Read Online The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: J.R.R. Tolkien
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fun began.
Bilbo Baggins called it a
party,
but it was really a variety of entertainments rolled into one. Practically everybody living near was invited. A very few
were overlooked by accident, but as they turned up all the same, that did not matter. Many people from other parts of the
Shire were also asked; and there were even a few from outside the borders. Bilbo met the guests (and additions) at the new
white gate in person. He gave away presents to all and sundry – the latterwere those who went out again by a back way and came in again by the gate. Hobbits give presents to other people on their
own birthdays. Not very expensive ones, as a rule, and not so lavishly as on this occasion; but it was not a bad system. Actually
in Hobbiton and Bywater every day in the year was somebody’s birthday, so that every hobbit in those parts had a fair chance
of at least one present at least once a week. But they never got tired of them.
On this occasion the presents were unusually good. The hobbit-children were so excited that for a while they almost forgot
about eating. There were toys the like of which they had never seen before, all beautiful and some obviously magical. Many
of them had indeed been ordered a year before, and had come all the way from the Mountain and from Dale, and were of real
dwarf-make.
When every guest had been welcomed and was finally inside the gate, there were songs, dances, music, games, and, of course,
food and drink. There were three official meals: lunch, tea, and dinner (or supper). But lunch and tea were marked chiefly
by the fact that at those times all the guests were sitting down and eating together. At other times there were merely lots
of people eating and drinking – continuously from elevenses until six-thirty, when the fireworks started.
The fireworks were by Gandalf: they were not only brought by him, but designed and made by him; and the special effects, set
pieces, and flights of rockets were let off by him. But there was also a generous distribution of squibs, crackers, backarappers,
sparklers, torches, dwarf-candles, elf-fountains, goblin-barkers and thunderclaps. They were all superb. The art of Gandalf
improved with age.
There were rockets like a flight of scintillating birds singing with sweet voices. There were green trees with trunks of dark
smoke: their leaves opened like a whole spring unfolding in a moment, and their shining branches dropped glowing flowers down
upon the astonished hobbits, disappearing with a sweet scent just before they touched their upturned faces. There were fountains
of butterflies that flew glittering into the trees; there were pillars of coloured fires that rose and turned into eagles,
or sailing ships, or a phalanx of flying swans; there was a red thunderstorm and a shower of yellow rain; there was a forest
of silver spears that sprang suddenly into the air with a yell like an embattled army, and came down again into the Water
with a hiss like a hundred hot snakes. And there was also one last surprise, in honour of Bilbo, and it startled the hobbits
exceedingly, as Gandalf intended. The lights went out. A great smoke went up. It shaped itself like a mountain seen in the
distance, and began to glow at the summit. It spouted green and scarlet flames. Out flew a red-golden dragon – not life-size,
but terribly life-like: fire came from his jaws,his eyes glared down; there was a roar, and he whizzed three times over the heads of the crowd. They all ducked, and many
fell flat on their faces. The dragon passed like an express train, turned a somersault, and burst over Bywater with a deafening
explosion.
‘That is the signal for supper!’ said Bilbo. The pain and alarm vanished at once, and the prostrate hobbits leaped to their
feet. There was a splendid supper for everyone; for everyone, that is, except those invited to the special family dinner-party.
This was held in the great pavilion with the
Bilbo Baggins called it a
party,
but it was really a variety of entertainments rolled into one. Practically everybody living near was invited. A very few
were overlooked by accident, but as they turned up all the same, that did not matter. Many people from other parts of the
Shire were also asked; and there were even a few from outside the borders. Bilbo met the guests (and additions) at the new
white gate in person. He gave away presents to all and sundry – the latterwere those who went out again by a back way and came in again by the gate. Hobbits give presents to other people on their
own birthdays. Not very expensive ones, as a rule, and not so lavishly as on this occasion; but it was not a bad system. Actually
in Hobbiton and Bywater every day in the year was somebody’s birthday, so that every hobbit in those parts had a fair chance
of at least one present at least once a week. But they never got tired of them.
On this occasion the presents were unusually good. The hobbit-children were so excited that for a while they almost forgot
about eating. There were toys the like of which they had never seen before, all beautiful and some obviously magical. Many
of them had indeed been ordered a year before, and had come all the way from the Mountain and from Dale, and were of real
dwarf-make.
When every guest had been welcomed and was finally inside the gate, there were songs, dances, music, games, and, of course,
food and drink. There were three official meals: lunch, tea, and dinner (or supper). But lunch and tea were marked chiefly
by the fact that at those times all the guests were sitting down and eating together. At other times there were merely lots
of people eating and drinking – continuously from elevenses until six-thirty, when the fireworks started.
The fireworks were by Gandalf: they were not only brought by him, but designed and made by him; and the special effects, set
pieces, and flights of rockets were let off by him. But there was also a generous distribution of squibs, crackers, backarappers,
sparklers, torches, dwarf-candles, elf-fountains, goblin-barkers and thunderclaps. They were all superb. The art of Gandalf
improved with age.
There were rockets like a flight of scintillating birds singing with sweet voices. There were green trees with trunks of dark
smoke: their leaves opened like a whole spring unfolding in a moment, and their shining branches dropped glowing flowers down
upon the astonished hobbits, disappearing with a sweet scent just before they touched their upturned faces. There were fountains
of butterflies that flew glittering into the trees; there were pillars of coloured fires that rose and turned into eagles,
or sailing ships, or a phalanx of flying swans; there was a red thunderstorm and a shower of yellow rain; there was a forest
of silver spears that sprang suddenly into the air with a yell like an embattled army, and came down again into the Water
with a hiss like a hundred hot snakes. And there was also one last surprise, in honour of Bilbo, and it startled the hobbits
exceedingly, as Gandalf intended. The lights went out. A great smoke went up. It shaped itself like a mountain seen in the
distance, and began to glow at the summit. It spouted green and scarlet flames. Out flew a red-golden dragon – not life-size,
but terribly life-like: fire came from his jaws,his eyes glared down; there was a roar, and he whizzed three times over the heads of the crowd. They all ducked, and many
fell flat on their faces. The dragon passed like an express train, turned a somersault, and burst over Bywater with a deafening
explosion.
‘That is the signal for supper!’ said Bilbo. The pain and alarm vanished at once, and the prostrate hobbits leaped to their
feet. There was a splendid supper for everyone; for everyone, that is, except those invited to the special family dinner-party.
This was held in the great pavilion with the
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