~The Nine Members Of The Fellowship Of The Ring:
- * Frodo Baggins, Hobbit, or Halfling of Hobbiton, The Shire ~ The Ring Bearer.
- * Sam Gamgee, Hobbit, friend, fiercely loyal - his instuctions:"Don't lose sight of him!"
- * Meriadoc, "Merry" Brandybuck, Hobbit, friend, new hero, but involved~"at the ready".
- * Peregrine Took, a.k.a."Pippin", Hobbit, Merry's bestfriend and partner in the quest.
- * Gimli,son of Gloin, Dwarf, representative of his people, skilled correctly for the adventure.
- * Legolas, Prince of the Elves, representative of his people, foil to Gimli, possessed of the elven gifts.
- * Boromir, Son of the Steward of Gondor, those who await the return of the King, mighty warrior.
- * Aragorn,"Strider the Ranger", Isuldur's Heir, hidden ~ now called: destroy the Ring and rule.
* Gandalf the Grey, ages-old-ageless Wizard, the mind, his powers and knowledge essential.
~~
Part OneThe Fellowship of the Ring
..... of ancient days and people.
Magic rings were not unusual, gifts from gods shared for special uses and purpose, or no reason at all. However, in a large-scale plan of evil, the great powers were gifted with special magic rings, well-received. But it was an evil scheme, since the forger of the magic rings forged one for himself, that gave him power over all the other rings, so that, the innocent recipients of the twelve magic rings could become enslaved by the One.
Fortunately, many of the leaders were wise, joined forces to conquer Sauron, the Evil Owner of the One Ring, and won, but Isuldur, who killed the Evil Sauron, the forger of the Ring, would not destroy the One Ring, when it came to him in his battle with Sauron. Elrond led Isuldur to the Fires of Mount Doom, the place where the One Ring was forged- the only place where it could be effectively destroyed. But in those few moments of possession of the One Ring, Isuldur became possessed of it, its slave, and would not destroy it. Elrond was dismayed, and soon after, Isuldur, was himself destroyed in an attack, his body and the ring lost in the river.
The Ring passed out of memory, but was found by Deagol, an avid fisherman , and his brother, Smeagol, of the Stoors, a people of Middle Earth somewhat like the Hobbits of the Shire. Smeagol was instantly corrupted by the One Ring, and killed his brother Deagol to possess it.....guilt for the murder and lust for the ring meant that Smeagol never returned to his home and mother, but became a wander with the ring, a skulking thing , until his very appearance was twisted and pitiful. In his passion to be alone with the One Ring, he hid for centuries in mountain caves.
A Hobbit, of The Shire, Bilbo Baggins, en route home from an adventure, in fine spirits, took an adventurous shortcut home through the caves and found the One Ring, dropped by Gollum a few moments before. Bilbo Baggins pocketed it, and though Gollum met him and confronted him suspiciously with "What is this hobbitses? and what does it have in its pocketses?", Bilbo escaped the creature, Gollum , partly by slipping the ring on his finger and discovering it made him invisible. He returned to his happy home in Hobbiton in the Shire, in the West of Middle Earth. He entertained himself nicely , being a prosperous Hobbit, and kept the Ring happily and innocently at home for sixty years.
Hobbits were among the Free Men of Middle Earth. Called "halflings" because their height was about half that of the average Man. They tended to roundness in bodyshape and reflected it in their architecture...round doors and windows and passages and more. They were fond of Apples and many of their place and family names include the word apple. They enjoyed nature and long walks, though they loved their ponies as well. But their love of walking was enabled by unusually large feet , covered with thicksoft hair on all sides, so they did not wear shoes or boots. The Hobbits also bore the long ears, something like the elves but of their own type. And like the Elves loved a song and story, both the listening and the telling, and a great deal of it was written in several volumes including the now -famous Red Book.
There were lots of magic rings in those days, and so Bilbo thinks it amusing to use the power of his magic ring to disappear on occasion, but somehow know to use it seldom. Carrying it about is fun enough for the right-minded Hobbit. When he gives his retirement party, "the Long-Expected Party" and , after one of "very old friend" Galdalf's magic fireworks displays, music, dancing, feating and speeches for his many guests , he slips his hand in the pocket of his fine coat, where he hides the ring, finds the ring and slips it on, to make his farewell a real disappearing act, leaving all his guests aghast...a fine farewell trick! He also leaves his property including the magic ring, to his nephew and ward, Frodo Baggins ( both were orphaned and Bilbo had no other close legal heirs and so this decision did nicely to keep greedy cousins at bay) , before departing to rest and finish his book, in Rivendell, the home of old friend, Lord Elrond, famed and ageless Elf. At this point, Frodo is made to understand that, to the recent discovery of Gandalf, friend and Wizard, Bilbo's, now Frodo's magic ring, is THE One Ring.
Bilbo had no idea that his modes fun magic ring was The One. And his nephew , Frodo, its new owner, knew even less of it.
