But I guess you know by now there was more than meets the eye. Mr. Bilbo's mother was a real blue-blood, Miss Belladonna Took. My Gaffer always said she was the most beautifulest Hobbit in the Shire, and he should know. She was friends with Mr.Gandalf long afore the rest of us was even born. No one knows for sure just where she went with Mr.Gandalf, but they seemed to have had a lasting friendship.
Anyways, when Mr. Bilbo was fifty years old--which is about like 35 for you Humans-- Mr. Gandalf returned to Hobbiton for the first time since Mr.Bilbo was a boy. He arranged an unexpected party with thirteen Dwarves who were on their way to a distant mountain to take back their treasure and their mountain city from a firey dragon. In spite of his own good Hobbit-sense, he went with them, became a hero, adventurer, and a friend to Dwarves, Men and Elves.
Mr.Bilbo returned home, fabulously wealthy. My gaffer saw that, too. Back then, he was just a lad and known as "Ham", and his dad worked for Mr.Bilbo just he himself later did. From that day onward, mr. bilbo seemed shrouded with mystery. Everyone just KNEW that he had scads of gold and jools stashed away at Bag End, but no one ever seen him with it, 'sept that he was always generous with his money. What no one knew then was that he was also in possession of a curious "magic" Ring that could turn him "invisible". He later learned that it was the One Ring, forged by the Dark Lord, Sauron - the Lord of the Rings, but that was another story to tell somewhere else.
Old Mr.Bilbo adopted his 'nephew', who was actually the son of one of his many cousins on the Brandybuck side o' the family tree. You guessed right - I'm talkin' about none other than our own Mr. Frodo Baggins, who would be the one destined to carry the Ring across Middle Earth on a quest to destroy the Ring. That was a hard task for Mr.Frodo, but it was actually old Mr. Bilbo hisself who had the courage to give up the Ring all by himself (with a bit'o help from Mr. Gandalf). He also left his lifelong home to travel eastward for a time, then settle in the Elven palace at Rivendel where he lived out his days in peace, quiet, and happiness, writing poetry and songs, and becoming a scholar. He'd long before began the daunting task of documenting his many adventures, and even some history of Hobbits. He left that job for Mr. Frodo to cointinue, and it was eventually left for me to finish it.
When the Elves all abandoned Middle Earth, Mr.Bilbo, along with Mr.Frodo, were priviledged to be invited to join them on their journey, gaining as it were, an Elven immortality.
In many ways, he was truly the most remarkable Hobbit of them all.
But of all the things about him i remember best, it was that wonderful night when i was just a lad, when Mr.Bilbo threw the grandest party of his elevnty-first birthday, and Mr. Frodo's coming-of-age day. Never did I see such fireworks as Mr. Gandalf showed off to us, and never did we have as much fun as old Mr. Bilbo provided for us.
As my old Gaffer would say, "That Mr. Bilbo is one fine gentlehobbit." And that about says it all, don't you agree?"
...SAMWISE GAMGEE, ESQ.
