Weary from their travels over the Misty Mountains Gandalf and Bilbo arrive at Rivendell and are warmly greeted by Elrond and the Elves. Gandalf recounted their adventures to many eager ears while Bilbo quietly rested for he and Gandalf had discussed much of it after leaving Beorn's house. But every now and then Bilbo perked up at a new telling; he learned that the business Gandalf had left the company for was a meeting of the White Council and that they had driven the Necromancer from southern Mirkwood. Gandalf lamented that he wished rather that enemy had been driven from the world and Elrond feared that would not happen for some time.
Bilbo finally went to sleep that night but was awoken by the Elves singing. "'Well, Merry People!' said Bilbo looking out. 'What time by the moon is this? Your lullaby would waken a drunken goblin! Yet I thank you.' 'And your snores would waken a stone dragon--yet we thank you,' they answered with laughter" (p. 311, The Hobbit). Within a week's time Gandalf and Bilbo were well rested and ready to move on for the hobbit was anxious to arrive at home. "'There is a long road yet,' said Gandalf. 'But it is the last road.' said Bilbo" (p. 311, The Hobbit). That's a beautiful line. Reminds me of my grandmother passed away about a year ago and her struggle to leave this life was a long road; but it is the last road, amen.
Each passing landmark brought memories back to Bilbo. Eventually they reached the spot where they encountered the trolls, Tom, Bert, and Bill. They found the troll-gold still hidden and buried and took it with them. When they reached the Shire and Bilbo could just make out his hill he burst into poem. "Gandalf looked at him. 'My dear Bilbo!' he said. 'Something is the matter with you! You are not the hobbit that you were.'" (p. 313, The Hobbit). Indeed, Bilbo had grown quite a bit through his adventure, finding his courage, using his wisdom, and relying on his strengths along the way.
But all was not quite perfect. For reaching Bag-End Bilbo found a most surprising and disconcerting site. An auction with all of his things being sold! Indeed the signs in the yard stated the auction would take place at 10:00am on June 22nd, it was now noon and most everything was sold. Obviously the return of Bilbo Baggins caused quite a reaction. It took years to convince some (particularly those who had gotten good deals at the auction) that he was indeed alive. Bilbo had to use most of his treasure to buy back his household goods and his silver spoons were never recovered. "Personally he suspected the Sackville-Bagginses. On their side they never admitted that the returned Baggins was genuine, and they were not on friendly terms with Bilbo ever after" (p. 314, The Hobbit). Peter Jackson makes a nice homage to this discord in the extended edition of The Fellowship of the Ring.
Indeed, Bilbo's biggest loss (although not to him) was his reputation. He never was looked at the same for going on his adventure. And being friends with likes of Wizards, Elves, and Dwarves did not help matters. It seemed only his nieces and nephews believed his tales; but one of those nephews will become quite important soon. Nonetheless Bilbo lived happily a good long time writing down his memoirs and telling no one, other than Frodo and Gandalf, about his secret Ring. Many of Bilbo's memoirs and poetry were end up in the Red Book. One particular poem, Errantry, was most likely written not long after his adventure to the Lonely Mountain as it contained references such as: under hill, over hill, spiders and webs, and elven-nights of Faerie, and of course adventures. Here is but one stanza: "He passed the archipelagoes where yellow grows the marigold, where countless silver fountains are, and mountains are of fairy-gold. He took to war and foraying, a-harrying beyond the sea, and roaming over Belmarie and Thellamie, and Fantasie" (p. 212, The Tolkien Reader). Perhaps a little nonsensical which makes perfect sense to a hobbit.
Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 2942 (May 1st-June 22nd)
Today's reading comes from: The Hobbit, 308-316 and The Tolkien Reader, pages 211-214
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