The Fellowship of the Ring
When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton.
A Long-expected Party
Bilbo was very rich and very peculiar, and had been the wonder of the Shire for sixty years, ever since his remarkable disappearance and unexpected return. The riches he had brought back from his travels had now become a local legend.
All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost.
The Shadow of the Past
The Nine Companions chosen to bear the Ring south on its long road were drawn from every free people of Middle-earth:
- Frodo Baggins, the Ring-bearer
- Samwise Gamgee, his loyal friend
- Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, of the Shire
- Gandalf the Grey, a wizard
- Aragorn son of Arathorn, heir of Isildur
- Boromir of Gondor
- Legolas of the Woodland Realm
- Gimli son of Glóin
Riddles in the Dark
The Three Elven Rings were hidden from Sauron and never used while he held the One. Their bearers preserved beauty and memory in the lands they kept:
| Ring | Bearer | Stone |
|---|---|---|
| Narya | Gandalf | Ruby |
| Nenya | Galadriel | Adamant |
| Vilya | Elrond | Sapphire |
And the One Ring, forged in secret by Sauron in the fires of Mount Doom, bore the inscription: Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul.