographs, and descriptions of the most important events at the Memorial, e.g. an anniversary commemoration, appear in the virtual space every day. Nearly 250,000 people use the Museum's profile on Facebook; more than 58,000 follow the Museum's account on Twitter, and over 30,0000 on Instagram. In 2017, over 33 million visits to the www.auschwitz.org website were recorded.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


PRESS RELEASE – The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Red Tail Squadron, America's tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, today announced their RISE ABOVE Red Tail spring schedule of outreach events that will take them to several spots in the eastern U.S., before their tour heads across the country in the summer and fall. Their mission is to educate audiences everywhere about the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen – America's first black military pilots and their support personnel – and each event is a platform to share this inspirational message.
Although the P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen will most likely not be on tour the remainder of the year after an incident earlier in February, the CAF Red Tail Squadron, along with support from other CAF aircraft and Mustang operators, will maintain their full schedule of events with their RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit. This mobile panoramic movie theater features the original film "Rise Above," an immersive experience that creates the feeling of being in the cockpit and soaring above the clouds in a P-51C. It is a visually compelling and exciting way to learn about the Tuskegee Airmen's triumph over adversity.
Events are subject to change, and more are being added. For updated and detailed information, visit the group's calendar at redtail.org/calendar. Entrance to the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit is always free, although tickets may be required for entry to individual events.
While on tour, the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit makes additional visits to area schools where students are encouraged to think critically about the group's Six Guiding Principles – Aim High, Believe In Yourself, Use Your Brain, Be Ready To Go, Never Quit and Expect to Win. Contact Marvona Welsh, logistics coordinator, at marvona@redtail.org or (812) 240-2560 for information on how to bring your school, group or community organization to be inspired by the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.
Individuals, businesses, community organizations and foundations that are interested in supporting the CAF Red Tail Squadron's mission can learn more about sponsorship opportunities by contacting LaVone Kay, marketing director, at info@redtail.org or (888) 928-0188. One-time or recurring donations can be made securely online at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/crts or sent to: CAF Red Tail Squadron, 971 Hallstrom Drive, Red Wing, MN 55066.


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Ethanol •23 mins 2.160 +0.000 +0.00%
Nu's successful listing probably served…
Unsurprisingly, last year was very…
Zerohedge.com
The leading economics blog online covering financial issues, geopolitics and trading.
$600 Billion At Risk As Boeing Fallout Continues
By Zero Hedge - Mar 14, 2019, 12:00 PM CDT
New evidence shows that the Boeing Co. 737 MAX which crashed in Ethiopia on Sunday may have experienced similar technical difficulties as the 737 MAX that crashed off Indonesia last year. The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) cited similarities with in-flight data of both planes when it spoke to global regulators about grounding the jet. With the company facing a PR disaster and loss of confidence with global airline carriers, there could be more than $600 billion in orders at risk of cancellation, reported Bloomberg.
VietJet Aviation JSC doubled its 737 MAX order last month to $25 billion, now the Vietnamese low-cost airliner is having second thoughts. Kenya Airways Plc is reviewing its contracts to purchase billions of dollars of the MAX and could even switch to Airbus SE's rival A320. Russia's Utair Aviation PJSC is expected to take delivery of 30 MAXs but wants to seek guarantees the planes are not defective.
Indonesia's Lion Air has informed Boeing that they plan to cut a $22 billion order and will instead buy Airbus jets. Garuda Indonesia, the national airline of Indonesia, will reduce most MAX orders.
Flyadeal, a unit of Saudi Arabian Airlines, said in December, it would purchase 50 MAX jets, but the company is now waiting on results of the investigation before taking the order.
"We're closely monitoring the situation and are in constant contact with Boeing," the company said in an email. "There are no conclusions to be drawn at this time."
Bloomberg said the MAX version of the 737 MAX has more than 5,000 orders outstanding, worth more than $600 billion. To put that number in perspective, it is more than the GDP of Switzerland.
From Christmas to early March, Boeing's stock advanced 53% in 44 trading sessions due to billions of dollars in stock buybacks. News of the second crash collapsed the stock, tumbling more than 18% and is now on the cusp of a bear market. The stock ended up slightly higher Wednesday after the FAA grounded all MAX planes over the US.
The deadly crash in Ethiopia comes five months after the Oct. 29 crash of another MAX plane, operated by Indonesia's Lion Air. Boeing pointed to maintenance issues and human error at Lion, even though the plane's pilots had reported computer issues before the crash. Related: Lobster, Golf Carts And Fidget Spinners: What's In The Federal Budget?
Boeing is in a crisis as most of the world have grounded the MAX planes. The FAA Wednesday grounded the aircraft, citing evidence showing the Ethiopian Airlines flight may have experienced the same problem as the plane that went down five months ago off Indonesia.
"With extensive grounding of the 737 Max, near term news could get worse for Boeing before it improves," Cai von Rumohr, an analyst with Cowen & Co., said in a note.
With $600 billion in orders at risk, the loss of two MAX airplanes has severely damaged Boeing's credibility. It has even caused jitters at the White House, as two people familiar with the Trump admin told the Washington Post that President Trump did not want to ground the planes because it would damage the stock market.
By Zerohedge.com
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Why Twitter's CEO Is Backing A New Bitcoin Boom
Venezuela Has Yet Another Crisis Developing
The Energy Industry Has A Millennial Problem


