THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
Chapter 4
A SHADOW FROM THE PAST
People in the Shire talk about Bilbo Baggins for a long time after he disappears! They talk for months, then years. Older Hobbits tell children stories about him by the fire. Most Hobbits believe Bilbo has gone crazy and that he ran away. They think he fell into a river and died. Many say it is Gandalf’s fault. “If that wizard would leave Frodo alone,” they say, “perhaps he wouldn’t act so strange.”
Gandalf visits Frodo a few times over the years. Then, he stays away for many years. During that time, Frodo lives quietly at Bag End. But he is still unusual. Every year he gives a birthday party for Bilbo and says that Bilbo is not dead. When people ask, “Where is he then?” Frodo never answers.
Frodo lives alone, but he has many friends. His closest friends are Peregrine Took, Pippin, and Merry Brandybuck. Merry’s full name is Meriadoc Brandybuck, but people just call him Merry. Frodo often walks with them across the Shire. Sometimes Frodo walks alone at night, under the stars. Some people think he visits the Elves.
As the years pass, Frodo does not seem to grow old. When he comes close to fifty, people begin to talk about him with suspicion. Frodo is happy for many years. But slowly he begins to feel like he wants to travel. He dreams of mountains and wild lands. He thinks, “Maybe I will leave the Shire one day.”
As the years pass, the Hobbits begin to hear strange stories from outside the Shire. Elves travel west and do not return. Dwarves pass through more often than before. They speak in low voices about danger and a dark power in the East. Most Hobbits laugh at such stories. One evening, Sam Gamgee sits in the Green Dragon Inn with Ted Sandyman. The inn is full of Hobbits from the area.
“Strange things are happening,” says Sam. “Stories,” says Ted. “They are nothing but stories.” “But the Hobbits see strange folk crossing the Shire,” says Sam. “The Shire Guards are very busy. And the Elves are leaving,” Sam says quietly. “Thay are sailing away into the West.” Ted laughs. “Let them go.” Sam doesn’t say anything else.
That same evening, Gandalf returns. He knocks on Frodo’s window. Frodo is surprised and happy to see him. They talk late into the night. The next morning, they sit by the window. Gandalf smokes quietly. Sam Gamgee is outside in the garden. He is cutting the grass. They can hear the clip-clip of his scissors.
“Last night you said we would talk about my ring. Now you have to tell me everything about it. You say it is dangerous. How?” “It is very dangerous,” says Gandalf. “It is much more powerful than I thought before. In the end, it would control anyone who owns it.” Frodo listens in silence.
“Long ago,” Gandalf continues, “many magic rings were made. But one ring was greater and more powerful than all the others. A mortal who wears it does not die, but he does not really live either. He fades. In the end, he becomes a shadow.” “That is terrible,” says Frodo.
“How much did Bilbo know about the ring?” Frodo asks. “Very little,” says Gandalf. “He thought the ring was useful and beautiful. He did not know it was changing him.” Gandalf looks at Frodo closely. “I have watched and waited for many years,” he says. “At last I am sure. Your ring is the One Ring.” Frodo feels cold.
“How did it come to me?” “That is a long story,” says Gandalf. “But you must hear it.” He tells Frodo about the Dark Lord, Sauron, and the One Ring. He tells about Isildur cutting the ring from Sauron’s finger. “But Isildur did not destroy the ring,” says Gandalf sadly. “Why not?” Frodo asks. “The ring was already working on him. Controlling him. It always does.”
Gandalf tells Frodo about how the ring was lost long ago in the great river Anduin, and about how the wise people of Middle Earth thought it was gone forever. “But it was found again,” says Gandalf, “by a creature named Gollum.”
“Gollum?” says Frodo. “The creature Bilbo met in the Misty Mountains?” “Yes,” says Gandalf. “Once, long ago, he was a creature very much like a Hobbit. He was called Sméagol.” Gandalf tells the story slowly.
Sméagol was fishing with his friend, Déagol. Déagol found a golden ring in the river. Sméagol wanted it. He killed his friend and took the ring. The ring made him invisible. He used it to steal and spy. His family hated him and made him run far away. They called him Gollum. Because that is the sound he made in his throat.
After many years, Gollum began to hate the sunlight. He found a cave in the Misty Mountains. It was cool and dark in there. He lived under the mountains in darkness for many years. The ring ate his mind. He hated the light. He hated the dark. He hated everything - even the ring.
At last, the ring left him. “It chose Bilbo,” says Gandalf. “Why Bilbo?” asks Frodo. “I believe Bilbo was meant to find it,” says Gandalf. “ “And now it has chosen you. That is why you have the ring now.” Frodo shakes his head. “I do not want it. It is a pity Bilbo did not kill Gollum when he had the chance.” “It was pity that stopped Bilbo from killing him,” says Gandalf. “And pity still may save many lives.” Frodo says nothing.
“The Dark Lord is searching for the ring,” Gandalf continues. “Gollum tried to enter Mordor. The orcs caught him. They brought him to the Dark Lord. They tortured him. And through Gollum, Sauron has learned of Hobbits and the Shire.”
Frodo feels afraid. “What must I do?” Gandalf holds out his hand. “Give me the ring,” he says. Frodo hesitates. He feels a strange fear. The ring feels heavy in his pocket, heavier than before. At last, slowly, he takes the ring out. Frodo carries the ring on a strong gold chain. He takes the ring off the chain and gives it to Gandalf. Gandalf holds it up. It looks plain and smooth. It shines softly in the firelight.
