Bilbo confirmed saying how he felt he needed a change, perhaps, to feel better. "'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'" (p. 41, The Fellowship of the Ring). He wished to see mountains again and to finish his book. Bilbo made Gandalf promise to look after Frodo to which the wizard wholeheartedly agreed. But the ring was another matter. At first Bilbo said he had left it for Frodo but then realized it was in his pocket. The hobbit began to have doubts about that part of the plan. Gandalf meanwhile was insistent on this point, seeing it as the only truly good part of everything that happened.
Bilbo grew very annoyed with Gandalf. "'You are always badgering me about my ring; but you have never bothered me about the other things that I got on my journey'" (p. 41-42, The Fellowship of the Ring). Being a wizard Gandalf said he had a professional interest in magic rings and reaffirmed that Bilbo had possessed the Ring quite long enough. Now Bilbo became angry blaming his anger on Gandalf. "'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'" (p. 42, The Fellowship of the Ring).
Still Bilbo was obstinate and Gandalf had an unexpected showdown on his hands. He tried to persuade the hobbit based on their friendship and finally revealed a bit of his power so that the room seemed to shrink. This seemed to snap Bilbo back into reality. "'I don't know what had 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, Gollum would have killed me, if I hadn't kept it. I am not a thief, whatever he said'" (p. 42, The Fellowship of the Ring). Gandalf assured Bilbo he thought nothing less of him but the wizard did seem troubled.
Bilbo apologized admitting that he felt as if the Ring were an eye watching him and he always needed it by his side and often thought about putting it on. On one hand Bilbo thought it might be nice to be free of it but on the other hand he did not wish to give it away and his mind went back and forth. "'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'" (p. 43, The Fellowship of the Ring). Finally, reluctantly, Bilbo agreed. I like what Gandalf said to Bilbo. The words of a dear friend who is loving and looking out for another dear friend. I have been in that place Bilbo was where I knew something in my life (whether an actual physical possession or not) must go but I did not have the will to let it go. And it took the help of friends, who's minds were quite made up, who could look at my life from another perspective and see what's best, to help me take that step. That's why I love Tolkien's writings. There are snippets, here and there, in the midst the epic battles and characters that cause me to pause and reflect on my own life: where I've been and where I'm headed.
As Bilbo was ready to set out three dwarves appeared from various places in Bag End to accompany him. Bilbo said his goodbye to Gandalf affirming he was happier and freer than he had been in some time (probably due, in some measure, to leaving the Ring). He set off singing his traveling song:
"'The Road goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with eager feet, Until it joins some larger way Where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say'" (p. 44, The Fellowship of the Ring). Frodo arrived soon afterword to find Gandalf sitting in deep thought. Gandalf confirmed that Bilbo had left as he planned and announced Frodo as the Master of Bag End now, including the magic Ring. He cautioned Frodo to keep it secret and keep it safe and went off to bed.
The next day Frodo was left with quite a mess. Hundreds of confused Hobbits arrived at Bag End to see what exactly happened the night before. Frodo simply said Bilbo left on a journey and had presents for certain individuals. Indeed, there were many packages labeled for different hobbits. Some were generally welcomed and needed (especially by the poorer families) while others were one last joke or jab. For example one package was labeled: " For LOBELIA SACKVILLE-BAGGINS, as a PRESENT; on a case of silver spoons. Bilbo believed that she 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" (p. 46, The Fellowship of the Ring). That's funny; a good play by Bilbo and the fact that she still took the spoons.
Once the presents started being distributed a rumor spread around Hobbiton that all of Bag End was available. Many more came and Frodo, along with his good friend Merry Brandybuck, could not keep them out. It was a long afternoon of turning people away and escorting free-loaders out of the house. Some were even beginning to knock holes in walls looking for Bilbo's fabled gold treasure. The Sackville-Bagginses were particularly hard to remove and they insisted to see all of Bilbo's will and legal documents to verify that Frodo was now indeed the legal heir. For Otho Sackville-Baggins would have been the rightful heir had not Frodo been adopted.
Finally everyone was cleared from the house and Frodo sat for some tea when a knock came. He ignored it even has it increased. Finally Gandalf's head popped into the window: "'If you don't let me in, Frodo, I shall blow your door right down your hole and out through the hill'" (p. 48, The Fellowship of the Ring). They began to talk about the days events when Frodo mentioned he had thoughts of putting on Bilbo's Ring to disappear; of course Gandalf said that was not to be done and he had come to speak with Frodo about the Ring. He asked Frodo what he knew about the Ring. Frodo only knew what Bilbo had told him about it: it's discovery and use on the journey; he did confirm to Gandalf that he heard the true tale and not the one that Bilbo gave to the dwarves. Frodo thought the real story more believable and that it was odd for Bilbo to lie like that. Gandalf agreed: "'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'" (p. 49, The Fellowship of the Ring).
Frodo did not completely understand and neither did Gandalf. In fact, Gandalf said he'd be leaving immediately to learn more about the Ring. He told Frodo not to worry but to avoid using it and, once again, to keep it secret and safe. Frodo was distraught for he thought Gandalf was staying on for another week but it seemed the wizard's interaction with Bilbo the night before changed his 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'" (p. 49, The Fellowship of the Ring). And with that Gandalf gave his final goodbyes leaving a puzzled Frodo behind.
Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 3001, September 22nd-23rd
Today's reading comes from: The Fellowship of the Ring, pages 40-51
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