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October 7, 2010 report
Jellyfish protein could be used to power nanodevices
by Lin Edwards , Phys.org
Aequorea victoria. Image credit: Sierra Blakely/Wikipedia.
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers in Sweden have been liquidizing thousands of specimens of a common North American jellyfish to extract a protein that could be used in microscopic fuel cells.
The jellyfish (Aequorea Victoria) contain a green fluorescent protein (GFP) that makes them glow in the dark, and a research team led by Zackary Chiragwandi from the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, has been extracting the protein and using it to create a bio fuel cell. When a droplet of the protein is placed onto aluminum electrodes and then exposed to ultraviolet light an electric current is generated at a nanoscale suitable for powering "nanodevices".
Nanodevices are devices measured in nanometers, where one nanometer is a billionth of one meter. Their use in medicine is in its infancy, and one of the chief difficulties in working with nanoscale devices is powering them.
Chiragwandi has also used his fuel cell with light-emitting enzymes derived from fireflies and sea pansies (Renilla reniformis) that create their own light source, making the fuel cell completely self-contained.
In other research, methods have been developed to grow artificial green fluorescent protein in the laboratory using bacteria, and if successful this would create the GFP without the need to harvest and liquefy large numbers of jellyfish.
Other light-powered cells, such as Grätzel cells (which mimic plant photosynthesis), use elements such as titanium oxide, which make them a much more expensive option for powering nanodevices. Since the jellyfish protein fuel cells can also generate their own light, no outside source of light is needed, making the process simpler and more efficient.
Chiragwandi says the fuel cells could be used to independently power nanodevices operating in the human body for applications such as fighting or imaging tumors, medical diagnosis, communication devices, or perhaps even reversing blindness. If scaled up they could also be used like thin films to make cheaper solar cells. The technology could become available within one or two years.
© 2010 PhysOrg.com
Citation: Jellyfish protein could be used to power nanodevices (2010, October 7) retrieved 30 January 2023 from https://phys.org/news/2010-10-jellyfish-protein-power-nanodevices.html
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Miami film production
Natalie Huey
FL, Miami
Top 10 Draws to Hiring Video Production Services in Miami Filmmaking in Miami has several benefits. Whether you're drawn to consider video production services in Miami due to the weather and climate or the unique community and diversity, there's something for everyone in this Florida town. Miami represents some of […]
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Ashley Pascual
9 Benefits of Using the Miami Film Commission as a Top Resource The Miami Film Office, sometimes referred to as the Miami Film Commission, is a resource for filmmakers and those in various fields of the entertainment industry. Offering support for a variety of programs and processes related to filmmaking […]
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7 Keys to Booking the Right Film Production Companies in Miami
7 Keys to Booking the Right Film Production Companies in Miami The film industry is highly competitive in Miami and there's an abundance of professional producers and production companies in the city vying for the work of local businesses. As such, booking film production companies in Miami, Florida can be […]
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Tastefully updated home on cul-de-sac with gated entry. Beautiful mountain & treetop views, gorgeous pool with water feature & automatic cover, 2 master suites, 2 great-rooms, multiple dining areas, in-law set-up, gorgeous slate patio area with built-in BBQ, and plenty of room to entertain! Owned solar & Grant School Dist. Hike or ride your bike to Whiskeytown Lake and Falls. A must see!
Listed by Chad M. Phillips, Broker of VISTA REAL ESTATE. Listing data last updated 4/23/2019 at 10:20 AM PDT.
Based on information from the Shasta Association of REALTORS® via FlexMLS as of 4/23/2019 10:39 AM. This information is for your personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties you may be interested in purchasing. Display of MLS data is usually deemed reliable but is NOT guaranteed accurate by the MLS. Buyers are responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information and should investigate the data themselves or retain appropriate professionals. Information from sources other than the Listing Agent may have been included in the MLS data. Unless otherwise specified in writing, Broker/Agent has not and will not verify any information obtained from other sources. The Broker/Agent providing the information contained herein may or may not have been the Listing and/or Selling Agent.
I am interested 14567 Clear Creek Knolls Dr, Redding, CA 96001, and would like to request a showing. Thank You.


