The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The world is changed.

I feel it in the water.

I feel it in the earth.

I smell it in the air.

Much that once was

is lost.

For none now live who remember it.

It began with the forging of the Great Rings.

Three were given to the Elves:

Immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings.

Seven to the Dwarf-lords:

Great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls.

And nine

nine rings were gifted to the race of Men

who, above all else, desire power.

For within these rings was bound the strength and will to govern each race.

But they were all of them deceived.

For another ring was made.

In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom

the Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret a Master Ring

to control all others.

And into this Ring he poured his cruelty, his malice

and his will to dominate all life.

One Ring to rule them all.

One by one

the Free Lands of Middle-earth fell to the power of the Ring.

But there were some who resisted.

A Last Alliance of Men and Elves marched against the armies of Mordor.

And on the slopes of Mount Doom, they fought for freedom of Middle-earth.

Victory was near.

But the power of the Ring

could not be undone.

It was in this moment

when all hope had faded

that Isildur, son of the king, took up his father's sword.

Sauron, the enemy of the Free Peoples of Middle-earth, was defeated.

The Ring passed to Isildur

who had this one chance to destroy evil forever.

But the hearts of Men

are easily corrupted.

And the Ring of Power has a will of its own.

It betrayed Isildur to his death.

And some things that should not have been forgotten

were lost.

History became legend

legend became myth.

And for two and a half thousand years

the Ring passed out of all knowledge.

Until, when chance came

it ensnared a new bearer.

My precious.

The Ring came to the creature Gollum

who took it deep into the tunnels of the Misty Mountains.

And there it consumed him.

It came to me.

My own. My love. My own.

My precious.

The Ring brought to Gollum unnatural long life.

For 500 years it poisoned his mind.

And in the gloom of Gollum's cave, it waited.

Darkness crept back into the forests of the world.

Rumor grew of a shadow in the East

whispers of a nameless fear.

And the Ring of Power perceived

its time had now come.

It abandoned Gollum.

But something happened then the Ring did not intend.

It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable.

What's this?

A Hobbit.

Bilbo Baggins of the Shire.

A ring.

Lost!

My precious is lost!

For the time will soon come

when Hobbits will shape the fortunes of all.

Down from the door where it began

And I must follow if I can

The road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began

Now far ahead the road has gone

- And I must follow if I can - You're late.

A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins.

Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.

It's wonderful to see you, Gandalf!

You didn't think I'd miss your Uncle Bilbo's birthday?

What news of the world? Tell me everything.

Everything? You're far too eager and curious for a Hobbit.

Most unnatural.

What can I tell you?

Life in the wide world goes on much as it has this past Age.

Full of its own comings and goings.

Scarcely aware of the existence of Hobbits.

For which I am very thankful.

It's Gandalf!

Oh, the long-expected party.

How is the old rascal?

I hear it's going be a party of special magnificence.

You know Bilbo. He's got the whole place in an uproar.

Well, that should please him.

- Half the Shire's invited. - Gracious me.

He's up to something. All right, then. Keep your secrets.

Before you came along, we Bagginses were well thought of.

Never had any adventures or did anything unexpected.

If you're referring to the incident with the dragon, I was barely involved.

All I did was give your uncle a little nudge out of the door.

Whatever you did, you've been officially labeled a disturber of the peace.

Oh, really?

Gandalf! Gandalf!

Fireworks, Gandalf!

Gandalf! Fireworks, Gandalf!

Gandalf?

- I'm glad you're back. - So am I, dear boy.

So am I.

Whoa, whoa.

No, thank you!

We don't want any more visitors, well-wishers or distant relations!

And what about very old friends?

Gandalf?

- Bilbo Baggins. - My dear Gandalf!

Good to see you. 111 years old! Who would believe it?

You haven't aged a day.

Come on, come in!

Welcome, welcome.

Oh, here we are.

Tea? Or maybe something little stronger?

I've got a few bottles of the Old Winyard left. 1296.

Very good year. Almost as old as I am.

It was laid down by my father. What say we open one, eh?

Just tea, thank you.

Oh!

I expected you last week.

Not that it matters. You come and go as you please. Always have and always will.

You caught me a bit unprepared I'm afraid.

We've only got cold chicken and a bit of pickle.

There's some cheese here. No, that won't do.

We've got raspberry jam, an apple tart

But not much for afters. Oh, no, we're all right.

I've just found some sponge cake.

I could make you some eggs if you don't...

Oh, Gandalf?

- Just tea, thank you. - Oh, right.

- You don't mind if I eat, do you? - No, not at all.

Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins!

I'm not at home!

I've got to get away from these confounded relatives,

hanging on the bell all day, never giving me a moment's peace.

I want to see mountains again. Mountains, Gandalf!

And then find somewhere quiet where I can finish my book. Oh, tea.

So you mean to go through with your plan?

Yes, yes. It's all in hand.

All the arrangements are made.

Oh, thank you.

Frodo suspects something.

Of course he does. He's a Baggins

not some blockheaded Bracegirdle from Hardbottle.

You will tell him, won't you?

- Yes, yes. - He's very fond of you.

I know.

He'd probably come with me if I asked him.

I think in his heart, Frodo's still in love with the Shire.

The woods, the fields.

Little rivers.

I am old, Gandalf.

I know I don't look it, but I'm beginning to feel it in my heart.

I feel thin.

Sort of stretched like

butter scraped over too much bread.

I need a holiday. A very long holiday.

And I don't expect I shall return.

In fact, I mean not to.

Old Toby. The finest weed in the Southfarthing.

Ah.

Gandalf, my old friend

this will be a night to remember.

Hello, hello.

Fatty Bolger. Lovely to see you. Welcome, welcome.

Go on, Sam. Ask Rosie for a dance.

- I think I'll just have another ale. - No, you don't.

Go on!

So there I was

at the mercy of three monstrous trolls.

And they were all arguing amongst themselves

about how they were going to cook us.

Whether it be turned on a spit, or to sit on us one by one, squash us into jelly.

They spent so much time arguing the whithertos and the whyfors

that the sun's first light crept over the top of the trees

and turned them all to stone!

Quickly.

Whoa!

Up they go!

No, no. The big one, big one.

Done!

You're supposed to stick it in the ground.

- It is in the ground. - Outside!

This was your idea.

Bilbo!

Bilbo, watch out for the dragon!

Dragon? Nonsense.

There hasn't been a dragon in these parts for thousands of years.