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BOOK ONE
Chapter I - A Long-expected Party
Bilbo Baggins, owner of Bag End, decided to left his home on his 111 birthday. He celebrated a big birthday party which included his birthday and the birthday of his cousin and heir Frodo Baggins, who became 33 years old. Bilbo was a very old guy, even for a Hobbit, and, despite of his 111 years, he was in a very good shape. He had a secret which he kept very well and the only two persons which knew of it were Frodo and Bilbo's old friend, the wizard Gandalf. This great secret was a magical ring, which Bilbo found on a journey long ago. This ring had the power to make its bearer invisible. It was very useful to Bilbo many times and so he ever had it in his pocket.
But Bilbo decided, also on Gandalf's advise, to left his ring to his heir Frodo and disappear from the shire, how the Hobbits call their land, forever. At his birthday-party Bilbo held a speech and in the end disappeared in a flash (with aid by Gandalf). He left his ring and all his money to Frodo and left Bag End, and he never returned. Because of the powers of the ring (which are not only to make its bearer invisible, but unlike mightier) Bilbo had problems to leave his ring, but Gandalf helped him to do so.
Now Frodo was the owner of Bag End, and he was also the bearer of the ring, which would become a hard burden, but he knew nothing of it right now.
Chapter II - The Shadow of the Past
Frodo lived long as the Master of Bag End and he was very lucky. On the advise of Gandalf he used the ring never but he held it as a secret like Bilbo before. One day, years after Bilbo's party, Gandalf visited Frodo and he had bad new. He had found out that the ring was even mightier than they had ever believed and he thought of it as the long lost master ring of the evil Dark Lord. He tested the ring and threw it into fire and after this last test they could read signs on the clear gold of the ring. And this was it, they read:
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
This was the last test and after it Gandalf knew that his thought was right: this was the Masterring, the one ring of Sauron, the Dark Lord, who dwellt in Mordor, in the land of darkness. Gandalf told Frodo that the ring was a great danger for him and all people around and he had to bring it away. He told him to bring the ring to Rivendell, where the wise Elrond lived, the half-elf, wisest of all living beings, master in old lore. His counsel should be taken in this business. As they talked this dark things, Gandalf caught Sam, Frodos gardener who watched them and he told him to speak to no one of their speech. He also told him to follow Frodo on his journey because it would be dangerous and Frodo could have great need to a good and loyal follower.
Chapter III - Three is Company
Frodo decided to leave the Shire, but he would not leave it like Bilbo, and disappear, because this would be to conspicuous. Frodo therefore bought a small house in Crickhollow and he let everybody think he was short of money and therefore left Bag End. He gave Bag End to his relatives, the Sackville-Bagginses. Gandalf left Frodo long before because of his own business. Frodo left Bag End with his closest friends Sam and Peregrin (who was called Pippin) at the night of his 50 birthday, September the 20th. In the same night a stranger asked for Baggins at the door of old Hamfast Gamgee, Sam's father. Because of his strange and terrible shape, the little company used the meadows for their way, to avoid being seen.
They went through the woods and met the stranger again, but hid before him. He was a strange person, tall but hunchbacked, with a black cloak and a hood to hide his face. The stranger nearly caught them, as suddenly some elves appeared and helped them. The leader of the elves was Gildor. He knew them very well and he told his company to give them food and a hiding place.
Chapter IV - A Short Cut to Mushrooms
As they woke up the next morning, the elves were gone but had left them a good breakfast. They decided to go cross-country through the woods, to avoid meeting the dark stranger again. The elves does not want to tell them of their persistent hunter, but they warned them to be careful. They also told them that it won't be the only hunter, so there are more than one. As they fled through the woods, they heard an unnatural cry and thought of their hunters but they had no sign of anyone a long time. As they came out of the woods, they went cross the fields of a farmer Pippin knew and had a good dinner at his home. They heard that even here a dark clothed stranger had asked after Baggins and they were frightened of this news. At the evening they made for the ferry across the river Brandywein, which split the Shire into two parts. After they had set on the other side, they saw a dark shadow look after them from the other river bank. Here they met their good friend Meriadoc Brandybuck, simply called Merry, who had prepared Frodo's house in Crickhollow for their arrival.
Chapter V - A Conspiracy Unmasked
In the safety of their house, they talked together and Frodo became aware, that his secret of his ring was not held good enough. All his friends knew of his magic ring and wanted to go with him, if he left the Shire. Frodo don't wanted to bring his friends endangered but he was very happy about their decision. Frodo wanted to wait for Gandalf, which had met them already in Bag End, but as he don't comes, the little Company went out alone.
Chapter VI - The Old Forest
To avoid being caught by the "black riders", as they called their hunters, they decided to use the way through the Old Forest, to get out of the Shire. This was an old, ugly and enchanted place, which anybody avoided. The Old Forest was called evil and somehow alive. Everybody who dares to enter it, won't come out. But as there was no other way, the four Hobbits took their way through the Old Forest. As they are nearly through, the forest won't let them through and he drove them south instead of east, which was their direction. So the reached a small brook called Withywindle, which flew into the Brandywine after the forest. There they are caught by an old, evil tree, and in greatest danger a strange small person appeared along the way. He called himself Tom Bombadil, the master of the forest. He had a very powerful song of spellkind, which intimidated the old tree (which he called Old Willow-man) and so the willow let the Hobbits free. They followed Tom to his home, where they met his wife Goldberry and left the Old Forest with more luck than mind.
Chapter VII - In the House of Tom Bombadil
The Hobbits dwelt in Tom's House some days and they were very lucky there. His house was a place to forget every evil thing, and they almost forgot the black riders. They had good meals and talked long with Tom about their journey. He told them of his life and they found out that Tom was almost the eldest living being on earth. He had walked through the eldest forests long before the elves. He had seen the world in every shape and he had lived to see all the great battles between the elves and the great fiend Morgoth, which was even greater than Sauron, in the old times of the world. Tom tried the ring, but he had no power over him, so he doesn't disappear.
The Hobbits had a lucky time on their two days, which they lived at Bombadil's house. But after this they knew that they had to go. So they prepared for their journey with a hard hearth.
Chapter VIII - Fog on the Barrow-Downs
The next day they went on and left Tom's house by the eastern side. They made for the Barrow-Downs, which had almost the same fame as the Old Forest. Everyone avoided them if he could, because there are evil spirits at night and it was very dangerous then. But the way across the Barrow-Downs saved much time, so the Hobbits tried it and thought of crossing them by one day. They had no intention of spending a night on this foul place, so they made for speed. But with bad fortune they made a rest and fell asleep, and as they woke up, a thick fog has been built and they are on a small hill like on an island in the fog. They tried to make their way to the street in the north, but in the supernatural fog they lost the right way and came only deeper into the territory of the Barrow-Wights, the evil spirits of the Barrow-Downs. They lost each other and the only survivor was Frodo. But he was also caught and as he woke up a second time, he was in a Barrow-Down. With aid of Tom Bombadil (which had learned them a song to call him in danger) the Hobbits left the foul place and made their way for Bree, a small city on the foot of the Bree-land.
Chapter IX - At the Sign of the Prancing Pony
The Hobbits reached Bree at nightfall and went in on the search of a inn, called the Prancing Pony, which was recommended by Tom Bombadil. As they reached it, they got a room and the landlord Barliman Butterbur served them at best he could. In the common-room they were received very friendly, but Frodo hide his real name of Baggin and called himself Underhill. As everyone wanted a song of a Hobbit, Frodo sang for them but as a great mishap he used his ring unintentional and everyone retired from him and his friends. There Frodo met a strange tall man, which called himself Strider. The stranger offered Frodo to guide him to Rivendell, but Frodo was very suspicious. As he discussed the guidance of Strider with his friends, Butterbur brought a letter of Gandalf to him. Gandalf wanted Butterbur to send the letter to Bag End, but the busy landlord had forgotten it, and so Frodo got it only now. In the letter Gandalf mentioned an old friend called Strider and so Frodo took Strider as their guide to Rivendell.
Chapter X - Strider
Strider, whose real name was Aragorn, was a ranger of the northern lands and knew Gandalf a really long time. He gave an advise to let their rooms untouched and sleep in the common room to avoid an attack by the black riders, which were seen in Bree some time before. And really, in the night the black riders broke in the inn and destroyed the rooms of the Hobbits completely. They also let all horses and ponies free, so the Hobbits, which had decided to leave Bree early in the morning, had no riding animals any more. They bought the only pony in whole Bree, which had not driven away - small animal, death nearer than life - but they had no choice. So they left Bree guided by Strider in the direction of Rivendell.
