This hobbit was a very well-to-do hobbit, and his name was Baggins. The Bagginses have lived in the in the neighbourhood of The Hill for time out of mind, and people considered them very respectable, not only because most of them were rich, but also because they never had any adventures or did anything unexpected: you could tell what a Baggins would say on any question without the bother of asking him. This is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected. He may have lost the neighbours' respect, but he gained - well, you will see whether he gained anything in the end.

The mother of our particular hobbit - what is a hobbit? I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us. They are (or were) a little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves. Hobbits have no beards. There is little no magic about them, except the ordinary everyday sort which helps them to disappear quietly and quickly when large stupid folk like you and me come blundering along, making a noise like elephants which they can hear a mile off. They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colours (chiefly green and yellow); wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which is curly); have long clever brown fingers, good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs (especially after dinner, which they have twice a day when they can get it). Now you know enough to go on with. As I was saying, the mother of this hobbit - Bilbo Baggins, that is - was the famous Belladonna Took, one of the three remarkable daughters of the Old Took, head of the hobbits who lived across the Water, the small river that ran at the foot of The Hill. It was often said (in other families) that long ago one of the Took ancestors must have taken a fairy wife. That was, of course, absurd, but certainly there was still something not entirely hobbitlike about them, and once in a while members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures. They discreetly disappeared, and the family hushed it up; but the fact remained that the Tooks were not as respectable as the Bagginses, though they were undboubtedly richer.

By some curious chance one morning long ago in the quiet of the world, when there was less noise and more green, and the hobbits still numerous and prosperous, and Bilbo Baggins was standing at his door after breakfast, smoking an enormous long wooden pipe that reached nearly down his wooly toes - Gandalf came by. Gandalf! If you had heard only a quarter of what I have heard about him, and I have only heard very little of all there is to hear, you would be prepared for any sort of remarkable tale. Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion. He had not been down that way under The Hill for ages and ages, not since his friend the Old Took died, in fact, and the hobbits had almost forgotten what he looked like. He had been away over The Hill and across The Water on businesses of his own since they were all small hobbits.

All that the unsuspecting Bilbo saw that morning was an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which his long white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots.

After recognizing Gandalf, who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures Bilbo tried to get rid of him as quick as possible. But not be rude he invited Gandalf for tea next day, what he couldn't explain afterwards. But the next day he had almost forgotten about Gandalf.

Just before tea-time there came a tremendous ring on the front-door bell, and then he remembered! But it wasn't Gandalf, it was a dwarf and he pushed inside, just as if he had been expected. The dwarf hung his hooded cloak to the nearest peg and the confused Bilbo invited him for tea. When they reached the third cake there came another even louder ring at the bell. So it went on, until Gandalf showed up, in company with the rest of the dwarves.

After the dinner with Gandalf and the 13 dwarves Thorin began to speak. Thorin was an important dwarf. He began to explain about their plans, to start their long journey, from which some of them or perhaps all of them may never return; to recapture the treasure stolen by Smaug the dragon. And they counted on Bilbo to join them, as they knew of Gandalf about his excellent ability of burgling, what Bilbo heard for the first time!

Gandalf showed a map and a key he handed out Thorin. The map showed the lair of Smaug, the Lonely Mountain, far away in the east of the Shire where hobbits live. On the map was a marking of a hidden back door, which they should enter. But to find that hidden door, or to open it, there was no explanation.

Bilbo wasn't very happy about this whole story and going on a journey, but when he saw the map - he loves maps - he was interested to hear more about it. Thorin told him how Smaug came one day and killed many of the dwarves dwelling in the great Halls of Lonely Mountain, and killing most of the men in the southern village Dale. Smaug returned to Lonely Mountain and there he guards his treasure.

When Bilbo went to bed he wasn't aware that the dwarves counted on his company on the upcoming journey... The dwarves had their lucky number 14 - a burglar, recommended by Gandalf the Grey.