Years after Bilbo Baggins arrived back in the Shire from his long adventure with Gandalf and the dwarves, with much treasure, to the surprise of all Hobbiton, he decided to hold a party. All Hobbiton was abuzz with excitement, and hundreds attended the anniversary celebration of Bilbo as well as his nephew Frodo. But Bilbo had a surprise waiting for them. As he gave his speech to the crowd, he suddenly dissapeared!
Soon afterwards, Gandalf, Bilbo's wizard friend who had attended the party, found Bilbo back in his home. Bilbo had used a magic ring that he had to do his dissapearing trick, which he had found in his adventures with the dwarves, as told in The Hobbit, which made him invisible, and Gandalf knew much about that ring. He knew that it was called the One Ring, and that it was evil because it had been made many years ago by Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor, who was, at this moment, trying to find it again, for he lost it many years ago as well. The One Ring also, when its wearer kept it for a long time, began to "possess" him, by making want to hold onto it and wear it much, too much. Because of this, Gandalf knew Bilbo was in danger, and persuaded Bilbo that night, with some difficulty, to give the One Ring to him and move away to a more peaceful place. For Gandalf knew that Sauron and his evil servants, the Nazgul, were on the move, and the name of Bilbo Baggins was known to the Dark Lord as the wearer of the One Ring.
In the next few months, Frodo, Bilbo's adopted nephew, took care of his new home, Bilbo's old house. Bilbo had given Frodo the One Ring at the advice of Gandalf, but he only knew that it was a magic ring. Then, some time later, Gandalf returned. He was concerned, because he had heard of trouble in the east, where Mordor was, and that Sauron was searching for the Ring. So that night, Gandalf had a long talk with Frodo, explaining to him what the One Ring actually was. After hearing this, and thinking it over, Frodo decided to go east, to Rivendell, the Last Homely House, and seek advice from Elrond the wise, which Gandalf thought was a good idea. But Frodo would not go alone. Sam, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, and Pippin (short for Peregrin) would accompany him to Crickhollow, a house just east of the Shire by the Brandywine River, where Frodo would be "moving" and where Merry, short for "Meriadoc" would be meeting them. This "move" was actually an excuse for Frodo to give to the other hobbits because Frodo's mission was to be as secret as possible. And so, after the house was sold, they began their journey.
Their travels began rather smoothly. They even spent a night at the campfire of a group of traveling elves. Then one day they heard horses' hooves coming near them. Since Frodo wanted to keep their journey relatively anonymous, they stopped and hid along the trail to find out who it was. A strange, evil-looking rider arrived, wearing a black cloak and riding a black horse. His hood kept his face from being seen. The hobbits, hidden in the bushes, watches nervously as the rider walked around, as if looking for something. The anxiety grew on Frodo, and when he began to put the Ring on, the rider suddenly stopped as if sensing something, and then quickly lept back onto his horse and rode away. The hobbits got back on the trail, wondering what that was. Frodo knew something was wrong, and that perhaps something was following him. They rode on to Crickhollow.
When they arrived, the other 3 hobbits began to get settled in their new home for now, as they thought. They didn't know Frodo's real mission, so when he confessed, they were surprised and a little hurt that Frodo didn't tell them, his friends. They forgave Frodo, though, and decided to come along with him. They would leave for Rivendell in the morning.
The hobbits next had to go through the Old Forest, feared by hobbits because of mysterious things that had happened there a long time ago. Indeed, as they were walking through, a living and evil tree grabbed two of the hobbits and almost crushed them to death when an unlikely rescuer arrived. A strangely-dressed man danced up to the tree and told it to stop, and the tree actually obeyed him. The hobbits, saved, were introduced to Tom Bombadil, a strange man who lived in the Old Forest with his spouse, Goldberry the River Daughter. They stayed at his house for a few days, and then continued on. But more trouble awaited. Traveling through dense fog, the hobbits were captured by a barrow-wight an evil spirit that inhabited the land east of the Old Forest. But once again, magical Tom Bombadil came to their rescue. Soon afterwards, they made it to Bree.
At Bree, Frodo and the others stayed at the Inn of the Prancing Pony. While enjoying an evening with the other guests in the tavern there, Frodo began acting foolishly with his Ring, and accidently put it on and became invisible. When he took it back off, everyone immediately became suspicious of him, and the hobbits returned to their room. They were shocked to see a stranger there waiting for them. He called himself Strider, and he offered to help them and protect them from the pursuing Black Riders that they had encountered before, because he had been sent by Gandalf, he also told them. Although suspicious, they agreed and cooperating with him instructing them to hide themselves tonight, for he knew that the Black Riders were on Bree, looking for them. He was right. Next morning, the hobbits found their room wrecked and their horses gone. Before leaving Bree, they bought the only horse they could find in town, for an extravagant price too. They were still safe, and they now had someone to protect them, Aragorn, the real name of Strider. But they were still being followed.
