Gollum and the Ring

With the emergence of the Black Riders the significance of Bilbo's magic ring began to increase. The next chapter of Return of the Shadow begins to show this evolution.

There is a snippet of conversation between Bingo and an unnamed Elf (precursor to Gildor) where the Elf warns Bingo that the Lord of the Ring is looking for him to either get the ring back, get the ring back and demand payment, or take the ring and the bearer.

Another snippet offers more ominous information to Bingo (though the speaker here is unidentified). Interesting tidbits include: the keeper of the Ring eventually becomes a ring wraith and some back history on the Ring-lord:

• Many rings were given to Elves and there are many elf-wraiths in the world whom the Ring-lord cannot control
• Goblins had many rings, their wraiths are terrible and fully controlled by the Ring-lord
• Dwarves were thought to have no rings
• Men had few rings and were quickly overcome and fully controlled by the Ring-lord

All of this leads to a what would become the second chapter of The Lord of the Rings. In the first version of the chapter covered by Christopher Tolkien Gandalf is now the speaker explaining to Bingo the history of the ring. I will bullet some of the points I find interesting; mostly for there differences from the final version:

• I like this quote about Gandalf: "Already to him the days of the journey and the Dragon and the Battle of Five Armies began to seem far off--in an almost legendary past" (p. 77, The Return of the Shadow). It's a nice tie into The Hobbit.
• Bingo's gives an affectionate affirmation to Gandalf that illustrates the relationship between the wandering wizard and the Bagginses of Bag-end: "'O dearest and best friend of our house, may your beard never grow less!'" (p. 77, The Return of the Shadow).
• Bilbo's Ring is the only one left and hobbits are the only people the Lord has not mastered
• The Elf rings and wraiths remain the same as the previous snippet. The Goblin wraiths are still present but fewer. 
• The Dwarves now possess 7 rings but they did not become invisible like the other wraiths. But the rings inflamed their greedy lusts and in that way the Lord could control them.
• Men possessed three rings; not given by the Lord but found after being cast away by elves. These they immediately returned to the Lord and served him. 
• All rings were accounted for save Bilbo's which was originally found by Gollum. 
• "It fell from the hand of an elf as he swam across a river; and it betrayed him, for he was flying from pursuit in the old wars, and he became visible to his enemies, and the goblins slew him" (p. 78, The Return of the Shadow). Remarkably this is the story of Isildur's betrayal minus the particular details. 
• In this version the Ring was swallowed by a fish which was driven mad jumping up water falls and the like before spitting the Ring on the bank and dying. A
• And there it was found by Gollum, or rather Dígol, of the fathers of fathers of hobbits. Dígol was always interested in the ground and burrowing and used his new treasure to gather secrets of his family until they disowned him. 
• Eventually, hating the light and alone, Gollum burrowed into a mountain where he could spend his life exploring its roots.
• Gandalf alludes to something "mysterious" behind Bilbo's finding of the Ring which was beyond the design of the Lord of the Rings. 
• Bingo mentions it was a pity Bilbo did not kill Gollum and Gandalf responds quickly, as in The Lord of the Rings, it was pity that stayed his hand--although it lacks the deeper perspective then what was eventually published. 
• Bingo finds it very difficulty to "destroy" the Ring when prodded by Gandalf. But all the same it is decided the Ring must be destroyed. 
• Gandalf encourages Bingo to invite his three best friends on his journey; although it will be remarkably different than Bingo's with no set destination and the goal to lose, not gain, treasure. 

This was a jolly read seeing The Lord of the Rings taking shape.