Hobbit Day Special Reading: Concerning Hobbits

[dreamflower]

VoicePost

This book is largely concerned with Hobbits, and
from its pages a reader may discover much of their character and a
little of their history. Further information will also be found in
the selection from the Red Book of Westmarch that has already been
published, under the title of _The Hobbit_. That story was derived
from the earlier chapters of the Red Book, composed by Bilbo himself,
the first Hobbit to become famous in the world at large, and called
by him _There and Back Again,_ since they told of his journey into
the East and his return: an adventure which later involved all the
Hobbits in the great events of that Age that are here related.

     Many, however, may wish to know more about
this remarkable people from the outset, while some may not possess
the earlier book. For such readers a few notes on the more important
points are here collected from Hobbit-lore, and the first adventure
is briefly recalled.

     Hobbits are an unobtrusive but very ancient
people, more numerous formerly than they are today; for they love
peace and quiet and good tilled earth: a well-ordered and well-farmed
countryside was their favourite haunt. They do not and did not
understand or like machines more complicated than a forge-bellows, a
water-mill, or a hand-loom, though they were skilful with tools. Even
in ancient days they were, as a rule, shy of 'the Big Folk', as they
call us, and now they avoid us with dismay and are becoming hard to
find. They are quick of hearing and sharp-eyed, and though they are
inclined to be fat and do not hurry unnecessarily, they are
nonetheless nimble and deft in their movements. They possessed from
the first the art of disappearing swiftly and silently, when large
folk whom they do not wish to meet come blundering by; and this an
they have developed until to Men it may seem magical. But Hobbits
have never, in fact, studied magic of any kind, and their elusiveness
is due solely to a professional skill that heredity and practice, and
a close friendship with the earth, have rendered inimitable by bigger
and clumsier races.

     For they are a little people, smaller than
Dwarves: less tout and stocky, that is, even when they are not
actually much shorter. Their height is variable, ranging between two
and four feet of our measure. They seldom now reach three feet; but
they hive dwindled, they say, and in ancient days they were taller.
According to the Red Book, Bandobras Took (Bullroarer), son of
Isengrim the Second, was four foot five and able to ride a horse. He
was surpassed in all Hobbit records only by two famous characters of
old; but that curious matter is dealt with in this book.

     As for the Hobbits of the Shire, with whom
these tales are concerned, in the days of their peace and prosperity
they were a merry folk. They dressed in bright colours, being notably
fond of yellow and green; but they seldom wore shoes, since their
feet had tough leathery soles and were clad in a thick curling hair,
much like the hair of their heads, which was commonly brown. Thus,
the only craft little practised among them was shoe-making; but they
had long and skilful fingers and could make many other useful and
comely things. Their faces were as a rule good-natured rather than
beautiful, broad, bright-eyed, red-cheeked, with mouths apt to
laughter, and to eating and drinking. And laugh they did, and eat,
and drink, often and heartily, being fond of simple jests at all
times, and of six meals a day (when they could get them). They were
hospitable and delighted in parties, and in presents, which they gave
away freely and eagerly accepted.

Comments

[shirebound]

I find your voice so soothing. :)

[baranduin.livejournal.com]

Awww, I love that part so much and it's so lovely to hear you reading it!

[periantari.livejournal.com]

Love this passage!!!