Chapter XI - A Knife in the Dark
On their way to Rivendell they made for the Weathertop-mountain, on Strider's advice, because of looking around and checking the surrounding country. As they had nearly reached it, they saw a strange fire burning on its top. As they reached it, they found it totally charred and Strider found a note, which perhaps was of Gandalf. By watching the country from the high mountain-top they discovered their hunters down on the road. For protecting themselves, they made their camp in a small dell on the foot of the mountain. In the night the black riders attacked and now there were five of them. According to a mighty mental command, Frodo used his ring, and now appeared more clearly to the ghostly enemies. Their leader attacked him with a magical dagger and Frodo fell down with a heavy wound. With his last strength he put of the ring, so his friends were able to find him.
Chapter XII - Flight to the Ford
Frodo's wound was very badly, but Strider knew some healing herbs and so he eased Frodo's pain. The company made their way straight to Rivendell, using the woods to avoid being caught. As they were near the valley of Rivendell, they met an elf, called Glorfindel, who was a friend of Strider's. He helped them to get closer to Elrond's home, but on the last few hundred meters, their hunters caught them nearly and Frodo escaped only with luck and the fast horse of Glorfindel. He crossed the last river between Rivendell and the surrounding lands, called Mitheitel, by the only ford and the following black riders were washed away by a great wave, summoned by Elrond and Gandalf, who has reached Rivendell some time before. The company was now save after the horrible events of the last weeks and could rest in Rivendell to get the counsel of Elrond.
BOOK TWO
Chapter I - Many Meetings
When Frodo woke up, he felt better and he asked Gandalf, who sat by his bed, for the events after the last assault at the ford. He told him that the whole hunting group of black riders was washed away, down the Mitheitel. That could not destroy them, but killed their mounts and slowed them down. Gandalf said, that they first had to visit their master in Mordor and only then they could resume their hunt for the ring.
Frodo recovered very fast from his wound (which was more dangerous than anybody thought of) and then met many people in Rivendell. He saw Elrond, master of the house, and his daughter, Arwen, eveningstar of her folk. He met many elves and other folks, who were at Rivendell this time. And he met Bilbo, who had come to Rivendell after his great birthday-party many years ago. They had much to discuss, but then Frodo went back to bed, because his recovering has not finished yet, and sleep was the best medicine.
Chapter II - The Council of Elrond
Some days later, Elrond gathered all important persons present in Rivendell, who had business with the ring, to a council. They talked the whole day and discussed the matter of the ring. Many people had something to add, and in the end they had completed the story of the ring, since it got lost.
After the great battle to defeat Sauron the first time, Isildur, the King of the Northern Men, took the ring as a kind of weirtax for his killed Father. He journeyed back to the north, but he was shot by Orcs (evil creatures, created by the evil foe himself) and lost the ring in the great stream of Anduin. Years later the ring was found by a creature called Gollum. He took the ring under the mountains and it vanished from the surface. The Bilbo found it by chance and took it out of the deep caverns. So the ring was on the surface again and the dark lord began again to search for it. Bilbo possessed the ring many years and used it many times and so the evil powers of the ring began to get control of Bilbo. This was shown as he wanted to left it for Frodo. Gandalf nearly had to use his powers to calm him down. Bilbo began to call the ring his precious, as Gollum had before. After the birthday-party Frodo got the ring and his story is written above.
The council discussed what they had to do with the ring, and they decided to destroy it. So a small group of nine people was chosen to bring the ring to Mount Doom in Mordor, where it was made, and only could be destroyed. The party consisted of at least one person for the free nations of Middle-Earth: Frodo the ringbearer and his three friends Sam, Pippin and Merry for the Hobbits, Aragorn (Strider) for the men of the north, Legolas of Mirkwood for the elves, Gimli, son of Gloin, for the Dwarfs, Boromir, envoy of Minas Tirith, for the men of south and Gandalf for the wizards.