The hobbits and their new companion, Aragorn, continued, ever closer to Rivendell. But it did not get any easier. They passed through mosquito-ridden swamps and they were always looking behind them to spot any unwelcome stalkers. Then one night, while sitting around a campfire, Sam heard a noise. They couldn't see anything, but Frodo had a feeling of dread. The hobbits and Aragorn could make out something coming towards them, and Frodo felt an urge to put the ring on, to become invisible and hide. This he did, and immediately he could see the Black Riders, staring right at him, and suddenly one of them grabbed a knife and stabbed Frodo before Aragorn could attack them with a torch and make them flee. When they did, Frodo weakly took off the ring, and his frightened friends looked at his awful. Nevertheless they continued on, this time more anxiously than before. They were surprised and relieved to meet Glorfindel, an elf from Rivendell who had been looking for them, a few days later, who examined Frodo's wound and told them they must reach Rivendell fast, or Frodo will suffer the intent of the Black Rider's morgul-knife, the horror of becoming one of them. Finally they reached the Ford of Rivendell and Rivendell behind it, but there was one more trial. The Riders had caught up, and an ensuing chase began, with all 9 Riders closing in on a frantic and weak Frodo riding upon a horse. Frodo got across the river, which was unusually dry, first, but the leader of the Riders, from across the Ford, cast a spell upon the Hobbit that struck him unconscious. They rode across the ford to capture him and his ring, but suddenly they saw the rushing water, which had been somehow released, come upon them. They were too late. The surging tide carried all 9 down the river. Frodo was saved.
After resting and sleeping for many days following his escape from the Black Riders, Frodo awoke. He was greeted by Gandalf, who had been staying at Rivendell. They had a long talk, and Gandalf explained how he had been betrayed by the wizard Saruman the White and locked in his tower Orthanc many days while Frodo and the others were heading toward Rivendell until the King of the Eagles rescued him. Elrond had healed Frodo's morgul-knife wound.
For the next few days Frodo, Gandalf, and the hobbits held meetings with the other residents of the Last Homely House, including Elrond himself.. Frodo was revealed as the Ring-bearer, and Aragorn as the descendent of the human prince Isildur. It was decided that the One Ring was purely evil and must be destroyed, and throwing it into the fiery volcano of Mt. Doom, deep within Mordor, was the only way possible. Along with Frodo, Gandalf, and the other 3 hobbits, Aragorn and Boromir, men, Legolas the elf and Gimli the dwarf were to accompany them in their quest into Mordor, a most dangerous quest indeed.
For a while, the journey passed by smoothly. Then, when they tried to pass through the Misty Mountains, they were met with a harsh snowstorm, for it was winter. They had to find another way through the mountains to get to the other side to arrive south by Gondor and Mordor, or else risk passing by the tower of Orthanc in Isengard, where the evil Saruman dwelt. Gandalf did not want to risk that, so he decided to pass UNDER the mountains, through the Mines of Moria. The company of 9 grudgingly agreed.
Going through the Mines of Moria proved to be a frightening experience. At any moment they feared something would attack them from behind a corner. Reading the lost records of a dwarf mining colony that mysteriously dissapeared some years ago did not encourage them either. But trouble did not come until they were near the other side of the mines and thus the mountains. A band of orcs attacked. The valiant 9, including the hobbits, were able to withstand the attack, but then an even more dangerous enemy appeared. A balrog, a demon-like monster, had awakened from deep under the mountain and was ready to fight anything. The orcs backed off, but Gandalf was brave. They fought a great battle, but just as Gandalf had won, he was pulled off the bridge they were fighting on by the falling Balrog's whip. Stunned, the others quickly fled out of the mines and into the sunlight. They had made it across the mines, but at a price.
The rest of the journey was not as eventful. Aragorn assumed leadership of the company. They stayed for a while in the elves' forest of Lothlorien. After spending time there, they journeyed down the river Anduin as they came closer to Mordor. Just when things had been normal for a while, several things happened. Boromir, who had wished for the Ring to be used by the armies of Gondor, believing it would help them, was overcome with greed for the Ring, and tried to take it from Frodo, but he failed. This sent Frodo into a panic, and he took off, away from the rest of the group towards Mordor. The others, realizing what had happened, panicked as well. The other hobbits immediately went after him, and Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, and Gimli went after them to retrieve them. It was then that a band of Orcs attacked. Boromir was killed, and Pippin and Meriadoc were captured. Sam had found Frodo sailing down the river, and decided to go with him. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli decided to go after Meriadoc and Pippin, and hope that Frodo and Sam would fend for themselves. The company of 9 had split up. The quest had begun.
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