“Do you see any marks?” Gandalf asks. “No,” says Frodo. “It is smooth. There are no marks on it at all.” Gandalf says nothing. He walks to the fire. Suddenly, without warning, he throws the ring into the fire. “Gandalf!” Frodo cries out. He jumps forward to take it from the fire, but Gandalf holds his arm.
“Wait!” he commands. Frodo freezes. His heart beats fast. He feels as if something terrible has happened. The fire burns bright, but the ring does not change. It does not melt. It does not glow. They wait. The room is very quiet. Only the fire crackles.
At last Gandalf takes the fire tongs and takes the ring from the fire. He places it on the stone by the fireplace. Then, to Frodo’s horror, he picks it up with his bare hand. “Do not worry. It is quite cool,” says Gandalf. “Take it.”
Frodo takes the ring. It feels heavier than ever. “Look closely,” says Gandalf. Frodo holds it up. Slowly, thin lines begin to appear. Letters of fire shine on the gold, inside and outside the ring. They glow red and bright, like writing made of flames.
Frodo’s voice shakes. “I cannot read them.” “No,” says Gandalf. “But I can. The letters are Elvish, but the language is from Mordor. I will not speak those evil words. But in the common language, this is what they say.”
One Ring to rule them all,
One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
“There are more words to this text,” says Gandalf. He looks very tired.
Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky.
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone.
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die.
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne.
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all. One Ring to find them. One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.’
He lowers his voice. “This is the One Ring,” Gandalf says. “The Master Ring. The ring that was made by the Dark Lord himself.” Frodo sits down. He is very afraid now. There is a long silence.
Outside, Sam’s garden cutters click softly in the bushes. “I understand now,” says Frodo. “I cannot keep the ring here. I must leave the Shire.” Gandalf nods. “The ring cannot stay hidden,” he says. “It will never be safe. The Enemy is searching. And now he knows of Hobbits. He knows of the Shire. But he still does not have the one thing he needs. He does not have the One Ring.”
“The three elf-rings are hidden from him. And he never touched them. There were seven dwarf rings. He has three of them. Dragons destroyed the other four. He gave nine rings to mortal men. They were great lords and kings. He controls them now. They are Ringwraiths now. They are shadows of their human forms. He only needs the one ring to control them all.”
Frodo looks at the ring in his hand. It shines softly. It looks innocent and beautiful. “I wish they had destroyed it!” he yells in frustration. “If I had known it was the one ring, I would have destroyed it myself!” “And how would you destroy it?” Gandalf asks seriously. “Have you tried?”
“No,” answers Frodo. “But I could destroy it with a hammer. Or I could melt it.” “Try!” says Gandalf. “Try now! Throw it into the fire!” Frodo looks at the ring. He thinks it looks more beautiful than ever. It is warm in his hand. It is so round and perfect. He tries to remember everything Gandalf said about the danger of the ring. He is about to throw it into the hottest part of the fire. But suddenly, he puts it back into his pocket.
Gandalf laughs sadly. “Do you see? It already has a power over you. You cannot let it go easily. Even if you wanted, you could not destroy it with fire, or hammer. It cannot be destroyed by your hands or my hands. There is only one fire that can destroy it: Mount Orodruin. If you really want to destroy it, you would throw it into the fires of Mount Doom. In Mordor.”
“I do want to destroy it!” yells Frodo. “Or, at least I want it to be destroyed. Oh, I wish the ring had never come to the Shire! Why don’t you take the ring?” Gandalf stands up suddenly. “NO! With that power I would become great and terrible! Do not suggest it.”
He walks over to the window and looks outside. They can hear Sam whistling in the garden. “Now, Frodo, you must decide what to do. But I will always help you.”
Frodo knows the truth. “This is my responsibility now,” he says. “But I wish the ring had not come to me in my time.” “So do I,” says Gandalf. “And that is what everyone says when they must make impossible decisions. But all we can do is use the time we have to make the best decision we can. But we must do something soon. The enemy is moving.”
“The ring cannot stay in the Shire,” says Frodo in a strong voice. “I must take it away from here.” “Yes,” says Gandalf. “But you do not have to do this alone. If there is someone you can trust, they should go with you. But choose carefully! The enemy has many spies!” Suddenly, Gandalf stands up and looks out the window. There is complete silence in the garden. Gandalf reaches out the window quickly! There is a “squawk!” sound, and Gandalf pulls in his arm, with Sam Gamgee hanging from his curly hair!
“What are you doing, Sam Gamgee?” yells Gandalf. “Oh, nothing, Mr. Gandalf!” cries Sam. “I was cutting the grass under the window, that’s all!” He shows Gandalf his scissors.
“How long have you been listening to us?” Gandalf asks seriously. “What did you hear?” “Mr. Frodo!” yells Sam. “Please help me, sir! Don’t let him turn me into something unnatural!” “He’s not going to hurt you, Sam,” says Frodo, laughing. “But you must answer him!” “Well, I’m not sure what I heard, Mr. Frodo,” Sam says, a little confused.
“I heard something about dark lords, and rings, and elves, sir! Oh, take me to meet the elves when you go, sir!” “So, you heard Frodo was leaving?” Gandalf says, laughing too. “Yes, sir, I did,” answers Sam. “It is true, Sam,” Frodo says. “I must leave. But if you tell anyone about this, Gandalf will turn you into a frog!” Sam falls onto his knees. He is terrified.
“I have a better idea,” Gandalf says. “I will punish you for listening, Sam. As punishment, you will go with Frodo when he leaves!” “Oh, me, Mr. Gandalf?” Sam says. He jumps up. He seems happier than he has ever been. “Oh, I get to see the elves, Mr. Frodo! How wonderful!”