Bilbo gave Frodo secretly his mithril-chainmail, which was a present of the Dwarfs and he gave him his magical sword sting. Frodo wore his chainmail under his normal clothes and talked to noone of this armour.
Gandalf was the leader of the party and they left Rivendell soon after the council.
Chapter III - The Ring goes South
The party went south along the Misty Mountains and made forward to some point to cross them. As Gandalf was their leader, the others decided to follow his advice and made for the Redhorn Pass. They reached it some weeks later without bother by any creatures. But as they climbed up the Mountain (which was called Caradhras), strong snowfall started and they are driven back to the foot of the Redhorn. So they decided to use the dark path, which leads under the Misty Mountains, through the mines of Moria. Though Boromir suggested to round the mountains in the south and use the so called Gap of Rohan to get on the other side of the mountains, Gandalf don't wanted to, because the wizard Saruman, who was of the order of Gandalf, had become evil and himself reached for the ring to become more powerful. This evil person, Saruman the White, had his home near the Gap of Rohan and no one could know what he would do to get the ring if he heard that it would come within his reach.
So, finally they decided to use the darker path, although Boromir was against it.
Chapter IV - A Journey in the Dark
They reached the foot of the mountain where once the doors of Moria had been. This mine was an old Dwarfen site, which had been abandoned long ago. There the Dwarfs had digged to deep for their favourite metal, mithril, of which Frodo's chainmail was made of. This metal could be forged like copper, and polished like glass. Mithril was a metal, light but yet harder than tempered steel. It had a glimmer like normal silver, but it did not tarnish or grow dim. And as they digged, the Dwarfs woke an evil, much to old and to strong for them, and they fled away. All attempts to retake the mines had failed.
As the company reached the doors, a great black lake had built up before them, and they had to round it first. As they after a while finally found the magic word to open the doors, a strange but powerful guard who lived in the lake, woke up and attacked them with his tentacle-like arms. The company fled into the mines but the tentacles closed the doors and blocked them. So they had no chance to get back, and had to cross the mines now.
After many mazelike ways they finally reached the other side of the mines. There they found a chamber with many bones, as of an old battle. There they found a Grave in which was engraved: BALIN SON OF FUNDIN, LORD OF MORIA
This Balin, who was a friend of Bilbo's, had tried to reconquer the mines, but for over 30 years nothing was heard of him. Now it was clear that the assault on Moria (or Khazad-Dum as the Dwarfs called it in their tongue) has failed.
Chapter V - The Bridge of Khazad-Dum
Moreover the company found an old book, which they identified as the story of Balin's folk until they had reached Moria 30 years ago. The book ended with an assault of the Orcs, which had taken the mines after the great evil, which the Dwarfs called Durin's bane, had arrived at Moria. And now, like a bad horoscope, the party also heard the drums beat and the Orcs cry. They blocked the chamber of Balin's grave and escaped through another door but Gandalf remained at the door to close it by magic. Here a great power appeared and nearly destroyed the old wizard but he escaped and the whole chamber collapsed. The party now ran for the exit, and they nearly reached it. But as they were almost out, the great power reappeared and the whole company was shocked. It was a Balrog. A monster, created by the evil Morgoth, God of Darkness, hundreds of centuries ago. He had slept under the mountains, until the Dwarfs disturbed him and now he was the master of the mines. In a final fight on the bridge before the exit, Gandalf and the Balrog fell down in an deep chasm and disappeared. The others, sad about their great loss, left the mines through the eastern gate and never got their later.
Chapter VI - Lothlórien
After their escape from Moria, the company went through the woods of Lothlórien, which lay near the eastern gate of Khazad-Dum. This woods were inhabited by elves, related to Legolas. There they noticed Frodos chainmail first, because of curing a wound he got in the mines.
The lord and the lady of Lórien (which is a short form of the name), Celeborn and Galadriel, took them very friendly and offert them to stay for a while to recover from their wounds. It was the finest rest on their journey since Rivendell, and they stayed long in Lórien.
Chapter VII - The Mirror of Galadriel
One time, when Frodo and Sam walked alone through the capital-city of the Elves, which was built in the top of the trees, Galadriel came to them and offert them something like a look in the future. There Frodo saw Gandalf walking, although he was dead, but now in white instead of grey cloth, and for the first time he saw his enemy, the dark lord Sauron, who searched for him. But he could not find him, because the land of Lórien was protected by nearly the same power as his. The lady Galadriel, Frodo now knew, was one of the bearers of the three Elven-rings and this power protected the land.