Gandalf explains its import to Frodo, and the need to consult with the great minds for the purpose of achieving , once and for all, the destruction of the Evil One Ring. The One Ring has been in power for a few thousand years, building momentum, and wise men had been warned that the time would come when the Survival of all the is Green and Good on Earth would depend on its being found and destroyed. The same wise men could also observe that the time had come...things were happening.....insidious evil darkening and sickening things.....it was time to find the ring and destroy it. And so, through a happy accident in Hobbiton, the One Ring has been found. Gandalf catches an eavesdropper to the secret meeting between him and Frodo, the Gardenier of Frodo's home, Bag End, Sam Gamgee, son of Gaffer Gamgee, of fine stock and skills. Galdalf drafts Sam to be Frodo's guard and partner on a journey to Rivendendell where a plan of action will be drawn up in meeting with the leaders of Middle Earth. Frodo is to bring the ring, kept secret and safe. Through a series of adventures, Sam and Frodo, add friends and fellow Hobbits , Meriadoc , "Merry" , Brandybuck, of neighboring Buckland, and Merry's friend and cousin Perigrine, "Pippin", Took, of Tuckland also nearby......they proceed to an assigned meeting with Gandalf at The Inn of the Prancing Pony at Bree, where Gandalf wil escort the modest Hobbits to their meeting with the esteemed Elrond of Rivendelll, powerful Lord of Elves and Son-in-Law to the Magical Lady Galadriel , Queen of the Elves of the Lorien Wood.
But Gandalf does not arrive, and the Hobbits "fidgeting" at the broken appointment, endanger themselves, with the wrong kind attention, and Frodo accidentally slips the ring on his finger and briefly becomes invisible...a bit frightening....he is becoming acquainted with this ring....an awesome thing of mystery! This moment, in turn, results in their meeting the tall dark stranger, a Ranger known as "Strider", who takes them aside, gives them some wisdom and suggests they learn to be more discrete, since their mission is fraught with import and danger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and becomes their friend , saving them from attack in the night. When the Hobbits, terrified but safely out of harms way, ask Aragorn about the attackers, Aragorn tells them :"they are the Ringwraiths"...the kings who took the earlier rings of power and so were, in turn, overpowered by the One Ring, until they were Wraiths...not living , not dead, but able to wreak havoc in their uncontrollable desire to find and capture the One Ring." With this bit of information, the Hobbits begin to trust Aragorn and allow him to take Gandalf's place , as guide along the paths to Rivendell, where they are expected.....but .......Frodo is injured , when the Wraiths briefly catch up to the Hobbits at a campsite along the way, called Amon Sul. Aragorn saves the Hobbits, routing away the Wraiths, and Aragorn's Lady Arwen,magically finds Aragorn and the Hobbits and carries the unconscious Frodo to her Father, Elrond at Rivendell. Elronds healing powers may be able to save Frodo, so she rides in great haste ahead of the others. She is pursued by the Wraiths, but makes iit across the ford in the river to Rivendell's borders, and casts an elvish spell on the river waters that engulf the pursuing Wraiths, and Frodo is taken , safe but unconscious and near-dead from the poison of the Morgul blade with which he was stabbed....to Elrond, a powerful healer, who saves him and sets him among them to rest.
The Fellowship Of the Ring is assembled to empower Frodo, and lifelong friend, Sam Gamgee, will be his "Man" in the adventure, but Frodo is the only one who seems to be able to carry the Ring without being immediately corrupted or repelled by the ring itself. He, then, must be the Ringbearer, and deposit the One Ring into the Fires of Mount Doom, the only place where it can be safely destroyed. Having shown itself, if the Ring is not destroyed, and falls into the hands of the reviving Sauron, it's the end of the world as we know it.
Representative of the Peoples of Middle Earth, as listed at the head of this page, The Fellowship bonds instantly, and we bond to them, as they integrate their diversity to save Middle Earth, and begin the journey to destroy the One Ring. Immediately they are caught up in a series of fascinating adventures, and attacked by agents of the Evil Sauron, they are separated, perhaps forever, from the loved and indispensable Gandalf. Lucky to escape with their own lives, the remaining eight make for Lothlorien Wood, the realm of Mystical Galadriel, said to be one of awesome power and beauty...Elven Queen...they take care and counsel from the High Elves, and depart refreshed, with magical parting gifts from Galdriel, and in elvish boats, they reach the border of the barren and treacherous land that must be traversed to reach the Fires of Mount Doom. At this point, tragedy strikes: horrendous creature/soldiers, sent by the Evil Saruman, the Second Evil to the Evil Sauron, attack the Fellowship, killing one of the Fellowship, and kidnapping two others, as Frodo and Sam, according to decisions made in counsel with Galadriel, strike out alone on the Path to Mount Doom. The remaining three members conquer some of the creature/soldiers, pursuing the others, in hope of finding their kidnapped comrades, who are to be delivered to Saruman, and a horrible fate, unless the three, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, are successful in the rescue.
|