1. Hobbits, with their holes beneath the earth,
2. Are peaceful, playful, and filled with mirth.
3. For theses little people down in the Shire
4. Ale and food is all they desire
5. Our tale begins among these simple folk
6. And Gandalf, the wizard, who arrived with the hope
7. Of enjoying the party for Bilbo, his friend,
8. He knew not of what he would find ere the nights end
9. For in Bilbo's possession there was a most curious thing
10. He had found long ago: a magical ring
11. When he put in on, he vanished from sight
12. Which, I can assure you, gave a terrible fright
13. To the hobbits who wondered, as he snuck away,
14. What had happened in their very Shire that day
15. Bilbo's plan was to go to the Elves
16. And spend the rest of his days in Rivendell
17. He left to Frodo his land, his house,
18. And (and Gandalf's command) the ring he had found
19. Frodo promised to keep it hidden away
20. Until Gandalf found how to keep evil at bay
21. For this was the One Ring, made long ago
22. By Sauron the Deceiver, so he'd have control
23. Of all Middle-Earth, but he failed then
24. And Gandalf doesn't want him to have it again
25. For fear of darkness is upon him still
26. And the inscription on the ring gives him a chill
27. "One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them
28. One ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them"
29. And so begins our tale of the quest to destroy
30. The evil ring, deep in Mordor
31. Sam, Pippin, and Merry will join
32. Our little Frodo, for he cannot go alone
33. Out towards Bree they will set
34. To the Prancing Pony, where they will rest
35. Through the woods they will wind
36. With eerie tales running through their minds
37. Stories of most unfriendly things
38. Passed on to scare young Halflings
39. Yet on and on they must travel
40. Over the endless miles it seems they have.
41. All was well until an evil tree
42. Sang to them and made them sleep
43. Into his trunk he trapped Pippin and Merry
44. Causing Frodo and Sam much despair
45. They were feeling frightened, when over the hill
46. Came the merry song of Tom Bombadil
47. The master of wood, hill and water
48. Took them to Goldberry, the beloved river-daughter
49. There the hobbits ate and sang
50. Throughout the wood their voices rang
51. All of their fears vanished in the mist
52. As Tom and Goldberry bade them rest
53. When the visitors left, their hearts were light
54. Until they were captured by the Barrow-wights
55. All, save Frodo, were still as death
56. His friends seemed to draw no breath
57. As Frodo thought his life was done
58. Again came the voice of dear old Tom
59. He rescued the hobbits once again
60. For without him it would have been the end
61. Each of the travelers received a dagger
62. That Tom had taken from the Barrow-wights treasure
63. From there he led them to the edge of his wood
64. Taking them safely as far as he could.
65. They said farewell to Tom and his pony
66. And continued on their gloomy journey
67. The friends trudged along the track
68. Pursued by evil horsemen clad in black
69. Then ahead they saw the gate of Bree
70. And to it they raced most happily
71. For there they were to rest and wait
72. For Gandalf, and news of what they must
73. Do with the ring, and who they could trust
74. So there they sat and drank their fill
75. Trying to think of nothing ill
77. There they drank away their fears
78. With laughter so hard it brought them tears
79. Ale and stories, Laughter and song
80. The happiness was to last all night long
81. To all but Frodo, who felt betrayed
82. By Gandalf, who had been delayed.
83. Little did Frodo realize what had come upon
84. Gandalf when he confronted Saruman.
85. *which we will cover on a later date*
86. Frodo wondered who'd come to his aid..
87. The Hobbits could not do this on their own
88. So why would Gandalf leave them all alone?
89. And as Frodo chewed this in his mind
90. Pippin mentioned the name he'd left behind
91. That fateful name "Baggins" was sure to bring
92. Trouble from those who sought the ring.
93. He tried to stop his silly cousin when
94. He fell on his back, with the ring on his hand.
95. Suddenly he vanished like Bilbo had done
96. And the patrons all wondered where he had gone
97. When he reappeared he was taken aside by a stranger
98. Who introduced himself as an infamous Ranger.
99. This man who called himself by the name of Strider
100. Protected them from the evil Black Riders.
101. And they were told he would lead them to the Elves
102. In the peaceful sanctuary of Rivendell.
103. At Weathertop, they were forced to fight
104. When the Nazgul came during the night
105. And poor Frodo was stabbed by their evil blade
106. That would make him become a Ringwraith
107. So Strider took him quickly to Rivendell
108. For Elrond was the only one who could help.
109. When Frodo had healed he awoke to find
110. His beloved Gandalf sitting by his side.
111. And as he got up and walked around
112. His Uncle Bilbo was what he found!
113. So here at Rivendell he shall rest
114. For his friends and family are the best
115. Medicine he could find, and here
116. Is where his aching heart will heal