Chapter VIII - Farewell to Lórien
After they had rested long in the land of Lórien, the time to say goodbye to the Elves had come. They gave them new cloaks, made of Elvenstuff, which made them nearly invisible in any natural landscape and especially in woods. They also gave them boats to easy their journey. As Gandalf was dead, Aragorn had become leader of the party. He had decided to take the river for their journey, because it was much easier and faster than walking.
As they had nearly left the land, the lord and the lady invented them to a feast on the shore of the river. There they gave them special presents, unique and special for anyone of them. Aragorn got a sheath for his sword Andúril and a great green gem in a silver brooch, which was the stone of Elessar, the Elfstone of the house of Elendil, Aragorns ancestors. Boromir got a golden belt; and Merry and Pippin got silver ones. For Legolas she had a bow, longer and stouter than his own bow. For Sam she had a special present. Nothing to help him on his journey but for the time after the war. She gave him a box with Lórien-earth, which would make his garden the fairest ever seen in Middle-Earth. For Frodo she had a crystal-light which should lighten the darkness he would encounter. It was the light of the silmarils, she said, and it should lighten his way, where any other light should end. They also gave everyone of them coats, which would make them near invisible and a special kind of waybread they called lembas. These lembas would give them enough strength to walk a whole day and they were very small and took little space in their equipment.
After this, the company made their way on the great river to go south, closer to the end of their long journey.
Chapter IX - The Great River
They rowed down the great river Anduin in the elvenboats, because that made their journey faster and easier than on foot. In the first boat their where Aragorn, Frodo and Sam, in the second boat Merry, Pippin and Boromir and in the third Legolas and Gimli, who had become very good friends, and the main part of their equipment.
On their way southwards Sam and Frodo noticed a secret follower of the company. Gollum has found their track and followed them for a chance to steal the ring. They posted guards, but Gollum never showed himself to them.
Suddenly at nightfall Sam, who was made a watchman in the first boat gave a cry, because before him the rapids of Rauros, the wildest place of the great Anduin with a great waterfall. In the same time there was an unexpected attack by Orcs form the eastern shore and they had to fear their enemies arrows just as the rapids. With a great afford they reached the western shore and looked across the river. Suddenly a great black cloudlike creature arose and Legolas fired his bow at this shadow. With a cry of anger and pain the creature disappeared and they heard the Orcs moan about the black thing.
They carried the boats on a way all around the rapids and then set them to water again. They rowed down the river and suddenly got to the borders of Gondor, marked by the Argonath, the pillars of the kings: two statues of Anarion and Isildur, the former kings of Gondor in the south and Arnor in the north, Aragorns ancestors of old. Thereafter they had no plan where to go, so they searched for a landing place to discuss their next steps.
Chapter X - The Breaking of the Fellowship
The company found a small lawn at the feet of a small hill. The hill was called Amon Hen - the hill of seeing. On the other side of the river their stood its counterpart, Amon Lhaw - the hill of hearing. There they made a rest to get their strength back and discuss their way. Frodo left the company for thinking and the others remained on the lawn. But Boromir secretly followed Frodo and tried to change his decision of going to Mordor, because he wanted the ring save and within his reach in Minas Tirith. He tried to force Frodo to give him the ring, but Frodo used it and became invisible. He ran up the hill and sat on the great throne of stone there. With the power of the ring and the magic of the seat, he saw whole Middle-Earth as it was lying on a table under him. Everywhere he looked he saw war and fire so his decision to destroy the ring became harder than before.
The company discovered the missing of Boromir and Frodo and so they wanted to find them. Boromir returned but said nothing, so they called for Frodo because they feared Orcs have caught him. The whole company split up and ran into the small forest on the edge of the lawn. When everybody had disappeared, Frodo returned and wanted to take a boat to depart without any of his friends, because he does not wanted to endanger one of them. But Sam, who followed Aragorn, guessed Frodos decision and returned in the last minute to the lawn. So he and Frodo made their way to the eastern shore to get into Mordor and destroy the ring.
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