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Schönforst steht für

 Amt Schönforst, historisches Territorium im Herzogtum Jülich, später Gemeinde Forst, seit 1906 Stadtteil von Aachen, siehe Forst (Aachen)
 Schönforst (Aachen), Ortsteil von Aachen im Stadtteil Forst
 Schönforst (Adelsgeschlecht), Adelsgeschlecht aus der Nähe von Aachen
 Burg Schönforst, Stammsitz des Adelsgeschlechts im Aachener Ortsteil Schönforst

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


It's the age-old question: What do we have to do to actually get ourselves to work out? Do we get a fitness buddy who hassles us when we skip a day? Do we join the gym that's closest to home? Or do we avoid the trouble of leaving the home at all and add a workout space to our houses? The last option is ideal. That is, it's ideal if you've got the space and money. Traditional home gyms require an upfront investment in equipment and open space, which a lot of people simply don't have. Before you give up on the idea of creating a workout space at home, though, consider a yoga room.
Yoga's gaining in popularity for a reason. It's adjustable depending on the intensity of workout you want. It helps you get stronger and more limber. It's ideal for just about every body type and age group. And it doesn't require much to get started. Roll out a mat on your living room floor, queue up a YouTube video (we love Yoga with Adriene) and you're ready to go. If you want to create a home gym without the hassle and cost of creating a home gym, try a yoga room. Here are just a few reasons to designate a space for your practice.
As we mentioned before, setting up a home gym requires an initial investment. Even a simple weight set doesn't run cheap, and how long is that weight set going to hold your interest, really? You want equipment that will keep you engaged, and that often means shelling out for pricey additions like a Bowflex or Peleton.
A yoga space, on the other hand, doesn't require much. Buy a mat, and you're basically ready to get started. Sure, you might want to add some blocks or straps down the road, but those are both affordable and they take up very little space. While the Bowflex is a pain to maneuver into your workout space and set up, yoga equipment is lightweight and packs away easily. That means you don't necessarily need to clear out an entire room. Just set aside an area that can accommodate your mat and is free from visual clutter, and you're ready to begin.
How many home gyms sit vacant day after day? While you'd think that having a workout space just steps away makes it easier to go exercise, the fact is that sometimes (okay, maybe a lot of the time) we just don't feel like it. If you want to create a workout area that gets used on a regular basis, a yoga room is a solid option. Most workouts are high intensity. Sure, you can do fewer reps or take things down a peg, but you still have to be in the headspace where you're willing to grind.
Yoga is different. There are definitely types of yoga that get your blood pumping (looking at you, vinyasa), but others are more mellow. A yin-type yoga flow is the ideal physical activity for when you don't really feel like doing any physical activity. You won't burn as many calories, but you'll be focusing on your breath and your body's alignment. As a result, you still get physical benefits from your time in your home gym. And because you showed up – even for a mellower flow – you're more likely to do so again tomorrow. And the next day.
When you set aside a space for yoga, you set aside a space to be mindful of your physical body. You create an area for self-care, and it can be used for that even when you're not working out. A yoga space can be a retreat you use to read, meditate or catch a quiet moment to yourself. If you think of this as your chill lounge or meditation room, you'll get more use out of the space.
We're not just touting yoga because it's easy to set up in your home (although we won't lie, that's a big draw). It's a great workout. There's a reason people have been doing yoga for centuries, after all. You can tailor your yoga practice to your fitness goals. People tend to assume yoga is for flexible people who want to become more flexible. In reality, it's a way to engage your body exactly as it is now. You don't need to do any training to get into yoga – you can just start. You can pick poses and sequences (often called flows) that work for you and help you achieve your fitness goals. And you'll be helping your mental health along the way, too.
Do you have a yoga room in your house, or do you plan to add one? Do you have any additional tips for getting into your practice?